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David Carter

Professor of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University

Areas of Expertise

  • Law enforcement intelligence
  • Homicide investigations
  • Violent crime
  • Counterterrorism

Key Findings

  • While resources and experience are part of the equation in explaining homicide clearance rates, their role is limited. MORE
  • Solid community relationships, particularly through the use of community policing, help to develop community-based trust during an investigation and help to increase homicide clearance rates. MORE
  • Six themes resulted from the assessment: inconsistent leadership; failure to understand community concerns and community relationships; reactive rather than proactive strategy; inadequate communication and information sharing; use of ineffective and inappropriate tactics and strategies; and lack of law enforcement response continuity. MORE
  • Tactics used by police agencies responding to the protests and demonstrations in Ferguson increased tensions between protestors and law enforcement and escalated rather than de-escalated the situation. MORE
  • The primary concern with citizen security in the Caribbean is public confidence in the state’s capacity to protect citizens and ensure justice. MORE
  • Despite advances in healthcare, education, political developments and democratic governance, several countries in the Caribbean suffer from high rates of violent crime and high levels of social violence. MORE

Biography

David Carter, Professor of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University, is an expert in policing, violent crime control, law enforcement intelligence and counterterrorism.

Carter is the Director of the Intelligence Program at Michigan State University. A former Kansas City police officer, Carter has served as a trainer, consultant and advisor to law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia. He presented training sessions at the FBI National Academy, the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar, the International Law Enforcement Academy, the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute and special programs for the Royal Thai Police, Hong Kong Police and several British Police Constabularies. Carter was the Team Leader of Department of Justice assessments of the Homicide Units at the New Orleans Police Department and Puerto Rico Police Department and is a member of the Justice Department’s Global Intelligence Working Group Training Committee and Privacy Committee.

He has been published in numerous academic journals, including the Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, Police Practice & Research: An International Journal and Police Quarterly.

Carter received his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice Administration from Sam Houston State University and his M.S. and B.S. in Criminal Justice Administration from Central Missouri State University.