Positions

Research Areas research areas

Overview

  • I am the Director of Crimes against Children Research Center, Co-Director of the Family Research Laboratory, Professor of Sociology, and University Professor, at the University of New Hampshire. I have been studying the problems of child victimization, child maltreatment and family violence since 1977. I am best known for my conceptual and empirical work on the problem of child sexual abuse, reflected in publications such as Sourcebook on Child Sexual Abuse (Sage, 1986) and Nursery Crimes (Sage, 1988). I have also written about child homicide, missing and abducted children, children exposed to domestic and peer violence, commercial sexual exploitation and internet victimization.

    I am the co-founder of several large national data collection efforts including the National Survey of Children Exposed to Violence (NatSCEV) and the National Incidence Study of Missing, Abducted, Runaway and Thrownaway CHildren (NISMART).

    In my recent work, for example, my book, Child Victimization (Oxford University Press, 2008), I have tried to unify and integrate knowledge about all the diverse forms of child victimization in a field I have termed Developmental Victimology. This book received the Daniel Schneider Child Welfare Book of the Year award in 2009. Altogether, I am editor and author of 12 books and over 250 journal articles and book chapters.

    I have received grants from the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, and the US Department of Justice, and a variety of other sources.
  • Principal Investigator On

  • Victims of Technology-Facilitated Abuse: Prevalence, Awareness, Dynamics, Help-seeking  awarded by US DOJ, Department of Justice 2021 - 2023
  • WHO Report on What Works to Prevent Online Violence Against Children  awarded by World Health Organization 2022
  • Fourth National Incidence Study of Missing, Abducted, Runaway & Thrownaway Children (NISMART-4)  awarded by Westat 2017 - 2021
  • NatSCEV4  awarded by Westat 2017 - 2021
  • Evaluation of MBF Child Safety Matters Program in Elementary Schools  awarded by University of Florida 2019 - 2021
  • Evaluation of Monique Burr Child Safety Program in Florida Schools  awarded by University of Florida 2018 - 2019
  • Ateret Gewirtz-Meydan Fellowship  awarded by Haruv University 2017 - 2018
  • Evaluation of Monique Burr Child Safety Program in Florida Schools  awarded by Monique Burr Foundation 2016 - 2018
  • Thorn Article Writing  awarded by Thorn Foundation 2016 - 2017
  • Facebook Visit  awarded by Facebook 2017
  • Supplemental Analysis of the National Surveys of Children's Exposure to Violence  awarded by US DOJ, Department of Justice 2015 - 2016
  • Third National Incidence Study of Missing, Abducted, Runaway and Thrownaway Children  awarded by Westat 2010 - 2016
  • Online Survey of Sextortion Victims  awarded by Thorn Foundation 2016
  • A National Profile of Children Exposed to Family Violence: Police Response, Family Response, and Individual Impact  awarded by US DOJ, Department of Justice 2011 - 2014
  • ICAC Task Force Hosting  awarded by Fox Valley Technical College 2012 - 2013
  • Ethical Issues in Child Maltreatment Methodology  awarded by UBS Optimus Foundation 2011 - 2013
  • Studies With Unusually Low Rates of Sexual Abuse  awarded by UBS Optimus Foundation 2012 - 2013
  • Fox Valley Hosting  awarded by Fox Valley Technical College 2011 - 2012
  • Study of Scope, Investigation and Prosecution of Technology Facilitaed Child Exploitation Crimes: The 3rd National Juvenile Online Victimization Study  awarded by US DOJ, Department of Justice 2009 - 2012
  • Crimes Against Children Research Center  awarded by US DOJ, Department of Justice 2005 - 2011
  • ICAC Hosting 2011  awarded by Fox Valley Technical College 2011
  • ICAC Task Force Renewal  awarded by Fox Valley Technical College 2010 - 2011
  • Internet Crimes against Children Task Force Hosting  awarded by Fox Valley Technical College 2009 - 2010
  • State Wide Children Advocacy Center Initiative  awarded by US DOJ, Department of Justice 2006 - 2009
  • Crimes Against Children Research Center Phase 6  awarded by US DOJ, Department of Justice 2003 - 2009
  • ICAC  awarded by Fox Valley Technical College 2006 - 2009
  • National Child Protection Training  awarded by US DOJ, Department of Justice 2005 - 2008
  • Youth Internet Safety Survey  awarded by National Center for Missing and Exploited Children 2004 - 2006
  • Hosting ICAC  awarded by Fox Valley Technical College 2005 - 2006
  • Crimes Against Children Research Center Phase 5  awarded by US DOJ, Department of Justice 2001 - 2005
  • Crimes Against Children  awarded by US DOJ, Department of Justice 1999 - 2005
  • Internet Crimes Against Children Training  awarded by Fox Valley Technical College 2005
  • Internet Crimes Against Children Host Support  awarded by Fox Valley Technical College 2003 - 2005
  • 2003 8th International Family Violence Research Conference  awarded by Sam Houston State University 2002 - 2003
  • 2002 Conference Support  awarded by Sam Houston State University 2001 - 2002
  • Crimes Against Children Research Center Phase 4  awarded by US DOJ, Department of Justice 2000 - 2002
  • Victimization of Children & Youth: International Res Conf  awarded by US DHHS, Centers for Disease Control 2000 - 2002
  • Crimes Against Children  awarded by US DOJ, Department of Justice 1998 - 2002
  • Study of Missing, Abducted, & Runaway Children  awarded by Temple University 1994 - 2002
  • Juvenile Online Victimization Study  awarded by National Center for Missing and Exploited Children 2000 - 2001
  • 7th International Family Violence Research Conference  awarded by US DHHS, Centers for Disease Control 1999 - 2001
  • Family Violence Research Conference  awarded by US DHHS, Centers for Disease Control 1998 - 1999
  • Youth Internet Survey  awarded by National Center for Missing and Exploited Children 1998 - 1999
  • Center for Research on Crimes against Children  awarded by US DOJ, Department of Justice 1997 - 1999
  • Planning for Assault Prevention Programs  awarded by National Center for Missing and Exploited Children 1997 - 1998
  • Program Evaluation & Family Violence Research  awarded by Packard (David & Lucile) Foundation 1997 - 1998
  • Careers of Children Exposed to Violence  awarded by University of South Carolina 1996 - 1998
  • Growing Up Scared: Crime, Violence & Abuse in Lives of Youth  awarded by Boy Scouts of America 1994 - 1996
  • Stranger Abduction of Children: Children's Experiences  awarded by US DOJ, Department of Justice 1993 - 1994
  • National Youth Victimization Prevention Follow-up Study  awarded by Boy Scouts of America 1992 - 1993
  • Non-Family Abduction & Otherwise Missing Children  awarded by US DOJ, Department of Justice 1991 - 1993
  • Sexually Abused Boys 20 Years Later  awarded by Miscellaneous Business & Industry 1991 - 1993
  • Teaching Activities

  • Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Taught course
  • Childhood and Social Policy Taught course 2023
  • Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Taught course 2022
  • Internship Independent Study Taught course 2022
  • Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Taught course 2022
  • Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Taught course 2021
  • Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Taught course 2021
  • Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Taught course 2020
  • Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Taught course 2020
  • Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Taught course 2019
  • Childhood and Social Policy Taught course 2019
  • Research Internship Taught course 2019
  • Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Taught course 2018
  • Internship Independent Study Taught course 2018
  • Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Taught course 2018
  • Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Taught course 2017
  • Research Internship Taught course 2017
  • Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Taught course 2017
  • Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Taught course 2016
  • Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Taught course 2016
  • Childhood and Social Policy Taught course 2015
  • Juvenile Crime and Delinquency Taught course 2014
  • Education And Training

  • B.A. Social Sciences, Harvard University
  • M.Ed. Sociology, Harvard University
  • Ph.D. Sociology, University of New Hampshire
  • Full Name

  • David Finkelhor
  • Mailing Address

  • University of New Hampshire

    Sociology

    125 McConnell Hall, 15 Academic Way

    Durham, New Hampshire  03824

    United States