Noah J. Fritz, Ph.D.

Noah J. Fritz, Ph.D.

Title: Professor of Practice
Dept/Program: Criminal Justice Studies
Phone: +13309724421
Email: nfritz@uakron.edu

Biography

Dr. Noah Fritz recently retired as the Director of the Office of Data Analytics and Strategic Initiatives (ODASI) within the Office of the Chief at the Fairfax County (VA) Police Department and today is the Chief Executive Officer of Justice Research Associates, a private research consulting firm based in Denver, Colorado. His primary area of research has been Crime Mapping, Crime Analysis and Geographic Information Systems, but in retirement he is dedicated to research on social and restorative justice. Noah previously retired from the Tempe (AZ) Police Department in 2020 where he oversaw the Police Analytics Bureau and served on the Command Staff managing the Strategic Planning, Analysis and Research Center (SPARC). He also served as the past Crime Analysis Manager at the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. Noah returned to the "field" of crime analysis after spending five years as an Assistant Professor in the Criminal Justice & Criminology Department at Metropolitan State University of Denver. He was the previous Director and Founder of the Crime Mapping and Analysis Program (CMAP)—a U.S. Department of Justice sponsored training and technical assistance program; and served as the Deputy Director of DOJ’s National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center. Noah is a charter member and three-time President of the International Association of Crime Analysis where he was bestowed IACA’s Lifetime Achievement Award and was selected as the most influential person in promoting the crime analysis profession.

Most notable accomplishments include a Doctorate in Justice and Social Inquiry from Arizona State University, a master’s from same, and undergraduate degrees in Sociology and Criminal Justice from Illinois State University. His master’s thesis focused on a robust understanding of the Missing Children’s Issue and his dissertation was a hotspot analysis of crime and an ethnography of Denver’s number one crime neighborhood. He has authored articles in the Sociological Quarterly, the Encyclopedia of Criminology and Deviant Behavior, and is a co-author of Exploring Crime Analysis (2004, 2009). He has appeared nationally on ABC's Weekend News Edition featuring crime mapping and has been featured on public radio in Australia where he provided consulting services to the Victoria Police Department. Noah enjoys camping, hiking, and golf. Now retired, he looks forward to spending time outdoors with his family and friends, traveling; and finding ways to help others. His work on the Building Block Program is an example of this commitment.

Research

  • Crime Mapping
  • Crime Analysis
  • Geographic Information Systems
  • Social Justice
  • Restorative Justice

Education

  • Ph.D., Justice and Social Inquiry, Arizona State University
  • M.S., Justice and Social Inquiry, Arizona State University
  • B.S., Sociology and Criminal Justice, Illinois State University