James Densley

Dr. James Densley is Professor and Department Chair of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Metro State University, part of the Minnesota State system. He is co-founder of The Violence Project Research Center, best known for its database of mass shooters.

Densley has received global media attention for his work on street gangs, criminal networks, violence, and policing. He is the author or editor of 11 books, including, "The Violence Project: How to Stop a Mass Shooting Epidemic," which won the 2022 Minnesota Book Award. He has also published more than 60 peer-reviewed articles in leading scientific journals and 100 book chapters, essays, and other other works in outlets such as The New York Times, TIME, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.

Densley earned his doctorate in sociology from the University of Oxford. Before joining the academy, he worked as a special education teacher in the New York City public schools.