Dr. Aaron T. Kinzel

Dr. Aaron T. Kinzel is a criminologist and consultant specializing in corrections, public policy, and justice-impacted communities. He was trained as a researcher at the University of Michigan (UM) and earned a Master of Public Administration and Doctorate in Education. He has taught courses in criminology, criminal justice, and sociology at UM and other academic institutions for over a decade. His research agenda has included qualitative interviews with formerly incarcerated individuals, particularly those sentenced as youth such as juvenile lifers who were resentenced due to U.S. Supreme Court decisions. Drawing from his lived experience as a formerly incarcerated youth, Kinzel served more than half of a 19-year prison sentence for a violent confrontation with police. He has worked to expand educational and employment opportunities for justice-impacted individuals and developed curriculum to support various reentry initiatives. Kinzel focuses on sharing his story of redemption and changing culture through his collaborations with organizations such as the U.S. Department of Justice to reform the criminal justice system. With a deep understanding of the carceral state, he has visited over 100 correctional facilities worldwide and trained professionals on best practices for engaging diverse populations.

Committed to civic engagement and public safety, Kinzel mentors and educates students, justice-involved individuals, and criminal justice professionals, striving to transform our American culture of punishment into rehabilitation and effective policy change. He is also a Vera Institute of Justice: Corrections Education Leadership Academy (CELA) Fellow from the inaugural cohort from 2021 and a EdTrust Justice Fellow in 2025.

At JLUSA, he will be assisting with conducting research for the American Heart Association-funded JUSTResearch project, a collaborative initiative with Yale University’s SEICHE Center for Health and Justice, focusing on cardiovascular health among incarcerated individuals and their families.