On Monday, Apr. 29, West Chester University Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Cassandra Reyes received Legislative Citations from both the PA State House and PA State Senate for her work in animal protection and advocacy.

Reyes was recognized for creating the first known criminal justice college course on animal cruelty in the country, a course she has been teaching at West Chester University since 2010.

In recognition of “Humane Lobby Day” in the United States, the Legislative Citations were awarded at the Capital Building in Harrisburg and were presented by PA State Representatives Chris Pielli and David M. Delloso, and by PA State Senators Carolyn T. Comitta and Anthony H. Williams.

Humane Lobby Day was established by The Humane Society of the United States and is a day in which animal advocates meet with members of the General Assembly to discuss legislation for the protection of animals.

In addition to her coursework, Reyes published multiple books and wrote her dissertation exploring the link between animal cruelty, child abuse, and domestic abuse.

“I have seen first-hand a link between animal and human violence, and I am passionate about educating others on the topic,” said Reyes. “I am beyond honored and humbled to receive these Legislative Citations. It verifies that I’m doing something right and good.”

Reyes has worked at West Chester University since 2009. Before that, she worked for 10 years as a Probation Officer and as a Senior Parole Officer for the State of New Jersey. Reyes co-edited three editions of Animal Cruelty: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Understanding with Dr. Mary Brewster. Additional publications include Of Fists and Fangs: An exploration of the degree to which the Graduate Hypothesis predicts future adolescent delinquency and aggression. Additionally, Reyes has published articles in the Journal of Offender Rehabilitation and Qualitative Criminology and has written several book chapters and encyclopedia entries. Her current research interests include animal cruelty, corrections, pedagogy, juvenile delinquency, theories of crime and delinquency, violence, and victimology.

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