James Cockerham, PhD

Curriculum Vitae

Education

• 2020 Ph.D., Askew School of Public Administration and Public Policy, Florida State University. Supervisor: Frances S. Berry Cockerham, J. (2020). Criminal Justice Institutions: Human Behavior in a System of Neutral Competence (Doctoral dissertation, Florida State University).
• 2015 M.P.A., Public Administration, Florida State University.
• 2011 B.S., Criminology and Criminal Justice, Florida State University.

Professional Experience

• August 2025 Assistance Teaching Professor, Public Safety and Security Program, College of Applied Studies, Florida State University – Panama City
• 2021 – 2025 Department Chair, Health Science and Public Service, Program Director and Assistant Professor of Public Administration, Montreat College
• 2019 – 2021 Legislative Policy Analyst, Florida Legislature’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA).
• 2018 – 2019 Title I Civics Teacher, Fairview Middle School, Leon County Schools.
• 2017 – 2019 Criminal Investigator, Division of Security, Florida Lottery.
• 2012 – 2017 Police Officer, Tallahassee Police Department.

Part-time Experience
Adjunct Professor/ Teaching Assistant, Florida State University, 2019 - 2025.
Adjunct Professor, Indiana Wesleyan University, 2021 - present.
Doctoral Chair/Committee Member, Liberty University, 2024 - present
Adjunct Professor, Valdosta State University, 2021 - 2023.
 

Publications and Research
Grants and Awards
Cockerham, J. (PI), Patterson, I., Roth, R. (Co-PI), and Cockerham, A. (2024). How much do NC Teen Court Programs Reduce Recidivism? Funded by North Carolina Office of Strategic Partnerships (OSP). Total award $112,000.
Faculty Fellowship, Appalachian College Association (Summer 2025): Continued research examining the effectiveness of the North Carolina Teen Court system on recidivism through survey responses. Total award: $5,600
 

Peer Reviewed Publications

• Cockerham, A. & Cockerham, J. (2025). Assessing the impact of North Carolina Teen Court on recidivism. Juvenile and Family Court Journal, 00, 1–15.
• Gratton, P., & Cockerham, J. (2024). Teaching Complexity Management: Faith Integration on the Edge of Chaos. Christian Business Academy Review, 19.
• Cockerham, J., and Cockerham, A. (2022). License and Registration Please: Florida Sheriff Traffic Stop Policy. Florida Political Chronicle, 29, 148-157.
• Cockerham, J. (2019). The Institution of the Elected Sheriff: Implicit Bias and Government Failure. Florida Political Chronicle, 27, 112-125.

Industry Reports & Other Publications

• Cockerham, J., Cockerham, A., Roth, R., and Patterson, I. (2024). Assessing the Impact of North Carolina Teen Court on Recidivism. North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM).
• Cockerham, J., Cockerham, A., Roth, R., and Patterson, I. (2023). Pre-Analysis Plan: Assessing the Impact of North Carolina Teen Court on Recidivism. North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM).
• Legislature, F. (2020). Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA). Several Factors Hinder Homeowner and Auto Glass Insurance Fraud Processing. (No. 21-05).
• Legislature, F. (2020). Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA). County Pretrial Release Programs: Calendar Year 2019. (No. 20-07).
• Legislature, F. (2019). Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA). Due Process Services. (No. 19-18).

Industry Reports & Memorandums: Major Contributions & Non-Published Work

• Legislature, F. (2021). Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA). Sex Offender Registry Triennial Review - 2021.
• Legislature, F. (2021). Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA). Longboat Key Consolidation. (Policy Memorandum)
• Legislature, F. (2021). Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA). Riot and Assembly Review. (Policy Memorandum)
• Legislature, F. (2021). Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA). County Pretrial Release Programs: Calendar Year 2020.
• Legislature, F. (2020). Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA). Eviction in Florida. (Policy Memorandum).
• Legislature, F. (2019). Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA). Parole and Early Release. 

Research Under Review

• Cockerham, J., and Cockerham, A. “Political Participation: Citizen Input in Government”. Vernon Press. (Editor). Recommended for publication
• Cockerham, J., and Cockerham, A. “Political Participation: Citizen Input in Government”. Vernon Press. (Chapter Author). Recommended for publication

Grants Submitted

• Cockerham, J. (PI) (May 2024). Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Grant. Caring for People Category.
• Cockerham, J. (PI), and Cockerham, A. (January 2022). North Carolina Department of Justice Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice (TREC): Racial Disparity in Protests.

Research in Progress

• Cockerham, A., Cockerham, J., “Evaluating Recidivism Rates in North Carolina Teen Court: Insights from Teen Court Administrators” *Research planned to be completed as part of the Faculty Fellowship with the Appalachian College Association.

Invited Presentations

• Presenter, Final Report: Assessing the Impact of North Carolina Teen Court on Recidivism. North Carolina Department of Public Safety. Raleigh, NC/Remote
• Presenter, Opportunities from Colleges and Universities for Students to Assist State Agencies. North Carolina Office of Strategic Partnerships-Monthly Connect.
• Presenter/Grant Recipient, North Carolina Evaluation Fund Projects. NC Office of Strategic Partnerships-Monthly Connect
• Presenter, Montreat College Criminal Justice and Public Administration Advisory Board. Montreat College. Asheville, NC
• Presenter, “The Grant Process”. Faculty Workshop, Montreat College. Asheville, NC
• Presenter, “Teaching on the Edge of Chaos”. Faculty Workshop, Montreat College. Asheville, NC
• Panel Member, “Operations and Work Products of OPPAGA”. Public Administration Department, University of Central Florida.
• Guest Lecturer, “The Policy Process”. Public Policy Evaluation (ISS 4014), Florida State University.
• Guest Lecturer, “Policing in Tallahassee”. Intercultural Communication (COM 3930), Florida State University.

Refereed Presentations at Conferences

• Cockerham, A., and Cockerham, J. (2025, June). A Case Study of Restorative Justice: The North Carolina Teen Court Model. Presentation at the Association for Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS) Conference (International).
• Cockerham, J. (2024, June). Pre-analysis Plan: North Carolina Teen Court Evaluation.
• Presentation at the Southern Political Science Association (SPSA) Summer Virtual Meeting.
• Cockerham, J., and Cockerham, A. (2023, January). Intergroup Bias in Information Requests among Law Enforcement Agencies. Presentation at the Southern Political Science Association (SPSA) (National).

Teaching
Courses Taught

• Research Methods for Law Enforcement Intelligence, Florida State University
• Human Resource Management, Florida State University
• Criminal Justice Senior Seminar, Montreat College
• Intro to Criminal Justice, Montreat College
• Criminal Justice Administration, Montreat College
• Criminology, Montreat College
• Managing on the Edge of Chaos, Montreat College
• Fundamentals of Public Administration, Montreat College
• Public Policy Analysis, Montreat College
• Leading Public and Non-Profit Organizations, Montreat College
• Public Budgeting and Financial Management, Montreat College
• Foundations of Leadership and Communication, Montreat College
• Scholarly Research and Writing, Indiana Wesleyan University
• Financing Public Services, Indiana Wesleyan University
• Public Policy Processes and Strategies, Indiana Wesleyan University
• Ethical Leadership in the Public Sector, Indiana Wesleyan University
• Criminal Justice Policy, Indiana Wesleyan University
• Economic Analysis of Crime, Indiana Wesleyan University
• Nonprofit Strategic Planning, Indiana Wesleyan University
• Nonprofit Management and Financial Management, Indiana Wesleyan University
• American Government, Valdosta State University

Courses Developed

• Analytical Techniques for Administrators
• Applied Economics for Public Decision Making
• Fundamentals of Public Administration
• Public Policy Analysis
• Public Budgeting and Financial Management
• Leading Public and Non-profit Organizations
• Masters of Public Administration Capstone Course
• American Government

Service and Recognition

• Policy Debate Judge, National Christian Forensics and Communications Association
• Member Spotlight, American Society for Public Administration – Criminal Justice
• Research Assistant Supervisor, Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), Florida State University (2024)
• Discussant, Southern Political Science Association (2023)
• Southern Political Science Association (SPSA)
• International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
• Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM)
• American Society for Public Administration (ASPA)
• Society of Professors in Christian Education (SPCE)
• Crime Prevention Practitioner, Florida Attorney General’s Office.
• Certificate in Florida City and County Management, Florida State University.
• Florida Certified Law Enforcement Officer, Florida Public Safety Institute (Active – June 2025).

Institutional Service

• Institutional Review Board (IRB), Montreat College
• Executive Committee, Montreat College
• Faculty Development Committee, Montreat College
• General Education Committee, Montreat College
• Library Resources Committee, Montreat College
• Grievance Committee, Montreat College

Doctoral Committee Chair
Christopher Billings
Mark Rawls
Patrick Robello
Troy Chavez
Edena Reese-Atmore
Peter Wembodinga
Dina Mauldin
Jacob Rogers