Faculty Profiles

Todak, N., & Somers, L. J. (2025). A tutorial on mixed methods research for policing scholars. The Police Journal, 98(2), 426–441. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X241299749

Somers, L. J., & Todak, N. (n.d.). Shaping police self-efficacy: A content analysis of officer views towards their duty assignments, working locations, and working times. Journal of Crime and Justice, 1–15. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/0735648X.2025.2454679

Cronin, N., Rojek, J., Uchida, C. D., Somers, L. J., & Black, H. (2025). Body-Worn Cameras in Indian Country: Perspectives from Tribal Police Chiefs (pp. 1–12).

Somers, L. J., Todak, N., Mourtgos, S. M., & Adams, I. T. (n.d.). Through thick and thin: Comparing traditional qualitative analysis and natural language processing techniques using narrative data from police officers. Justice Quarterly, 1–22. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2025.2564394

Somers, L. J., & Graham, A. (2025). Motivations and Likelihood of the Public to Consider a Career in Policing. https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-05-2025-0088

Somers, L. J., Geoghan, S., & Terrill, W. (2024). A gendered assessment of police officers’ views towards promotion, specialized units, and expected rank at retirement. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 18(24), 1–10. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paae033

Foster, J. T., Zimmerman, L., Terrill, W., & Somers, L. J. (2024). Finding the path of least resistance: An examination of officer communication tactics and their impact on suspect compliance. Criminology & Public Policy, 23(3), 639–662. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9133.12676

Wise, J., Graham, A., Dodge, C., & Somers, L. J. (2024). Police K-9 Line-of-Duty Deaths and Heatstroke 2000-2023. Police Practice and Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/15614263.2024.2438681

Graham, A., & Somers, L. J. (2024). Warrior or Guardian? Public Perceptions of Law Enforcement. https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paae115

Terrill, W., & Somers, L. J. (2023). Viewing firearm danger through the lens of police officers. Homicide Studies, 27(1), 55–76. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/10887679221108329

Somers, L. J. (2023). Towards a better understanding of police experience: An assessment of the unique shifts, crime areas, and duty assignments that officers have worked. The Police Journal, 96(2), 212–229. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X211064710

Somers, L. J., & Foster, J. T. (2023). Going above and beyond: Assessing the characteristics of officers who complete additional in-service training. Police Practice and Research: An International Journal, 24(6), 646–660. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/15614263.2022.2152028

Somers, L. J., & Terrill, W. (2023). Assessing the relationship between officers’ broad cultural attitudes and their situational perceptions of firearm danger. Policing: An International Journal, 46(5–6), 751–765. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-04-2023-0047

Terrill, W., Zimmerman, L., & Somers, L. J. (2023). Applying video-based systematic social observation to police use of force encounters: An assessment of de-escalation and escalation within the context of proportionality and incrementalism. Justice Quarterly, 40(7), 1045–1076. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2023.2222819

Somers, L. J., & Graham, A. (2023). Bryan County Sheriff’s Office Employee Survey.

Somers, L. J., & Terrill, W. (2022). Examining the relationship between the unique work experiences and cultural orientations of police officers. Criminal Justice Studies, 35(2), 182–199. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/1478601X.2021.2019032

Somers, L. J., & Terrill, W. (2022). Confidence in their craft: An assessment of the relationship between officer work experiences and their perceptions of self-efficacy. Criminal Justice & Behavior, 49(11), 1656–1675. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177%2F00938548221105879

Graham, A., Somers, L. J., Thompson, K., & Posick, C. (2022). Bryan County Sheriff’s Office Community Survey.

Paoline, E. A., Terrill, W., & Somers, L. J. (2021). Police officer use of force mindset and street-level behavior. Police Quarterly, 24(4), 547–577. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177%2F10986111211025523

Somers, L. J., Terrill, W., Ingram, J. R., & Rossler, M. T. (2020). Examining the effectiveness of TASERS® at gaining citizen compliance. Criminal Justice and Policy Review, 31(8), 1234–1255. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/0887403419897953

Wallace, D., Larson, M., Somers, L. J., Padilla, K. E. L., & Mays, R. (2020). Recidivism and relationships: Examining the role of relationships, transitions, and relationship quality in reincarceration. Journal of Development and Life-Course Criminology, 6(3), 321–352. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s40865-020-00144-6

Somers, L. J., Maguire, E. R., & Padilla, K. E. L. (2020). Promoting officer health and wellness. In Transforming police: 13 key reforms (pp. 213–230). Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.

Telep, C. W., & Somers, L. J. (2019). Examining police officer definitions of evidence-based policing: Are we speaking the same language? Policing and Society, 29(2), 171–187. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2017.1373775

Somers, L. J., & Holtfreter, K. (2018). Gender and mental health: An examination of procedural justice in a specialized and comparison court context. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 98–115. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2325

Terrill, W., Ingram, J. R., Somers, L. J., & Paoline, E. (2018). Examining police use of force and citizen complaints. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, (41), 496–509. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-01-2018-0024