Jeff Shook is Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh. Broadly, Jeff’s scholarship focuses on the intersections of law, policy, and practice in the lives of children and families, with a focus on youth in the justice systems and child and family poverty. His commitment to using his research to affect change is apparent in his long-standing university-community connections through which he partners with community members and organizations to limit criminal legal system involvement of young people and combat poverty and income inequality.
Since becoming a member of the Pittsburgh community in 2005, Jeff has partnered with legal advocates and families of incarcerated youth, City Council members, and labor leaders, among others. In this work, he has not only lent his time and expertise to furthering community organization and policy change but has also mentored numerous social work students so they may learn, contribute, and engage in community change efforts. As such, Jeff demonstrates leadership in community outreach and engagement across the roles of an engaged social work scholar: research, teaching, and service.