We asked three faculty members, “How do you imagine your field of expertise will change and evolve over the next decade?” Here is what they had to say.
"Decades of sentencing research have demonstrated that there are discrepancies in punishment outcomes based on numerous status characteristics (e.g., race, ethnicity, sex, age, etc.), net of legally relevant factors (e.g., prior criminal record, nature of the crime, etc.). These findings have led to increased concerns around fairness, equality and justice of the law. Some scholars note that the observed disparities reflect differential rates of offending. Others note that the discrepancies are due to differential and biased processing of individuals. I believe that over the next decade the criminal justice system can evolve by becoming more equitable if policymakers, criminal justice actors and social science researchers come together to embrace change. Some solutions would include repealing “three-strikes” laws, using alternatives to incarceration, revising sentencing guidelines, advancing successful re-entry outcomes, reducing the number of individuals incarcerated, training judges on implicit bias, and appointing judges from diverse backgrounds. If these initiatives are included when reforming sentencing laws, the criminal justice system will evolve into one that is transparent, accountable and fair."
Porche' Whitby Okafor, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Criminology
"Over the past decade organizations have endured a dramatic increase in cyber attacks, a global pandemic, the continued emergence of a climate crisis, a global financial disaster, political discord and social unrest. Each of these challenges has had a dramatic impact on organizations around the world – and they are not going away any time soon. In fact, they are likely to grow more severe over the next 10 years, which means organizations will need to make significant investments in risk management to optimize their chances of survival. As a result, insurance companies will be faced with the likelihood of additional claims and an increase in expensive payouts to their clients. It is expected that insurers will prepare for this change by investing in technology, advanced analytics and artificial intelligence to help them navigate even more turbulent times. Insurance companies, as well as most organizations, are also going to need to invest in young leaders who understand how to use these concepts to their advantage to optimize business performance.
Frank Marullo
Professor of Practice in Risk Management & Insurance
"I tell my students that to be in the field of cybersecurity they need to be prepared to continue their studies well past when they leave Le Moyne. This field, and the field of information technology for that matter, will require them to constantly learn and adapt new skills to be ready for the ever-changing demands that come with IT. The field of cybersecurity is constantly changing as new threats are adapting to the defenses we put in place. As a result, we need to adjust our methods in order to stay ahead of the “bad guys.” We are seeing changes to cyberattacks that have physical consequences such as water supplies being at risk and hospitals being shut down. Additionally, I expect new laws and stricter regulations to be placed on organizations. In recent years multiple states have drafted and passed new cybersecurity legislation and this past year the federal government also drafted new laws around cybersecurity. This means more work and more jobs for those in the field, however, the cybersecurity industry is already taxed due to a massive personnel shortage. There are currently almost 600,000 open jobs in the United States alone. These short-staffed organizations need new talent. This is where our students can help as we prepare them to take on the challenges that lie ahead."
James Enwright
Professor of Practice in Computer Science