I. Name of the Organization:
The name of the organization is The Division of Developmental and Life-course Criminology. The Division is a constituent unit of the American Society of Criminology (hereinafter ASC) and will function in accordance with the Constitution, bylaws and policies of the ASC.
II. Purposes and Objectives
A. To advance developmental and life-course criminology and the study of criminal careers,
B. To bring together ASC members interested in discussing and supporting developmental and life-course research in criminology,
C. To facilitate and encourage interaction and dissemination of developmental and life-course research among ASC members, practitioners, funding agencies, policy-making bodies, and other relevant groups, and
D. To organize and promote ASC conference sessions related to issues in developmental and life-course research in criminology.
III. Membership
A. The membership of the Division shall be divided into the following categories:
(1) full members, and (2) student members.
B. Full membership shall include any member in good standing of the ASC, who is paying regular membership dues to the Division, and who does not fall within, or if falling within does not choose to be included within, the Student Member category.
C. Student membership shall be open to any undergraduate or graduate student enrolled at an institution of higher education whose enrolment is certified by a regular faculty or administrative official of the institution, and who is a student member of the ASC.
D. Annual dues for all categories of the Division membership shall be set by the Executive Board of the Division, subject to approval of the Executive Board of the ASC. Dues shall be payable annually in concert with the dues of the ASC.
E. Members of the Division who have paid dues for the current year shall have voting privileges on all matters presented to the Division membership for a vote.
IV. Executive Board
A. There will be an Executive Board comprised of the Division’s current officers, immediate past chair and three Executive Counselors.
B. This Board will set policies for the Division, provide advice and decide the budget for the Division, and approve committee chairs.
C. The Division Chair will chair and convene the Executive Board.
D. All members of the Executive Board must be members of the Division in good standing.
E. A quorum of the Executive Board shall consist of one-half of the voting members plus one.
F. The Executive Board will arrange an Annual Membership Meeting in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the ASC.
G. The Chair can co-opt additional Executive Board members such as the Newsletter Editor, the Graduate Student Representative, and the ASC Executive Board Liaison officer.
V. Officers
A. Chair
1. The Chair will provide executive direction for the Division and will preside over Division meetings.
2. The Chair or their designee will serve as liaison with the ASC Annual Meeting Program to ensure the inclusion of panels relating to issues on developmental and life course criminology.
3. The Chair or their designee shall bring issues regarding developmental and life-course research, as decided by the Division, to the attention of the ASC Executive Board and to appropriate ASC committees for their consideration.
4. The Chair will appoint all committees and committee chairs, with the approval of the Executive Board.
B. Vice-Chair
1. The Vice-chair will preside over Division meetings in the absence of the Chair and shall be empowered to conduct all necessary business of the Division if the office of Chair is vacant or if the Chair is unable to serve.
2. The Vice-chair or their designee will chair the Newsletter Committee.
3. The Vice-chair will prepare reports on Division activities for presentation to the ASC Executive Board.
4. The Vice-chair will take overall responsibility for the Division website.
C. Secretary/Treasurer
1. The Secretary/Treasurer will keep the records (including financial and membership records and minutes) of the Division.
2. The Secretary/Treasurer will record minutes of each meeting of the Division and will forward a copy to each member of the Executive Committee and the Newsletter Committee Chair for publication in the next issue of the Division newsletter.
3. The Secretary/Treasurer will be responsible for the dissemination of Division news in The Criminologist, the Division newsletter, or in any other appropriate outlet.
4. The Secretary/Treasurer will remain in contact with the Treasurer of ASC who will maintain a separate account in the ASC treasury for the Division. The Secretary will inform the Division membership of the Division’s balance, debts, credits, etc. at the Division’s Annual Membership Meeting. The Secretary will notify the Executive Board of any financial issues that arise between Annual Membership Meetings.
D. Executive Counselors:
1. There will be three Executive Counselors, elected in alternating years.
2. Executive Counselors will assist the Chair with executive decisions for the Division, and each will chair at least one committee of the Division.
E. Any member of the Executive Board may be suspended from office by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board and may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the Division members present at an Annual Membership Meeting. Non-attendance at meetings and/or non-response to email communications may subject the member to the risk of removal from the Executive Board.
VI. Elections
A. The Chair, Vice-chair, Secretary/Treasurer and Executive Counselors will serve a two-year term. Elections of Officers shall be staggered in the following manner: Year One elections will be held for Chair, Vice-chair, and one(1) Executive Counselor. Year Two (or alternating year) elections will be held for Secretary/Treasurer and two(2) Executive Counselors.
B. Nominations:
The Executive Board will appoint a Nominations Committee consisting of seven members in good standing of the Division. The Committee will receive names for nomination to each office to be filled the following year. From these names, the Nominations Committee will select two names to be included on the ballot for each office.
C. Qualifications:
Nominated persons and elected officers must be members in good standing of the Division.
D. Term of Office:
The term of office for all officers and Executive Counselors will be two years. The term of office of each incoming officer will begin at the close of the Division’s Annual Membership Meeting following their election. Elected officers may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms in the same position. Upon completion of the second consecutive term of office, a person must wait for a period of at least one full term before running again for the same position.
E. Procedure:
Names of those nominated will be placed on the Division ballot and sent to all members in good standing by the Executive Office of the ASC. Completed ballots will be returned to the ASC Executive Office and counted by ASC staff. The ASC Executive Office will notify the Division Chair of the election results. Results will be published in the Division Newsletter.
F. Vacancies:
Vacancies which occur during the term of office for the Vice-Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, or Executive Counselor of the Division shall be filled until the next election by appointment of the Chair, with the approval of the Executive Board. Vacancies may be filled in either Year One or Year Two elections, and shall be filled for the remainder of the term of office.
VII. Committees
The Division will maintain the following standing Committees:
A. Program committee.
B. Membership committee.
C. Nominations committee.
D. Newsletter committee.
E. Awards committee.
The Executive Board will create such other committees it deems appropriate to carry out the purposes and objectives of the Division.
VIII. Amending the Constitution and Bylaws:
A. Amendments may be proposed by any member of the Division, but all such proposed amendments may only go forward under one of the following conditions:
1. The petitioner receives the written support of one-fifth of the Division membership in good standing;
2. The proposed amendment is introduced at the Division’s Annual Membership Meeting, and receives a two-thirds affirmative vote of those present to refer the proposal to the Executive Board; or
3. The Executive Board creates a Constitution Revision Committee to review the Constitution and Bylaws and to make appropriate recommendations.
A proposal for amendment which meets any of the requirements above shall be determined to be qualified by the Executive Board.
B. An amendment will be approved when it receives a two-thirds note by email ballot submitted to Division members in good standing. The results will be reported to the Executive Board no later than the next Annual Membership Meeting.
C. Approved amendments shall take effect immediately following the next Annual Membership Meeting. Amendments are subject to the approval of the ASC Executive Board.
IX. Awards
A. There will be (1) a Life-time Achievement award, (2) an Early Career award, (3) an Outstanding Contribution award, and (4) any other awards that the Executive Board may create.
B. The winners of these awards will be chosen by the DLC awards committee, which will consist of 7 members in good standing of the Division.
C. No member of the Executive Board or of the Awards Committee in any given year can receive an award in that same year.
D. No member of the Executive Board or of the Awards Committee can be a co-author of the work that wins the Outstanding Contribution Award.
