About

Michael J. Gilbert, Ph.D.

Dr. Gilbert retired from the University of Texas at San Antonio as Associate Professor Emeritus in 2017.  His research interests focused on restorative justice, drug control policy and corrections.  He founded and directed the Office of Community and Restorative Justice within the Center for Policy Studies at UTSA.  In 2009 he also founded the Section on Restorative and Community Justice within the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences and served as its first Chair from 2009–2011.  At the 3^rd National Conference on Restorative Justice at Campbell University in 2011 he was asked to lead an effort to establish a new professional association that would serve as the parent organization for the biennial National Conference on Community and Restorative Justice. 

The National Association of Community and Restorative Justice (NACRJ) was planned and organized between 2011 and 2013 and legally established during the 4^th National Conference on Restorative Justice in Toledo, OH on June 21, 2013.  NACRJ is now in its 10^th year of operation as a stand-alone membership association.  Dr. Gilbert served as the volunteer Executive Director of NACRJ from 2013 to 2022.  

NACRJ is the parent organization of the biennial National Conference on Community and Restorative Justice.  In 2019 the 7^th NACRJ Conference in Denver, CO had over 1,600 attendees.  He led the planning effort for the 8^th NACRJ Conference in Chicago, IL on July 7-9, 2022.  Over 1,700 attendees were present for the conference.   He is now retired from NACRJ as Founder and Executive Director Emeritus and remains available to current NACRJ leaders to assist when and where needed. 

Dr. Gilbert has over 55 years of experience in corrections and criminal justice as a correctional and criminal justice professional, trainer, consultant, researcher, educator, restorative justice practitioner and association administrator.  He published widely in academic and practitioner outlets on topics related to justice policy.  At UTSA he taught courses on restorative justice and many other topics.  Prior to joining UTSA he served as an adjunct instructor and consultant to the National Academy of Corrections and the National Institute of Corrections.  Dr. Gilbert holds a Ph. D. in Public Administration degree with an emphasis in criminal justice from Arizona State University (1990).

Michael J. Gilbert, Ph.D. served as the Organizing Director for the development of the National Association of Community Justice (NACRJ) between 2011 (3rd National Conference in Raleigh, NC) and 2013 (4th National Conference in Toledo, OH).  During this time he was joined by Dr. Fania Davis, Dr. Joanne Katz and Prof. Jon Powell who were co-founders.  With the legal formation of NACRJ in 2013, Mike served as the first Executive Director of NACRJ from July 2013 through January 2021.  At which time he retired as Executive Director and Joel Friesz was appointed by the Board of Directors to replace him as Executive Director.

During 2021 and 2022 he served in a consulting role to assist Joel Friesz and guide planning for the 8th NACRJ Conference (2022) in Chicago.  

Mike is now fully retired from NACRJ and the University of Texas at San Antonio where he taught criminology for 26 years.