James Lyons II was named dean of the School of Humanities, Education, Social & Behavioral Sciences at Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina. He has been a member of the faculty at the university since 2007. Earlier, he worked as a juvenile court counselor and a social worker.
Dean Lyons’ research is focused on police and community relations as well as juvenile justice policy. He has chaired the department of criminal justice at Saint Augustine’s University since 2013 and he will continue in that role while serving as dean.
Dean Lyons states that his personal objectives are “to contribute to the field of criminal justice through sound applied research; and to continuously prepare undergraduate students to think creatively and critically, as they seek to explain complex phenomena regarding criminality, human behavior, its propensity to crime, and systemic problems within the criminal justice system.”
Lyons is a graduate of North Carolina Central University in Durham, where he majored in criminal justice. He holds a master’s degree in criminal justice and urban studies from Michigan State University. He is currently pursuing a doctorate through Nova Southeastern University.
