Primary Menu

Education, Events, Publication

Funding & Recognition

Larry Bench


Title: Assistant Professor Lecturer
College: Social & Behavioral Science
School / Department: Sociology
Mentoring Philosophy:

Dr. Bench has been teaching at the University of Utah for approximately 27 years. He holds undergraduate degrees in Philosophy, Psychology, and Sociology. He holds a Master’s and Doctorate degree in Sociology (emphasis Criminology). He teaches in the departments of Sociology, Public Administration, and Social Work. He is also a visiting professor at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi where he teaches a class in Program Evaluation. As his area of specialization is Criminology, he primarily teaches classes that are related to the criminal justice system including: Criminology, Murder in America, Juvenile Delinquency, Locked Up! – Courts and Corrections, Law and Society, Society and the Criminal Mind, Deviant Behavior and Social Control, and the Criminology Internship Program. In addition to his teaching duties, he has worked in the criminal justice system for over 30 years doing research on a variety of topics for various agencies including the Salt Lake County Pretrial Services, Salt Lake County Attorney’s Office, and the Utah Department of Corrections where he retired after 22 years of service. He also consults for the National Institute of Justice, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, and various state and local governments on matters related to criminal justice research and public policy. His research interests include: cognitive interventions in criminal behavior, sex offender recidivism, domestic violence, and evidence-based rehabilitation programs. He is currently the director of the “Sexual Reproductive Health Project” for female offenders at the Utah State Prison.