I am a Professor of Sociology/Criminology in the Social Sciences Department at Columbus State Community College. I teach courses in criminology, sociology, and law. I specialize in law and society, sociology of law, forensic criminology, and deviant subcultures. I have experience and expertise in using social media in the classroom, teaching with technology, teaching in virtual worlds, and online/distance learning course development and evaluation.
I've lived in 10 different states and 3 different countries. When I was a graduate student, I was a member of the Ohio State Synchronized Skating Team and participated in the first ever collegiate level synchronized skating competition held in the United States. I enjoy photography and data visualization as a hobby, and I am a big fan of old goth bands like Fields of the Nephilim and the Sisters of Mercy. I particularly like classical period music and play the flute, clarinet, and saxophone. My favorite TV shows are science fiction shows like Doctor Who and The Expanse, and my favorite movie is The Red Violin.
I have wonderful and talented daughter, Claire Gray, who recently graduated from CCAD with a degree in advertising and graphic design. I also have a goldendoodle puppy named Kkami. She loves chewing on things and eating all the foods.
Professor Mary Lia Reiter
Social Sciences Department
Columbus State Community College
550 East Spring Street
Columbus, Ohio, 43215
Bachelor of Business Administration, Marketing
Juris Doctor
Master of Arts, Criminology.
Thesis: "Determinants of Crime Completion and Level of Injury for Victims of Violent Crime"
Doctor of Philosophy Candidate (ABD), Criminology
Professor, Social Sciences Department, Fall 2013 - Present
Associate Professor, Social Sciences Department, Fall 2009 – Summer 2013
Assistant Professor, Social and Behavioral Sciences Department, Fall 2005 – Summer 2009
Instructor, Social and Behavioral Sciences Department, Fall 2001 - Summer 2005
Lecturer, Department of Sociology, Fall 2016 - Present
Assistant Professor, Behavioral Sciences Department, Fall 2000 - Spring 2001
Adjunct Instructor, Behavioral Sciences Department, Fall 1999 - Spring 2000
I have over 25 years of experience teaching and 20 years of experience creating and developing online course materials and curriculum. I worked as the technology lead instructor for the social sciences department for 15 years.
I also teach the Legal Environment of Business and intellectual property. I've presented as a guest lecturer on Critical Race Theory, and have taught courses in forensic criminology, juvenile delinquency, probate law, business law, police and policing, corrections, social theory, and social research methods.
This course will examine the relationship between law and social order emphasizing the structure of law, social origins of law, and law as a source of social change.
Soc 4509 at OSUThis course explores the major sociological perspectives and theories of deviance. This introductory course includes the study of the definition, identification, treatment and management of types of deviance, such as crime, mental illness, alcoholism and other pathologies.
Soc 2210 at CSCCThis course examines the interrelationships between law and other social structures and processes. The structure of law, the origin of laws, the organization and function of the legal system, the impact of the law, and the relationship between law and social change will be examined.
Soc 2309 at CSCCThis course is an introduction to the sociological study of criminology and examines fundamental issues of the discipline such as the nature and social distribution of crime, criminal law, and theories of crime. The course’s primary focus is on understanding theories surrounding the causes and correlates of criminal behavior and developing a critical perspective from which social policies on crime can better be understood.
Soc 2410 at CSCCThis course is a special topics course on forms of multiple homicide, including serial, mass, and spree murder. It is intended for sociology students wishing to take further courses in criminology. The course will examine the phenomenon of various forms of multicide in society from a scientific perspective. Recent high profile forms of multicide have captured the attention of criminologists, psychologists, law enforcement personnel, the media, and the public. We will examine the research on causes of multiple homicide as well as the social, psychological, and biological correlates of both offending and victimization. We will review typologies of multiple homicide offenders and analyze prediction schemes and criminal profiling methodologies.
Soc 1194 at CSCCThis course is an introduction to the criminal justice system as a social institution in society. Topics covered include an overview of the historical development and functions of the criminal justice system in the United States, theories of justice and punishment, the emergence and development of the modern police and court systems, and the structure and function of the correctional system. The social roles of personnel in the criminal justice system, including police, lawyers, judges, correctional officers, and parole officers, will also be examined.
Soc 2209 at CSCCThis course is an analysis of females as participants in and victims of crime, the treatment of women in the criminal justice system, women as workers in criminal justice fields.
Soc 4510 at OSUThe course will examine the science of criminal profiling and its use in the criminal justice system. Students will learn about the various types of criminal profiling, including psychological profiling, forensic profiling, and geographic profiling. This course will focus on violent crimes such as serial murder, serial rape, stalking, and serial robbery. Various facets of the profiling process will be examined, including the psychology of the offender, deception detection, crime scene analysis, and the interpretation of evidence.
Soc 1194 at CSCCYou can contact me at Columbus State Community College or via the form below.