Christopher R. Beasley, PhD, is presented with a Presidential Citation for his extraordinary leadership and courage in championing the rights of formerly justice-involved psychologists within the American Psychological Association.
A community psychologist, Beasley has led efforts at the University of Washington, Tacoma to support individuals transitioning from prison to college. While leading the Post-Prison Education Research Lab, Beasley conducted several studies and wrote numerous pieces of scholarship focused on giving formerly incarcerated people a second chance at educational success. In addition, Beasley has also been involved in a leadership institute that brings formerly incarcerated student leaders together to develop their leaderships skills. He has also led discussions with the tech community on how technology can be used to address problems in the criminal legal system.
Outside of the university setting, Beasley has exemplified how psychologists can positively affect their communities. He has advocated on behalf of formerly incarcerated individuals and the LGBTQIA+ community. He co-founded the Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network, a national organization to promote the education and empowerment of formerly incarcerated people and he has also helped to develop a consortium of prison and post-prison education programs in the state of Washington. Beasley serves on the advisory board of several Prison-to-Professor programs across the U.S., including Civil Survival, a nonprofit which helps justice-involved individuals, and he provided integral support in APA’s recent decision to remove the felony status question from all membership applications.
He is an exemplary role model for how psychologists can make a real difference in their communities, and it is my pleasure to recognize Beasley's multiple contributions with this Presidential citation.