Assistant Professor

Office Location

Sociology, Criminology, & Criminal Justice
West Campus West Building W3B307
View Full Directory

Caroline V. Comerford, Ph.D., is a criminologist whose areas of specialization in teaching and research include violent serial crime and offenders, specifically serial homicide, and serial killers. Dr. Comerford's other areas of specialization and interests include (but are not limited to): Home Invasion Serial Killers (HISKs), residential sex offenders, Environmental Criminology, geographic profiling, geospatial analysis, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), Problem-Oriented Policing (POP), Situational Crime Prevention (SCP), and Crime Pattern Analysis (CPA). She has published papers in the following journals: Homicide Studies; Victims & Offenders; Crime, Law, & Social Change; Psychology, Crime & Law; International Journal of Comparative & Applied Criminal Justice; and International Criminal Justice Review. Additionally, she has presented papers on serial homicide and criminology-related topics at annual meetings of the American Society of Criminology and the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. Professor Comerford has taught undergraduate criminal justice courses at Bergen Community College and Florida International University and trained law enforcement throughout the country regarding violent serial criminals' offending and hunting patterns at various conferences and seminars. She also founded CVC Research & Consulting, LLC, which provides services specializing in violence prevention and violent serial crime cases including case consultations and profiles, training services, violent crime research, geographic profiling, suspect and inmate interviews and crime pattern analysis.

Degrees & Certifications

  • Ph.D. in International Crime & Justice, Florida International University
  • MA in Criminal Justice, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
  • BA in Justice Studies, Montclair State University

Teaching Responsibilities

  • Introduction to Criminal Justice
  • Introduction to Corrections
  • Serial Killers and Society

Professional Memberships & Organizations

  • Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS)
  • American Society of Criminology (ASC)
  • Atypical Homicide Research Group (AHRG)
  • Alpha Phi Sigma (APS); Sacred Heart University Chapter: Gamma Omega Delta
  • Homicide Research Working Group (HRWG)
  • New Jersey Homicide Investigators Association (NJHIA)

Research Interests

  • Violent serial crime cases and offenders
  • Serial killers
  • Home Invasion Serial Killers (HISKs)
  • Residential sex offenders
  • Environmental Criminology
  • Violence prevention
  • Geographic profiling
  • Geospatial analysis
  • Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)
  • Problem-Oriented Policing (POP)
  • Situational Crime Prevention (SCP)
  • Crime Pattern Analysis (CPA)
View Publications