Kristine Levan earned her Ph.D. in Criminology from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2007. She has published in outlets such as Justice Quarterly, Games and Culture, Contemporary Justice Review, Journal of Qualitative Criminal Justice and Criminology, and the International Journal of Qualitative Methods. Recently, she co-authored Crime, Punishment, and Video Games (2022), published by Rowman & Littlefield/Lexington Books, with Steven Downing.

Her research and teaching interests focus on violent crime, prison culture, and public perceptions of crime and criminals. Her recent research explores criminological and criminal justice themes, such as punishment and justice, and the expression of these themes in various media outlets.

• Criminal Justice Policy
• Institutional Corrections
• Media and Crime
• Violent Crime

• Levan, K. & Downing, S. (2022). Crime, Punishment, and Video Games. Lanham, MA, Lexington Books/Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. 
• Mackey, D., & Levan, K. (2019). Moral dilemmas and worst-case scenarios: Using post-apocalyptic fiction to teach criminal justice ethics. Journal of Criminal Justice Education. 30(3), 319-332. 
• Levan, K. & Downing, S. (2019). Virtual total control: Escaping a simulated prison. Games and Culture, 14(1), 46-66. 
• Downing, S., Levan, K., & Polzer, K. (2018). Boys in the Hood and Vampires in the Woods: Racialized Fatalism in the Media. Criminology, Criminal Justice, Law, & Society, 19(3), 74-88. 
• Lavin-Loucks, D., & Levan, K. (2018). Identity, Discourse, and Rehabilitation in Parole Hearings in the United States. Journal of Prison Education and Reentry, 5(1), 18-40. 
• Downing, S., & Levan, K. (2016). Pains of imprisonment in a “lock em’ up” video game: Implications for a peacemaking discourse through new media experiences. Contemporary Justice Review 19(1), 142-162.
• Lavin-Loucks, D., & Levan, K. (2015) “Were you drunk at the time?”: The influence of parole boards on accounts and neutralization techniques in state parole hearings. Journal of Qualitative Criminal Justice and Criminology, 3(1), 61-86.
• Levan, K. (2014). Prison Violence in Encyclopedia of Social Work (Edited by Cynthia Franklin). Oxford University Press. 
• Downing, S., Polzer, K. & Levan, K. (2013) Space, Time and Reflexive Interviewing: Implications for Qualitative Criminology. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 12, 478-497
• Levan, K. (2013). Prison Violence: Causes, Consequences and Solutions. Ashgate Publishing.
• Levan, K. (2013). Consensual Sex in Male and Female Prisons in Sex in Prison: Myths & Realities (Eds. C.D. Marcum & T. Castle). Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
• Mackey, D. & Levan, K. (Eds.) (2012). Crime Prevention. Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett.
• Levan, K. (2012). “Sex Offenders and Sex Offenses.” In Crime Prevention (Eds. D. Mackey & K. Levan). Jones and Bartlett.
• Levan, K. (2012) “Guns and Crime: Crime Prevention versus Crime Facilitation.” In Crime Prevention (Eds. D. Mackey & K. Levan). Jones and Bartlett.
• Levan, K. (2012). “Adult Offender Recidivism Reduction Programs.” In Crime Prevention (Eds. D. Mackey & K. Levan). Jones and Bartlett.
• Levan, K. (2012). “Use of Violence.” In Encyclopedia of Transnational Crime and Justice. (Eds. M. Beare & G. Golson) Sage Publications.
• Levan, K. (2012). Prison Violence: Causes, Consequences and Solutions. Surrey, England, Ashgate Publishing. (Reprinted, 2016, Routledge).
• Levan, K. (2011). "Gangs and Violence." Key Issues in Crime and Punishment: Corrections (Ed. W. Chambliss). Sage Publications.
• Levan-Miller, K. (2010). Teaching Tips: Engaging Students in Criminological Theory. The Criminologist, 35(6).
• Levan-Miller, K. (2010). The Darkest Figure of Crime: Perceptions of Reasons for Male Inmates to not Report Sexual Assault. Justice Quarterly, 27(5), 692-712