GUANGZHEN WU portrait
  • Assistant Professor, Sociology Department
  • Faculty Affiliate, Undergraduate Studies
  • Faculty Affiliate, Asian Studies Program

Publications

  • Makin, D., Wu, G., Broussard, M. & Krishnamoorthy, B. (2024). Predicting Police Integrity: An Application of Support Vector Machines (SVM) to The Police Integrity Instrument. Asian Journal of Criminology. Published, 02/14/2024.
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11417-024-09417-1
  • Wu, Guangzhen, Anya Biskupiak, Xiaohan Mei & Yuying Song (2023). Impact of Recreational Cannabis Legalization on Adolescent Cannabis Use in Washington State. Youth & Society. Published, 10/26/2023.
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X231205330
  • Wu, Guangzhen, Katherine Durante, Heather Melton & Ariel Roddy (2023). Marijuana Legalization and Racial Disparities in Prison Incarceration in Colorado and Washington State: A Quasi-experimental Study. Journal of Experimental Criminology. Published, 09/29/2023.
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-023-09590-w
  • Wu, Guangzhen (2023). Predicting the police code of silence in China: does rural or urban setting matter?. Policing: An International Journal (of Police Strategies and Management). Vol. 46, 71-83. Published, 02/2023.
    https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-07-2022-0108
  • Jianhong Liu & Guangzhen Wu (corresponding author) (2023). Procedural fairness and fear of crime: Extending the procedural justice theoretical model under the Chinese context. Crime & Delinquency. Published, 01/2023.
    https://doi.org/10.1177/00111287221150422
  • Wu, Guangzhen & Roarke Cullenbine (2022). Recreational marijuana legalization and drug-related offenses in Washington State: an interrupted time series analysis with a combination of synthetic controls. Journal of Experimental Criminology. Published, 11/04/2022.
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-022-09539-5
  • Wu, Guangzhen & Dale Willits (2022). The Impact of Recreational Marijuana Legalization on Simple Assault in Oregon. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Vol. 37, NP23180-NP23201. Published, 03/01/2022.
    https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605221076169
  • Wu, G., Maskaly, J., Kang, W., Makin, D. & Kutnjak Ivković, S. (2022). Testing the theoretical relationship between the role of the society at large and the willingness to adhere to the police code of silence. Asian Journal of Criminology. Vol. 17, 263-284. Published, 02/14/2022.
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11417-022-09363-w
  • Wu, Guangzhen, Yongtao Li & Xiaodong (Eric) Lang (2022). Effects of recreational marijuana legalization on clearance rates for violent crimes: Evidence from Oregon. International Journal of Drug Policy. Vol. 100, 103528. Published, 02/2022.
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103528
  • Wu, Guangzhen & Jianhong Liu (2021). Extending procedural justice theory to the Chinese context: The role of collective efficacy. The British Journal of Criminology. Published, 12/28/2021.
    https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azab115
  • Hill, T., Wen, M., Ellison, G., Wu, G., Dowd-Arrow, B. & Su, D. (2021). Modelling recent gun purchases: A social epidemiology of the pandemic arms race. Preventive Medicine Reports. Vol. 24, 101634. Published, 12/2021.
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101634
  • Wu, G. & Makin, D. (2021). The differential role of stress on police officers’ perceptions of misconduct. Asian Journal of Criminology. Vol. 16, 213-233. Published, 09/01/2021.
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11417-020-09324-1
  • Wu, G., Liu, J., Boateng, F., Cui, S. & Shuai, H. (2021). Do social bonds matter? Social control theory and its relationship to desistance from substance abuse in China. Journal of Drug Issues. Vol. 51(1), 50-67. Published, 01/2021.
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0022042620957020
  • Wu, G., Wen, M. & Wilson, F. (2021). Impact of recreational marijuana legalization on crime: Evidence from Oregon. Journal of Criminal Justice. Vol. 72, 1-11. Published, 01/2021.
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2020.101742
  • Wu, G., Boateng, F. & Lang, X. (2020). The spillover effect of recreational marijuana legalization on crime: Evidence from neighboring states of Colorado and Washington State. Journal of Drug Issues. Vol. 50(4), 392-409. Published, 10/01/2020.
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0022042620921359
  • Stanton, D., Mei, X., Kim, S., Willits, D., Stohr, M., Hemmens, C., Wu, G., Lu, R., Makin, D. & Lovrich, N. (2020). The effect of marijuana legalization on jail populations in Washington State . The Prison Journal. Vol. 100(4), 510-530. Published, 07/09/2020.
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885520939313
  • Liu, J., Wu, G. (corresponding author) & Boateng, F. (2020). Does procedural fairness matter for drug abusers to stop illicit drug use? Testing the applicability of the process-based model in a Chinese context. Psychology, Crime & Law. Vol. 26(5), 507-526. Published, 05/22/2020.
    https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316X.2019.1696802
  • Stohr, M., Makin, D., Stanton, D., Hemmens, C., Willits, D., Lovrich, N., Meize, M., Snyder, J., Lu, R. & Wu, G. (2020). An evolution rather than a revolution: Cannabis legalization implementation from the perspective of the police in Washington State. Justice Evaluation Journal. Vol. 3(2), 267-293. Published, 05/13/2020.
    https://doi.org/10.1080/24751979.2020.1756378
  • Wu, G. & Wen, M. (2019). Predicting three dimensions of police officer stress: does rural or urban setting matter?. Policing: An International Journal (of Police Strategies and Management). Vol. 43(3), 435-449. Published, 11/06/2019.
    https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-03-2019-0042
  • Wu, G. & Boateng, F. (2019). Police perception of citizens and its impact on police effectiveness and behavior: A cross-cultural comparison between China and Ghana. Policing: An International Journal (of Police Strategies and Management). Vol. 42(5), 785-797. Published, 10/10/2019.
    https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-07-2018-0099
  • Lu, R., Willits, D., Stohr, M., Makin, D., Synder, J., Lovrich, N., Meize, M., Stanton, D., Wu, G. & Hemmens, C. (2019). The cannabis effect on crime: Time-series analysis of crime in Colorado and Washington State. Justice Quarterly. Vol. 38(4), 565-595. Published, 10/08/2019.
    https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2019.1666903
  • Boateng, F. & Wu, G. (2019). Perception of police officer effectiveness in China: Does organisational support matter?. The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles. Vol. 93(3), 229-247. Published, 07/21/2019.
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X19862015
  • Boateng, F., Makin, D., Abess, G. & Wu, G. (2019). Speaking out: Officers speaking about police misconduct in Ghana. The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles. Vol. 92(2). Published, 06/01/2019.
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X18768384
  • Wu, G. & Makin, D. (2019). The quagmire that is an unwillingness to report: Situating the code of silence within the Chinese police context. Criminal Justice and Behavior. Vol. 46(4), 608-627. Published, 04/2019.
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854819831732
  • Makin, D., Willits, D., Wu, G., DuBois, K., Lu, R., Stohr, M., Koslicki, W., Stanton, D., Hemmens, C., Snyder, J. & Lovrich, N. (2019). Marijuana legalization and crime clearance rates: Testing proponents’ assertions in Colorado and Washington State. Police Quarterly. Vol. 22(1), 31-55. Published, 03/01/2019.
    https://doi.org/10.1177/1098611118786255
  • Boateng, F. & Wu, G. (2018). Effect of Organizational Support on Police Effectiveness and Behavior: a Cross-cultural Comparison. Asian Journal of Criminology. Vol. 13(4), 311 - 328. Published, 12/2018.
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11417-018-9272-2
  • Mia J. Abboud, Guangzhen Wu, Amelie Pedneault, Mary K. Stohr & Craig Hemmens (2018). Educator sexual misconduct: A statutory analysis. Criminal Justice Policy Review. Vol. 31(1), 133-153. Published, 10/23/2018.
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0887403418806564
  • Wu, G., Makin, D., Li, Y., Boateng, F. & Abess, G. (2018). Police integrity in China. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management. Vol. 41(5), 563-577. Published, 10/01/2018.
    https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-01-2017-0008

Research Statement

There are three major complementary threads running through my research. First, I focus on the ways in which police behavior, as that involves their ethics/integrity, may be affected by factors such as organizational support, police perceptions of the public, and police stress. Second, I am interested in assessing the impact of pivotal policy change (i.e., the legalization of marijuana in the United States) on law enforcement and crime. Third, I am also interested in extending criminological theories to differential social and cultural contexts. I merged these interests around the function of social and organizational dynamics and their implication for theory and policy. This analysis is conducted under the aegis of a comparative perspective. My approach is empirically grounded, and some findings related to the cannabis effects on crime and law enforcement have received media attention (Washington Post, The Kansas City StarVancouver SunThe Seattle TimesNewsweek, The Spokesman-Review, Colorado Springs Independent, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal).

Research Keywords

  • Social Consequences of Cannabis Legalization
  • Racial/Ethnic Disparities in the Criminal Justice System
  • Police Legitimacy
  • Police Integrity and Ethical Behavior
  • Neighborhood Context of Crime and Justice
  • Drugs and Society
  • Comparative Criminology
  • Applied Quantitative Methods with Crime and Justice Data
  • Generality of Criminological Theory
  • Policing
  • Criminal Justice Policy

Presentations

  • Wu, G. & Liu, J. Extending police legitimacy theory under the Chinese context: The role of neighborhood social control. The Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology. Philadelphia, PA. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/17/2023.
  • Wu, G. & Durante, K. Marijuana legalization and racial disparities in jail incarceration in Colorado and Washington State: A quasi-experimental study. The Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology. Philadelphia, PA. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/16/2023.
  • Wu, G. & Liu, J. An empirical test of neighborhood context and police legitimacy in urban China. The Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. National Harbor, MD. Conference Paper, Presented, 03/18/2023.
  • Wu, G. The Effects of Recreational Marijuana Legalization on Clearance Rates for Violent Crimes in Oregon. University of Utah Policing Policy Workshop. University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/03/2023.
  • Guangzhen Wu. Effects of Recreational Marijuana Legalization on Illicit Drug Use among Adolescents in Washington State. Annual Meeting of American Society of Criminology, Atlanta, GA. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/16/2022.
  • Guangzhen Wu, Youngtao Li, & Xiaodong Lang. The effects of recreational marijuana legalization on clearance rates for violent crimes in Oregon. The Annual Meeting of Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Las Vegas, NV. Conference Paper, Presented, 03/16/2022.
  • Guangzhen Wu. Predicting Police Code of Silence in China: Does Stress Matter? Annual Meeting of American Society of Criminology, Chicago, IL. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/18/2021.
  • Guangzhen Wu & Jianhong Liu. Extending the Procedural Justice Theory to the Chinese Context: The Role of Collective Efficacy. Annual Meeting of American Society of Criminology, Chicago, IL. Panel, Presented, 11/17/2021.
  • Guangzhen Wu. Predictiing the code of silence in China: Does rural or urban setting matter? The 1st Online Conference of The Association of Chinese Criminology and Criminal Justice in the United States. Conference Paper, Presented, 01/15/2021.
  • Makin, D., Willits, D., Wu, G., Dubios K., Lu, R., Stohr, M., Koslicki, W., Stanton, D., Hemmens, C., & Lovrich, N. (2020). Marijuana Legalization and Crime Clearance Rates: Testing Proponent Assertions in Colorado and Washington State. APPAM (Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management) 42nd Annual Fall Research Conference (virtual). Conference Paper, Presented, 11/13/2020.
    https://appam.confex.com/appam/2020/meetingapp.cgi...
  • Guangzhen Wu and Ming Wen.Exploring Rural-urban Disparities in Stress among Police Officers in China. Annual meeting of American Sociological Association, New York, NY. Panel, Presented, 08/13/2019.
  • Guangzhen Wu.Exploring the Impact of Working Overtime on Police Stress in China. The annual meeting of Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Baltimore, MD. Conference Paper, Presented, 03/29/2019.
  • Wu,G. Exploring Variations in Police Integrity between Urban and Rural Police in China. The Annual Meeting of American Society of Criminology, Atlanta, GA. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/15/2018.
  • Wu, G. & Makin, D. Exploring the Demographic Determinants of Police Integrity. The Annual Meeting of Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, New Orleans. Conference Paper, Presented, 02/13/2018.
  • Wu, G., & Makin, D. The Effects of Police Stress on Police Integrity within the Context of China. The Annual Meeting of American Society of Criminology, Philadelphia. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/18/2017.
  • Wu, G., & Boateng, F. Police Officers’ Attitudes toward the Public: A Cross-Cultural Comparison. The Annual Meeting of American Society of Criminology, Philadelphia. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/16/2017.
  • Wu, G., Lu, R., Makin, D., Willits, D., DuBois, K., Stohr, M., Koslicki, W., Stanton, D., Hemmens, C., Snyder, J., & Lovrich, N. Marijuana Legalization and crime Clearance Rates in Colorado and Washington. The Annual Meeting of Western Association of Criminal Justice, Spokane. Conference Paper, Presented, 10/05/2017.
  • Lu, R., Willits, D., Makin, D., Stohr, M., Wu, G., DuBois, K., Hemmens, C., Stanton, D., Snyder, J., & Lovrich, N. Marijuana Legalization and Crime in Washington: Making the Case for Rigorous Empirical Work via an Early Analysis of Crime Rates. The Annual Meeting of Western Association of Criminal Justice, Spokane. Conference Paper, Presented, 10/05/2017.
  • Wu, G., Makin, D., Willits, D., Lu, R., Wood, D., Stohr, M. Crime Clearance Rates after Cannabis Legalization in Washington State. WSU Marijuana and Health Seed Grant Workshop, Pullman. Presentation, Presented, 10/03/2017.
  • Abboud, M., Wu, G., Pedneault, A., Stohr, M., & Hemmens, C. Educator Sexual Misconduct: A Statutory Analysis. The Annual Meeting of Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Kansas City. Conference Paper, Presented, 03/23/2017.
  • Boateng, F., & Wu, G. Effect of Organizational Support on Police Performance: A Cross-Cultural Comparison. The Annual Meeting of Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Kansas City. Conference Paper, Presented, 03/22/2017.
  • Boateng, F., & Wu, G. Is organizational support an essential ingredient for police performance in China? A test of the organizational support theory in the Chinese society. The Annual Meeting of American Society of Criminology, New Orleans. Conference Paper, Presented, 11/18/2016.
  • Wu, G., & Boateng, F. In the eyes of Gatekeepers: Insights of Chinese police officers perceptions of the public. The Annual Meeting of Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Denver. Conference Paper, Presented, 03/31/2016.
  • Wu, G., Makin, D., Boteng, F., & Abbess, G. Police Integrity in China. The Annual Meeting of Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Denver. Conference Paper, Presented, 03/30/2016.
  • Boteng, F., Abbess G., Makin, D., & Wu, G., Police Integrity in Ghana. The Annual Meeting of Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Denver. Conference Paper, Presented, 03/30/2016.
  • Abboud, M., Wu, G., Stohr, M., & Hemmens, C. A statutory analysis of teacher sexual misconduct. The Annual Meeting of Western Association of Criminal Justice, Coeur d’Alene. Conference Paper, Presented, 10/16/2015.

Languages

  • English, fluent.
  • Mandarin Chinese, fluent.

Geographical Regions of Interest

  • Eastern Asia
  • United States of America