RTI’s Ryan Labrecque receives national award for corrections research

Distinguished criminologist honored by American Society of Criminology for groundbreaking work in justice system reform

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. —Ryan Labrecque, Ph.D., a senior research criminologist at RTI International, has been named the 2025 recipient of the American Society of Criminology (ASC) Division on Corrections and Sentencing (DCS) Distinguished Scholar Award. The award is presented annually to one individual whose career demonstrates sustained scholarly excellence, with particular emphasis on a groundbreaking contribution in the past five years.

Labrecque’s research focuses on the use and impact of restrictive housing, development and validation of risk assessments, and the implementation and evaluation of correctional services. His career spans academic and practitioner roles, including serving as an associate professor at the University of Central Florida and nearly a decade working in corrections in New Hampshire and Maine.

“Rigorous research is essential for ensuring correctional policies and services are implemented in ways that can improve individual well-being and reduce crime,” said Labrecque. “I am grateful to work with so many people who inspire me to keep asking important questions that seek to advance correctional scholarship and practice; this is a true honor.”

Labrecque has collaborated with local, state and federal agencies to use empirical research to address complex institutional and community corrections policy issues. His recent projects include leading an assessment of restrictive housing practices in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, reviewing and revalidating the risk assessment tool created as part of the First Step Act, and evaluating reentry programs and correctional officer health initiatives. His work emphasizes developing actionable recommendations for justice system stakeholders.

He is also recognized for his service as an expert witness, consultant and editorial board member for major journals in the field. His research has been widely published in leading journals, including Criminology, Justice Quarterly, Criminology & Public Policy, Journal of Criminal Justice, Journal of Experimental Criminology and Criminal Justice & Behavior.

Labrecque will receive the award in person at the 2025 ASC conference in Washington, D.C., next month. He joins the ranks of esteemed scholars in the field, including Pamela Lattimore, an emeritus staff member at RTI, who received the same honor in 2015.