Robert Hanser, assistant professor and acting head of the ULM Criminal Justice Department, received the Frederic Milton Thrasher Award Aug. 6 during the opening ceremony of the 2008 National Gang Crime Research Center’s 11th International Gang Specialist Training Conference.

The Thrasher Award recognizes outstanding contributions in research, scholarship, service, leadership, and other related accomplishments in dealing with gang problems.

The award goes to persons nominated by other professionals in the field. The nomination must have corroborating evidence or documentation of the worthiness of the nominee to receive the award. The award is then put before a selection committee assigned by the National Gang Crime Research Center, which must provide a unanimous vote of approval for any person who is awarded.

The Thrasher Award is named in honor of Frederic Milton Thrasher, the 1927 author of the classic study, “The Gang: 1,313 Gangs in Chicago,” the first social scientific analysis of this social grouping.

While at the conference, Hanser also presented a paper titled “The Use of Cognitive Interviewing Techniques with Victims and Witnesses of Gang or Violent Crimes.” The presentation provided a number of field interviewers and investigators with information and training on the use of Cognitive Interviewing Techniques. In fact, the NGCRC’s preliminary survey to determine participant interest in paper topics resulted in the need for this presentation to be given twice during the conference to ensure that all interested parties were able to attend.