Justin Ramsdell

Justin Ramsdell

Justin Ramsdell

Associate Chair

Associate Professor

Forensic Psychology, Law Enforcement Crisis De-Escalation, Victim Experiences, Psychology of Criminal Behavior

Dr. Ramsdell is an Associate Professor of Psychology at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. In addition to teaching psychology at the undergraduate level he also works as a forensic psychologist; serving as an expert witness consultant, primarily in cases involving law enforcement officer use of force and crisis de-escalation with individuals experiencing mental health crises. He also serves as a trainer for federal and local government law enforcement agencies and local police Crisis Intervention Teams. Prior to his promotion to his academic position, he trained and worked as a psychologist at several maximum-security mental hospitals and a county jail. 

His current work, both academic and consulting, focuses on the law enforcement interactions with individuals with severe mental illnesses, law enforcement Crisis Intervention Teams, the psychology of victim experiences, and psychological factors related to criminal behavior. 

He serves as the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Education for the Psychology Department and is a recipient of the University's Teaching Excellence Award as well as the Psychology Department's Outstanding Faculty Award. 

 

 

Selected Publications

  • Dailey, S. F., Campbell, L. N. P., & Ramsdell, J. M. (2024), Law enforcement officer naturalistic decision-making in high-stress conditions, Policing: An International Journal, Vol. 47 No. 6, pp. 929-948. DOI: 10.1108/PIJPSM-09-2023-0114

Courses Taught

PSYC 380 - Introduction to Forensic Psychology

PSYC 381 - Mental Illness and Criminal Justice

PSYC 382 - Psychology of Crime Victims

PSYC 440 - Forensic Psychology: Science and Pseudoscience

PSYC 441 - Criminal Behavior: Neurological and Psychological Aspects

Recent Presentations

  • Ramsdell, J. M. (October 2024) Recognizing Trauma in Cases of Elder Abuse. Attorney General Rosenblum’s 8th Annual Elder Abuse Conference, Keynote Speaker
  • Ramsdell, J. M. & Kmiec, A. (October 2024) Recognizing and Responding to Trauma in Older Adults. United States Department of Justice, Edler Justice Initiative
  • Ramsdell, J. M. (June 2024) Recognizing and Responding to Elder Abuse. Minnesota World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Conference, Keynote Speaker
  • Ramsdell, J. M. & Merkle, C. (February 2024) Recognizing Trauma While Connecting Older Victims with Services. United States Department of Justice; “National Elder Abuse Law Enforcement Summit”
  • Ramsdell, J. M. (May 2022) Trauma-Informed Interviewing and Interrogation. Los Angeles “Conviction Integrity Unit”
  • Ramsdell, J. M. (2021, April) Problem Solving Crisis Intervention Team Program Implementation. Pennsylvania Bar Association – Police Response Workgroup
  • Brielmaier, J. M., Lee, Y. C., Ramsdell, J. M., & Olesova, L. (September, 2020) Strategies for Incorporating Peer Interactions into Online Courses. Innovations in Teaching and Learning Conference – George Mason University
  • Ramsdell, J. M. (September, 2020) This is Going to Hurt: Redesigning Courses with Previously Enrolled Students.Innovations in Teaching and Learning Conference – George Mason University
  • Ramsdell, J. M. (September, 2020) A Requiem for Exams, Discussion Questions, and Textbooks. Innovations in Teaching and Learning Conference – George Mason University
  • Ramsdell, J. M. & J. Boardman (2019, March) Traumatic Victimization: Its Importance to Law Enforcement, and Interview and Investigation Techniques to Improve Case Outcomes. United States Department of Justice – Project Safe Neighborhoods with National Center for Victims of Crime (Webinar).
  • Olesova, L; Renshaw, K; & Ramsdell J. M. (2019, September) Enhancing Case-Based Learning in Large Enrollment Online Courses. 11th Innovations in Teaching and Learning Conference, George Mason University – Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning.
  • Ramsdell, J. M. (2019, July) The Relationship Between Anger and Forgiveness in Victims of Crime and The Hidden Toll of Child Abuse and Exploitation. Federal Bureau of Investigation – Victim Services Division, Eastern Group, Oklahoma City, OK.
  • Ramsdell, J. M. (2019, June) The Relationship Between Anger and Forgiveness in Victims of Crime and The Hidden Toll of Child Abuse and Exploitation. Federal Bureau of Investigation – Victim Services Division, Western Group, Oklahoma City, OK.

In the Media

Television

  • Societal Reactions to Male Victims of Domestic Violence – Good Day DC – Fox 5 WTTP (May 3rd, 2022)
  • Five Fetuses Found in DC Home After Tip Leads to Shocking Discovery – News at 10 – Fox 5 WTTP (March 31st, 2022)
  • Analysis of ‘Fight or Flight’ Response to Extreme Situations like Deadly DC Carjacking – Good Day DC – Fox 5 WTTP (March 30th, 2021
  • Working Conditions for Capital Police Following the January 6th Insurrection and the Recent Death of an Officer – Good Day DC – Fox 5 WTTP (April 5th, 2021)

Podcasts

  • Feedback Friday: “Help! I Married a Conspiracy Theorist” – The Jordan Harbinger Show, Episode 457 (January 15th, 2021).
  • How to Detect and Disarm Pseudoscience – The Jordan Harbinger Show, Episode 359 (June 2nd, 2020).

Web Series

  • Connecting Victimization and Incarceration, 4-part video series for the MacArthur Foundation’s “Safety and Justice Challenge” and the National Center for Victims of Crime (June-July, 2020).

Print Media

  • Despite Dueling Narratives in the Jayland Walker Case, One Issue Remains: What Happened? – Cleveland Plain Dealer, by John Tucker (April 23rd, 2023).
  • Clear Creek County Deputies Needlessly Rushed, Failed to De-Escalate in Shooting of Boulder Man Who Called for Help, Experts Say – Denver Post, by Elise Schmelzer (September 20th, 2022).
  • The First Shots Wounded Their 16-Year-old. His Parents Wonder: Did Police Need to Fire the Second Round that Killed Him? – The Washington Post, by Jasmine Hilton (February 22nd, 2022).
  • Carjackings Spiked in Cleveland in 2021, But Why, When Thieves Have so Little to Gain? – The Plain Dealer/Cleveland.com, by Adam Ferrise (January 2022).
  • Police Shootings: Oklahoma Cop Kills Deaf Man in Latest Attack on Disabled – Newsweek, by Christal Hayes (September, 2017).
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