Sean Varano

Sean Varano is a Professor in the School of Justice Studies at Roger Williams University. Dr. Varano's area of expertise are in law enforcement policy and practice, innovative approaches to violence reduction, youth gangs, and evaluation research. Dr. Varano is an active collaborator with local communities implementing and evaluating evidence-based approaches to crime and public health. He has served as the Local Action Research Partner to the New Bedford Police Department for their Shannon Community Safety Initiative since 2006. He also serves as the primary evaluator for New Bedford' Safe and Successful Youth Initiative which is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Varano is co-principal investigator/evaluator for the City of Providence’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) gang reduction program funded through the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Olneyville Housing Corporations (OHC) U.S. Department of Justice funded Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation grant program. Dr. Varano has also worked extensively with the cities of New Bedford and Brockton (Massachusetts) in their state funded efforts to reduce the prevalence of intentional prescription drug misuse. Dr. Varano is a 2002 graduate of Michigan State University (Ph.D.) and previously worked for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).