Dr. Jinney S. Smith, a treasured member of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice community, passed away in March at the age of 49.

For six years, Dr. Smith served as the associate director of the Maryland Data Analysis Center. She also served as the deputy director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics in the Department of Justice.

“Jinney understood Maryland criminal justice statistics better than anyone I have ever met, and she knew just how difficult they were to access. Yet on this point, she remained that rare creature: a realistic optimist,” said Professor Gary LaFree, chair of the department.

Dr. Smith worked with numerous faculty and staff members, students, and alumni, and will be long remembered by all who knew her.

“All who worked with Jinney will remember her as a bright and effective leader and a researcher with an uncanny ability to ask interesting and important questions. She was among the first to point out the change in the storied age-crime curve, and to pose some interesting explanations for that change which gave the school crime pipeline a completely different meaning,” said Professor James Lynch. “Mostly, she will be remembered for her decency to all around her, and her wicked sense of humor.”