Jenness’ research primarily focuses on the links between deviance and social control (especially law); the politics of crime control and criminalization; social movements and social change; and the public policy surrounding the corrections system. Courses taught by Jenness include: Introduction to Criminology, Law and Society, Hate Crimes, Deviance and Violence Against Sexual and Gender Minorities. Drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives, from social constructionism to new institutionalism, she has employed a variety of quantitate and qualitative research methods to contribute to our understandings of crime response.

Jenness has used her research and findings to not only publish studies, but develop innovative educational materials for public policy officials. Her contributions have been recognized by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), the Los Angeles Police Department and the United States Department of Homeland Security. Many agencies have referred to Jenness’ research in the forming of their own policy, including the United States Congress and the National Academy of Sciences.

Other less notable recognitions from the University of California include: “Professor of the Month,” “Interesting Professor We Would Like to Meet Outside the Classroom” and “UCI faculty member who has had the greatest impact on a student’s education.”

During Governor Schwarzenegger’s term, Jenness was appointed to the Rehabilitation Strike Team to facilitate the implementation of California Assembly Bill 900, also known as the Public Safety and Offender Rehabilitation Services Act of 2007. This Strike Team was charged with working collaboratively with the CDCR to implement a set of sweeping reforms designed to improve rehabilitation services, grow entry opportunities and reduce prison overcrowding in California.

Jenness also provided analysis and advice on bills in the California State Senate sponsored by then Senators Deborah Ortiz, Tom Hayden and Sheila Kuehl. In 2004, Jenness provided an assessment of The Omnibus Hate Crime Bill of 2004 (California Senate Bill 1234) to the legislative staff on the California State Senate Committee on Public Safety. The bill was designed to overhaul California’s hate crime laws. In September 2004, the bill was enacted into law by Governor Schwarzenegger.

Early in her career (1999), Jenness gave a press conference at the American Sociological Association (ASA) meetings in Chicago with two other researchers. In this presentation, she summarized the current state of social science knowledge on the subject of hate crime and hate crime law for the national media. Later that year, Jenness appeared before members and staff of the United States Congress to deliver a presentation at the United States Congressional Briefing and Seminar on “Hate Crime in America.” The presentation was subsequently published in Hate Crime in America: What Do We Know? by the ASA as part of the Issue Series in Social Research and Social Policy.

In 1991, Jenness received her doctoral degree from UCSB and began teaching as an assistant professor at Washington State University from 1991-1997. During that time, she served the Department of Sociology, the Criminal Justice Program and the American Studies Program. In 1997, Jenness when she began teaching as an assistant professor in women’s studies at UCI. While serving as dean, Jenness has continued to teach both undergraduate and graduate courses. She has received multiple teaching awards as well as other forms of recognition for her contributions to teaching.

Valerie Jenness (born March 7, 1963) is an author, researcher, public policy advisor, and professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society and in the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). Jenness is currently a Visiting Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) and prior to that, was a Senior Visiting Scholar at the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at the University of Michigan. Jenness served as Dean of the School of Social Ecology from 2009 to 2015 and Chair of the Department of Criminology, Law and Society from 2001-2006. Jenness is credited with conducting the first systemic study of transgender women in men’s prisons.