Associate Professor
Associate Director, Institute for Dialogue and Social Justice

School of Public Affairs
Office: AH 4123
amobley@sdsu.edu
Pronouns: he/him/his

View Dr. Mobley's CV

Alan Mobley, PhD (University of California-Irvine, 2001) is an activist, writer, researcher, and professor of Criminal Justice and Public Affairs at San Diego State University. He first became interested in criminal justice issues in 1984 when he was arrested on narcotics charges. While enjoying a decade of correctional services in several US federal prisons, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in economics and sociology, respectively, read widely, and studied eastern philosophy and yoga. His scholarly publications include journal articles, book chapters and research reports on a variety of topics in penal and restorative justice, including the influential monograph, Unlocking America (JFA Institute, 2007). His university teaching and professional writings explore the many dimensions of mass incarceration and justice system involvement, particularly the experience of prison and its aftermath. As an activist and researcher, he is co-founder of several justice-related initiatives, including Convict Criminology, a Division of the American Society of Criminology that centers the voices of people with personal histories of justice-involvement; All of Us or None, the US civil rights initiative that launched the “Ban the Box” movement, significantly reducing barriers to employment and improved quality of life for formerly incarcerated people; and the Project Rebound Consortium of the California State University, an outreach and support initiative providing pathways to college for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students. At his home campus of San Diego State, he is Founding Executive Director of SDSU Project Rebound and the SDSU Center for Transformative Justice, which aims, among other things, to provide deeply experiential learning opportunities for students, and to establish bachelor’s degree programs at local prisons. Dr. Mobley is a certified Council trainer (restorative justice practices) in the tradition of the Ojai Foundation (ojaifoundation.org), and co-founder of Center for Council’s Inmate Council Program, which offers peer-facilitated circle dialogue trainings to incarcerated men and women in over 20 California prisons (centerforcouncil.org). Although always collaborative, his work has been honored with several awards, including for Exceptional Service (2018), Most Influential Faculty (2017), and Excellence in Research (2001).

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