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Shelly M. Wagers

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Shelly M. Wagers

Assistant Professor

 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6215-7498

Personal profile

About

Dr. Shelly M. Wagers is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminology at the University of South Florida Saint Petersburg campus.  The focus of her research and experience is in the area of intimate partner violence, specifically understanding the internal motives behind these behaviors, and how these internal motives can either enhance or obstruct their interpersonal relationships at home and in their career.  She is currently developing a theory called Internal Power®, which measures these internal mechanisms and their impact on using coercive control and violence towards an intimate partner.  Dr. Wagers has published numerous research articles on domestic/intimate partner violence in journals such as Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Partner Abuse and Violence and Victims.  She has also authored several book chapters and prepared technical reports for local agencies.  Dr. Wagers has presented her research on intimate partner violence at numerous national and international conferences, such as the American Society of Criminology and the International Summit’s sponsored by the Institute on Violence Abuse and Trauma.  provides ongoing continuing education training to criminal justice professionals. 
 
Prior to entering academia, Dr. Wagers worked as a sexual and domestic violence prevention trainer and served as a sworn law enforcement officer in Florida.  She has over 20 years of experience developing and delivering educational classes, workshops, trainings and seminars in violence prevention and effective criminal justice responses to domestic violence. Dr. Wagers has consulted with local Domestic Violence Task Forces, local domestic violence centers and law enforcement agencies and the Virginia Batterer Intervention Certification Board on implementing evidence-based practices in the field.  Dr. Wagers currently serves as an Associated Editor for the Behavioral Sciences Journal Partner Abuse and she serves as a Volunteer Executive Director for the National Partnership to End Interpersonal Violence (www.npeiv.org)

Education/Academic qualification

Criminology, Ph.D., University of South Florida

… → 2012

Criminology, M.A., University of South Florida

… → 2005

Criminal Justice Institute, Law Enforcement State Certification, Hillsborough Community College

… → 2001

Public Health Education, B.S., University of North Carolina at Greensboro

… → 1994

External positions

Assistant Professor, Radford University

Jan 1 2014 → Jan 1 2018

Assistant Professor, Georgia Gwinnett College

Jan 1 2012 → Jan 1 2014

Adjunct Instructor, Hillsborough Community College

Jan 1 2011 → Jan 1 2012

Adjunct Faculty, University of South Florida

Jan 1 2007 → Jan 1 2012

Adjunct Faculty, University of South Florida at Lakeland

Jan 1 2007 → Jan 1 2012

Department Chair and Instructor, Remington College - Largo Campus

Jan 1 2003 → Jan 1 2006

Disciplines

  • Criminology
View all 36 Research outputs