Heather L. Prince, PhD, specializes in crime prevention, evidence-based policing, and police reform. She is a member of both the American Society of Criminology and the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. Dr. Prince works as a research criminologist for RTI International, a nonprofit research institute that focuses on providing science-based answers to problems facing humanity. She collaborates with police departments to analyze data, provide training and develop policy. Since 2022, she has helped law enforcement identify and implement solutions to issues in policing. RTI International partners with police agencies across the United States and regularly secures grant funding from the National Institute of Justice and government contractors. Dr. Prince credits the support of her family and friends for her professional achievements. She is especially grateful for her parents, who inspired her and instilled a profound drive for success.
Initially, Dr. Prince planned to channel her passion for criminal justice into a career as an attorney. During her undergraduate education at Albright College, where she studied criminology, sociology, and political science, her professors encouraged her to apply to graduate school and pursue a doctorate. After graduating from Albright College with a bachelor’s degree in 2017, she attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned a Master of Science in criminology in 2018. While completing her master’s coursework, she began working with the U.S. Department of Justice in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, also known as the ATF. Dr. Prince found the work incredibly gratifying and continued her higher education at George Mason University, graduating in 2022 with a Doctor of Philosophy in criminology. From 2018 to 2023, she garnered experience as a graduate research assistant at the George Mason University Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy, where she shadowed 911 call operators, which sparked her interest in policing.
Dr. Prince has long been committed to improving her community. From 2014 to 2016, she worked for the Boy Scouts of America as a program coordinator and later the director of the Scoutreach program in Reading, Pennsylvania. In 2016, she was a summer youth employment program supervisor with SafeGuards Specialized Foster Care, after which she worked as a teaching assistant at the University of Pennsylvania. From 2018 to 2019, Dr. Prince was a research assistant at the university’s Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice. As a member of Alpha Kappa Delta and Pi Gamma Mu, she has also volunteered her time with a local elementary school.
Since 2019, Dr. Prince has worked as a research assistant for the American Society of Evidence-Based Policing, which was awarded a grant through NIJ. Using the grant funds, ASEBP taught a classroom of police officers about utilizing data to solve departmental issues, and Dr. Prince instructed courses throughout this effort. The American Society of Evidence-Based Policing is a nonprofit organization that works to incorporate contemporary academic research in policing into modern policing practices. Dr. Prince takes pride in evaluating policy, helping law enforcement officers expand their perspectives, and implementing changes. She is committed to taking insights garnered from research and making a difference in the real world. Among the obstacles she faces, she finds overcoming traditional mindsets and securing enthusiastic participation from police departments to be some of her most difficult professional challenges.
In the future, Dr. Prince plans to continue her work with RTI International and tackle larger grants and proposals. She hopes to broaden her horizons and explore the field of international law enforcement. To this end, she co-authored proposals that center on collaboration with South American law enforcement agencies. Sharing the benefit of her experience, Dr. Prince advises law enforcement and criminology students to be bold and seize opportunities. When she isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her many pets, including bearded dragons, chameleons, snakes, frogs, turtles, tarantulas, fish, and cats.