Anthony Petrosino

Overview

Anthony Petrosino is an internationally recognized expert in applications of evidence-based policy in justice and prevention settings. As Director of WestEd’s Justice and Prevention Research Center, Petrosino leads WestEd’s efforts to improve policy and practice in crime and violence prevention and justice systems reform and to increase school safety and improve the public’s health. Petrosino also serves as Senior Fellow and Affiliated Faculty at George Mason University’s Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy.

Petrosino has nearly 40 years of experience collaborating on research and evaluation projects to provide solid evidence to the field. He has published more than 200 articles, book chapters, and technical reports. He has successfully directed major project investments funded by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Health & Human Services and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Petrosino has led more than 60 projects to successful completion, including 5 randomized controlled trials. 

Petrosino’s passion to contribute to evidence-based solutions was demonstrated prior to joining WestEd. For example, Petrosino was a founding member of the Campbell Collaboration, an organization that conducts rigorous research reviews on the effects of social interventions. He led the organization’s pilot review (on the “Scared Straight” delinquency prevention program), and his paper on that analysis won the 2003 Pro Humanitate Literary Medal from the Center for Child Welfare Policy. Additionally, Petrosino was Founding Coordinator for the Campbell Collaboration’s Crime and Justice Group, receiving a Distinguished Service Award for his contributions. 

Education

• PhD in criminal justice, Rutgers University 
• MS in criminal justice, School of Criminal Justice, Rutgers University 
• BS in justice and law, Rowan University (formerly Glassboro State College) 

Select Publications

Fisher, B. W., Petrosino, A., Sutherland, H., Guckenburg, S., Fronius, T., Benitez, I., & Earl, K. (2023). School-based law enforcement strategies to reduce crime, increase perceptions of safety, and improve learning outcomes in primary and secondary schools: A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 19, e1360. 

Wendt, S. J., Nakamoto, J., MacDougall, P., & Petrosino, A. (2022). Impacts of Healthy U: A cluster-randomized control trial of a sexual health education app developed for justice-involved male youth. Children and Youth Services Review, 139, 106555. 

McKenna, J., & Petrosino, A. (2022). School policing programs: Where we have been and where do we need to go next [Report to Congress]. National Institute of Justice. 

Boal, A. L., Choi, K., Jones, L. M., Sian Goh, L., Lee, H., MacDougall, P., & Petrosino, A. (2022). Technology-facilitated crimes against children: The scope of the problem and interventions. In H. Lim (Ed.), Interpersonal violence against children and youth (pp. 135–162). Lexington Books. 

Darling-Hammond, S., Fronius, T. A., Sutherland, H., Guckenburg, S., Petrosino, A., & Hurley, N. (2020). Effectiveness of restorative justice in US K–12 Schools: A review of quantitative research. Contemporary School Psychology, 24, 295–308. 

Honors, Awards, and Affiliations

Research to Policy Collaboration Scholar Award, Penn State University

Robert F. Boruch Award for Contributions to Public Policy, Campbell Collaboration

Non-Voting Expert, Governor Sandoval’s Statewide School Safety Task Force

Member, National Academies Workshop Planning Committee, Violence Prevention

Paul Hood Award for Contributions to the Field, WestEd

Honorary Fellow, Academy of Experimental Criminology

Distinguished Service Award, Campbell Collaboration Crime and Justice Group

Pro Humanitate Literary Medal, Center for Child Welfare Policy

Member, Technical Working Group, U.S. Department of Education, Evaluation of Title I-D Programs for Delinquent or Neglected Youth

Glen Harvey Award for Uplifting and Empowering Colleagues

Recent Media Appearances

• Prevention Matters Podcast, National Prevention Science Coalition, February 9, 2024.
• Some Texas schools scramble to adjust to new rule requiring armed personnel on campuses, Dallas Morning News, August 3, 2023 
• High-profile security incidents drive creation of state school safety centers, K–12 Dive, April 21, 2023.
• Exploring Police on Campus, NBC Bay Area, July 1, 2020.
• Do Cops Belong in Schools? Minneapolis Tragedy Prompts a Hard Look at School Police, Education Week, June 5, 2020.
• Leaders who worked for months to boost school safety react to cut in proposed spending, Nevada Independent, May 23, 2019.