April 10, 2025
SIU’s Paul Simon Institute hosts lecture on school safety, crime perception
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Nicole Rader, a nationally recognized expert in criminology and criminal justice, will present a lecture on areas including school safety and the role that gender plays in a fear of crime at Southern Illinois University Carbondale on Thursday, April 17.
Rader’s lecture is at 6 p.m. in the Student Center’s Old Main Lounge. A reception begins at 5 p.m. The event is hosted by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute. Registration is encouraged but not required. Before the lecture, Rader will meet with students on campus.
Rader is a professor and associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences at Mississippi State University. She joined the MSU faculty after earning her doctorate in sociology at SIU Carbondale. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Central Methodist University and a master’s degree in criminology from Drury University.
Media availability
Reporters, photographers and news crews are welcome to cover Nicole Rader’s lecture. To arrange for interviews or more information, contact Will Becque, institute communications and marketing coordinator, at 618-453-4009 or william.becque@siu.edu.
“Professor Rader is one of our country’s most esteemed experts in criminology and criminal justice,” said John Shaw, institute director. “We expect a remarkable lecture about school safety, crime perception and the fear of crime. We are very eager to learn more about her much-praised book, ‘Teaching Fear: How We Learn to Fear Crime and Why It Matters.’ And of course, we want to hear about her time at SIU.”
The lecture will look at how schools shape perceptions of crime and safety, the impact of gender on fear and policy, and how fear of crime is socially learned through education, media and daily life.
Attendees are encouraged to submit questions for Rader on the registration form or email questions to paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu.
More information, a list of the institute’s upcoming events and past speakers and events are available.