Daniel N. Acton
Profile
I am currently a criminology doctoral student and graduate school fellow in the Sociology and Criminology & Law department at the University of Florida. I would like to contribute to sociological and criminological literature, ultimately becoming a professor and researcher. I would like to author specifically for publication, particularly journal articles, and tutor those who would also pursue this academic discipline. I am concerned about drug abuse and violence; I would like to help in addressing these societal problems through my own work.
Education
The University of Florida, Gainesville, Fl — 2015-Present
Doctor of Philosophy—In Progress—
G.P.A. — Pending
The University of Montana, Missoula, Mt — 2009-2010 / 2011-2015
Master of Arts in Sociology, emphasizing Criminology — 2015
G.P.A. — 3.87
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology — 2014
G.P.A. — 3.79
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, emphasizing Criminology, Minor in Psychology — 2013
G.P.A. — 3.69
Montana State University, Bozeman, Mt — 2007-2009
Libby High School, Libby, Mt — 2003-2007
College Preparatory Diploma — 2007
Research interests
My thesis work, at the University of Montana, focused on factors in the lives of delinquent youth that contribute to recidivism. My research interests include: inheritance of deviance through social learning, self-control as it relates to the individuals past and present environments, as well as, collective efficacy in relation to the self-efficacy of individuals within the collective. Drug-abuse and interpersonal violence are deviant manifestations of particular concern to me.
Experience
University of Montana, Department of Sociology, Research Assistant; Missoula, MT 2013 - 2015
Through grant-funded research, I had the opportunity to work with the Criminology Research Group, which is a component of the Social Science Research Lab at the University of
Montana. I performed various duties, including: literature reviews, planning research, data
collection, data analysis, and collaborating on written works. This research fulfilled obligations for both paid employment and graduate internship credits.
University of Montana, Department of Sociology, Teaching Assistant; Missoula, MT 2013 - 2015
Under the supervision of Dr. Dusten Hollist, I assisted for courses titled: Social Statistics and the
Sociology of Law Enforcement. My duties included: holding review sessions, holding office
hours, tutoring students, grading written work, grading tests, and managing grades. I also lectured
while Dr. Hollist was out of town. Under the supervision of Dr. Becky Richards, I assisted for
courses titled: Social Research Methods and Rural Sociology. My duties included activities
similar to those done for other courses. For two semesters, I was supervised by Dr. James
Burfeind. I was an assistant for courses titled: Juvenile Justice System and Sociology of
Corrections. My duties included: holding review sessions, holding office hours, tutoring students,
grading written work, grading tests, and I occasionally had the opportunity to lecture. In addition
to my work as a teaching assistant, other professors have trusted me to proctor their exams if they
needed to be absent on the day of the test.
University of Montana, Department of Sociology, Study Group on Juvenile Justice
In the spring of 2014, I participated in a graduate study group that reviewed scholarly literature on
juvenile delinquency and juvenile justice. Lead by Dr. James Burfeind, the small seminar course
focused on developing a juvenile justice textbook. I reviewed literature on adjudication,
disposition, and transfer provisions of juveniles to adult courts. The literature review will be used
for a new textbook that is being written by James W. Burfeind, Dawn Jeglum Bartusch, and
Dusten R. Hollist, entitled Juvenile Justice: An Introduction to Process, Practice, and Research,
under contract with Routledge.
University of Montana, Department of Sociology, Researcher; Missoula, MT 2013
Upon completion of the research internship, I continued to work with the Criminology Research
Group through an independent study. I continued the same duties included in the 2012 internship.
University of Montana, Department of Sociology, Preceptor; Missoula, MT 2012 - 2013
I acted as an undergraduate preceptor for adjunct instructor, Patrick McKay’s Social Statistics
course, tutoring students and grading assignments. The next semester, I completed a teaching
internship for Patrick McKay’s Juvenile Delinquency course.
University of Montana, Department of Sociology, Research Intern; Missoula, MT 2012
Under the supervision of Chuck Harris, the administrator of the Social Science Research Lab, I
performed various duties for the Criminology Research Group, including: data entry, literature
reviews, and collaborating on written works. During this time, I also explored the graduate
program in sociology, at the University of Montana.
Other Employment Positions - Not Applicable - 2007-2013
I have worked various service industry and construction jobs that are irrelevant to my academic
career. For that reason, each position will not be explicated here. The record simply speaks to the
fact that I am willing and able to hold a job in order to take care of myself and acquire access to
more valuable opportunities.
Publications
McKay, Patrick, Dusten Hollist, Jackson Bunch, Daniel Acton, Taylor Tillman, and Chuck Harris. In Progress. Back on Track Assessment and Validation Study. Montana Board of Crime Control.
Hollist, Dusten, Gabriel Downey, Daniel Acton, Chuck Harris, Patrick McKay, Jackson Bunch, James Burfeind, and Dan Doyle. Forthcoming. Cascade County Disproportionate Minority Contact Community and Strategic Planning Project: Arrest Point of Contact Study. Montana Board of Crime Control.
Hollist, Dusten, Daniel Acton, Chuck Harris, Jackson Bunch, Patrick McKay, James Burfeind, and Dan Doyle. 2014. An Examination of Economic Analyses Approaches for Montana’s Seven Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Forces. Montana Board of Crime Control. (http://mbcc.mt.gov/Data/SAC/DTF/2014DTFEconAssessDevlReport.pdf)
Service
University of Montana, Department of Sociology, Student Evaluation Committee; Missoula, MT 2014
I acted as a member of the 2014, Student Evaluation Committee (SEC), which conducts an
analysis of students’ instructor evaluations. The analysis included a multi-year assessment of both
quantitative and qualitative feedback, completed by students at the end of each course. The results
are used by the department of sociology to determine promotions and merit increases.
Missoula Police Department, Department of Sociology, Police Intern; Missoula, MT 2013
As this graduate internship spanned multiple semesters, I was under the supervision of Dr. James
Burfeind and Dr. Dusten Hollist. I worked with Ken Wickman, the crime analysis officer at
the Missoula Police Department. I entered data into some of their crime-tracking databases
and looked for patterns in offending. Occasionally, I would work with a detective examining
surveillance videos or contacting victims of crime about recovering property or restitution.
For a final project, I wrote an instruction manual for data entry work at the department.
As an undergraduate, under the supervision of Dr. Dan Doyle, I worked closely with the volunteer
coordinator and the Quality of Life officer of the Missoula Police department. I kept the sexual
and violent offender registry up to date, picked up lost bicycles, collected information from pawn
shops, and helped with organizing events and projects. For a final project, I wrote an instruction
manual for data entry work at the department.
Honors and Awards
University of Montana High Honors 2014
I received high honors designation upon the completion of my second bachelor’s degree, during
the first year of my graduate studies.
University of Montana Dean’s List 2011-2013
I was recognized on the Dean’s List four consecutive semesters, three of which were 4.0 G.P.A.
designations. Although it is not recognized on the Dean’s list, my grades during my graduate
studies reflect this pattern.