Matt DeLisi


Matthew "Matt" DeLisi is an American sociologist and professor of sociology at Iowa State University, where he is also Coordinator of Criminal Justice Studies and a faculty affiliate of the Center for the Study of Violence.

Education

DeLisi received his B.A. from Syracuse University and his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado.

Research

DeLisi's research focuses on multiple areas in the field of criminology, such as career criminals and the self-control theory of crime. He has published studies on the economic costs of murders in the United States and on the relationship between violent video games and criminal behavior.

Honors, awards and editorial activities

DeLisi has been a fellow of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences since 2012. He is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Criminal Justice. DeLisi has been criticized by the website Retraction Watch, and by some academics affiliated with the American Society of Criminology, for frequently publishing his own articles in JCJ. He has also been criticized for publishing articles in JCJ that include numerous citations to other papers published in the same journal, which has led to its impact factor rising from 2012 to 2014 faster than any other journal in the field. DeLisi responded to these criticisms by telling Retraction Watch that "There are some hurt feelings in the American Society of Criminology and its journal and this was a way to attack JCJ and me."