President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the several individuals to key administration posts on Friday, October 2. John Laub, a Visiting Scholar at IQSS, was nominated to the position of Director, National Institute of Justice (NIJ), a part of the U.S. Department of Justice. The NIJ is described as "the research, development and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice and is dedicated to researching crime control and justice issues."

Dr. Laub is Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Maryland, College Park. His areas of research include crime and deviance over the life course, juvenile delinquency and juvenile justice, and the history of criminology. Recently, Dr. Laub has initiated new projects focusing on neighborhood change and crime rates, the transition from adolescence to young adulthood among serious juvenile offenders, a study of spirituality, morality, and crime.

When nominating Dr. Laub and nine others to their respective positions, President Obama said, "These men and women bring with them a wealth of experience and talent, and I am grateful for their willingness to commit themselves to public service. I look forward to working with them in these important roles in the coming months and years."

Read the White House briefing on Dr. Laub's nomination at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Obama-Announces-More-Key-Administration-Posts-10/02/09/.