Dr. Jennifer Hedlund joined the Criminology Department at Central in the Fall of 2000. She has a B.S. in Human Development from Cornell University and a M.A. and Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Michigan State University. Prior to coming to Central she worked as an Associate Research Scientist at Yale University.
At Central, she has taught several undergraduate and graduate core and elective courses, supervised internship students, and advised over 25 master’s theses. She also has served as Director of the Field Studies in CJ program, co-Coordinator of the Law Enforcement and Community Corrections M.S. cohort programs, and Department Chair. Beyond the department, she has served on numerous university committees including as Chair of the Institutional Review Board (formerly Human Studies Council) and Chair of the Academic Integrity Committee.
Outside of Central, Dr. Hedlund has conducted research with military and criminal justice organizations on issues pertaining to leadership, decision making, and employee attitudes and work perceptions. Since 2001, she has worked closely with the Connecticut Judicial Branch’s Court Support Services Division to develop and validate several risk assessment tools to aid in pretrial decision making and provided training to bail personnel on use of these tools. She has helped to administer and analyze statewide surveys of probation officers on their supervision styles and work perceptions, and to develop and administer promotional exams for state employees. She currently is involved in two survey initiatives, one aimed at understanding college students’ career interests and perceptions of police, and the other aimed at assessing community perceptions of police and public safety.
Books, Book Chapters, & Journal Articles (2000 to present)
Hedlund, J. (2020). Practical intelligence. In R.J. Sternberg (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of intelligence (2nd ed.) (pp. 736-755). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Cox, S.M., Kochol, P., & Hedlund, J. (2016). The exploration of risk and protective score differences across juvenile offending career types and their effects on recidivism. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 1-20. DOI: 10.1177/1541204016678439tp
Hedlund, J., Wilt, J.M., Nebel, K., Ashford, S.E., & Sternberg, R.J. (2006). Assessing practical intelligence in business school admissions: A supplement to the Graduate Management Admissions Test. Learning and Individual Differences, 16, 101-127.
Hedlund, J., Forsythe, G.B., Horvath, J., Williams, W.M., Snook, S., & Sternberg, R.J. (2003). Identifying and assessing tacit knowledge: Understanding the practical intelligence of military leaders. The Leadership Quarterly, 14, 117-140.
Sternberg, R.J., & Hedlund, J. (2001). Practical intelligence, g, and work psychology. Human Performance, 15, 143-160.
Hedlund, J. & Sternberg, R. J. (2001). Practical intelligence: Implications for personnel research. In G. R. Ferris (Ed.), Research in Personnel and Human Resource Management (Vol. 19). Stamford, CT: JAI Press Inc.
Hedlund, J., & Sternberg, R. J. (2000). Too many intelligences? Integrating social, emotional, and practical intelligence. In R. Bar-On & J. D. A. Parker (Eds.), The handbook of emotional intelligence: Theory, development, assessment, and application at home, school, and in the workplace. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Sternberg, R.J., Forsythe, G.B., Hedlund, J., Horvath, J. A., Wagner, R.K., Williams, W.M., Snook, S., & Grigorenko, E.L. (2000). Practical intelligence in everyday life. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Technical Reports
Hedlund, J. Cox, S.M., & Givens, E. (2017, June). Judicial Marshal promotional exams: Development, validation & administration. Final Report submitted to the Administrative Services Division, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch.
Hedlund, J. (2015, October). Bail revalidation: An analysis of weighted release criteria and bail points. Final Report submitted to Court Support Services Division, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch.
Hedlund, J. (2014, July). Implementation of Financial Bond Guidelines: An analysis of their influence on bail recommendations and pretrial outcomes. Final Report submitted to Court Support Services Division, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch.
Hedlund, J., & Bantley, K. (2009, July). The development of guidelines for financial bond recommendations. Final report submitted to Court Support Services Division, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch.
Hedlund, J. (2007, April). Expanded validation of a decision aid for pretrial conditional release. Final report submitted to Court Support Services Division, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch.
Hedlund, J., & Cox, S.M (2005, August). Development and validation of a decision aid for pretrial conditional release. Final report submitted to Court Support Services Division, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch.
Hedlund, J., Goldstein, M., Arace, G., & Downey, E. (2005, May). Safe Schools and Communities Coalition (SSCC) project to enhance youth violence prevention: Evaluation of collaborative activities and services. Final report submitted to The Governor’s Prevention Partnership, Hartford, CT.
Hedlund, J., Cox, S.M., & Wichrowski, S. (2003, July). Validation of Connecticut’s risk assessment for pretrial decision making. Final report submitted to Court Support Services Division, Judicial Branch, State of Connecticut.
Hedlund, J. Sternberg, R. J., Plamondon, K., Wilt, J., Nebel, K., & Ashford, S. (2002). The development and validation of a measure of successful intelligence for MBA admissions. Final report submitted to the University of Michigan Business School, Ann Arbor, MI.
Antonakis, J., Hedlund, J., Pretz, J.E., Sternberg, R.J. (2001). Exploring the nature and acquisition of tacit knowledge for military leadership. Final report submitted to the U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences, Alexandria, VA.
Hedlund, J., Sternberg, R. J., & Psotka, J. (2001). Tacit knowledge for military leadership: Seeking insight into the acquisition and use of practical knowledge (Tech. Rep. No. 1105). Final report submitted to the U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences, Alexandria, VA.
Hedlund, J., Horvath, J. A., Sternberg, R.J., Forsythe, G.B., Wagner, R.K., Williams, W.M., Snook, S., & Grigorenko, E.L. (2000). Tacit knowledge in the workplace. Final report submitted to the U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences, Alexandria, VA.
Conference Presentations
Hedlund, J., & Dlugolenski, E. (2023, March). Addressing the Police Hiring Crisis: Understanding Student Interest in and Perceptions of Law Enforcement. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, National Harbor, MD.
Hedlund, J., Cox, S.M., & Franklin, R. (2017, November). Correlates of probation supervision strategies. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Criminology Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
Hedlund, J., & Cox, S.M. (2016, November). Probation officer effectiveness: An examination of job attitudes and work orientations. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Criminology Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Hedlund, J., & Glass, S. (2014, June). Identifying factors that influence the risk of failing to appear and new arrest among pretrial defendants.  Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Annual Meeting of the Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences, Portsmouth, RI.
Cox, S., Hedlund, J., Tafrate, R., & Mitchell, D. (2013, March). The relationship between probation officer supervision strategies and job perceptions. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Dallas, TX.
Andros, A., Hedlund, J., & Bantley, K. (2012, March). Recognition and reporting of insurance fraud in comparison to property crimes. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, New York, NY.
Hedlund, J., Cox, S.M., Hill, B, & Roberge, G. (2011, November). The influence of guidelines on bond recommendations and pretrial outcomes. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Criminology Conference, Washington, D.C.
Lammers, J., & Hedlund, J. (2010, February). Comparative analysis of police stress in different size departments. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, San Diego, CA.
Hedlund, J., Bantley, K., Ruffolo, L, Roberge, G., & Hines, M. (2009, March). Increasing consistency in bond recommendations. Paper presented at the Annual meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Boston, Massachusetts.
Dubiel, D., & Hedlund, J. (2009, March). Police fears of liability: An omnipresent threat? Paper presented at the Annual meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Boston, Massachusetts.
Sienkiewicz, D. & Hedlund, J. (2007, November). Connecticut sex offender registry: The potential impact of a proactive community notification requirement. Paper presented at the American Society of Criminology Conference, Atlanta, Georgia.
Hedlund, J., Cox, S.M., Hines, M., & Carollo, J. (2007, March). Validation of a decision aid for pretrial conditional release. Poster presented at the Annual meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Seattle, Washington.
Hedlund, J., Cox, S.M., Hines, M., Carollo, J., & Dwyer, L. (2005, November). Development and validation of a decision aid for pretrial conditional release. Paper presented at the American Society of Criminology Conference, Toronto, Canada.
Professional Presentations
Hedlund, J. (July 28, 2016). Pretrial decision making in Connecticut: An overview. Presentation to the Pretrial Release and Detention Subcommittee, Connecticut Sentencing Commission, New Britain, CT.
Hedlund, J. (Oct 14, 2015). Bail revalidation: An analysis of the weighted release criteria and bail points. Presentation to Court Support Services Division managers and directors, Wethersfield, CT.
Hedlund, J. (July 29, 2015)Â Bail revalidation: An analysis of the weighted release criteria and bail points. Presentation to Court Support Services Division Executive Director, Wethersfield, CT.
Hedlund, J. & Cox, S. (May 21, 2014). Adult probation: Chief probation officer leadership styles & work perceptions. Presentation to regional managers, directors, and executive director of Court Support Services Division, Wethersfield, CT.
Hedlund, J. & Cox, S. (March 11, 2014). Adult probation: Probation officer and chief probation officer work perceptions. Presentation to regional managers, directors, and executive director of Court Support Services Division, Wethersfield, CT.
Hedlund, J. (January 29, 2014). Multi-year trends in bail decisions and outcomes. Presentation to Court Support Services Division managers and directors, Wethersfield, CT.
Hedlund, J. (January 29, 2014). Safety risk questions: Impact on pretrial decisions and outcomes. Presentation to Court Support Services Division managers and directors, Wethersfield, CT.
Hedlund, J. (December 18, 2013). Multi-year trends in bail decisions and outcomes. Presentation to CT statewide bail supervisors, New Britain, CT.
Hedlund, J. (December 18, 2013). Safety risk questions: Impact on pretrial decisions and outcomes. Presentation to CT statewide bail supervisors, New Britain, CT.
Active Projects
Co-Investigator, Project to develop and administer the Community Perceptions of Public Safety survey to residents in New Britain, CT. Funded by the Center for Community Engagement and Social Research, Central. (8/21 to present)
Project Director, Contract to develop, validate, and administer promotional exams for Judicial Marshals. Funded by the Administrative Services Division, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. (9/15 to present)
Consultant, Provide technical assistance on the development and validation of pretrial decision making tools. Funded by the Court Support Services Division, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. (5/10 to present)
Completed Projects
Consultant, Conducted and analyzed a survey of work perceptions among probation officers and chief probation officers.  Supported by the Court Support Services Division, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. (7/11 to 6/13)
Principal Investigator, Development of a Protocol for Financial Bond Recommendations. Funded by the Court Support Services Division, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. (8/07 to 8/09)
Principal Investigator, Expanded Validation of a Decision Aid for Pretrial Conditional Release. Funded by the Court Support Services Division, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. (6/06 to 4/07)
Principal Investigator, Development and Validation of an Assessment for Pretrial Conditional Release. Funded by the Court Support Services Division, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. (1/04 to 8/05)
Courses Taught
Undergraduate
Introduction to the Criminal Justice System (CRM 110)
Research Methods in Criminal Justice (CRM 322)
Ethical Dilemmas & Decision Making in Criminal Justice (CRM 461)
Exploring CJ through Film (CRM 409)
Supervised Field Studies in Criminal Justice (CRM 435)
Graduate
Criminal Justice Research Methods (CJ 533)
Managing Criminal Justice Employees (CJ 573)
Developing Criminal Justice Organizations (CJ 575)