Expert Profile: Edward Latessa | Research Directory

Professional Summary

Edward J. Latessa, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus (In Memoriam)

Our leader, Dr. Edward J. Latessa, passed away peacefully on January 11, 2022 at his home in Cincinnati, Ohio surrounded by his family, wife, sister, and children.

A man of contrasts, Ed was stern but caring, loud but gentle, an Ohio State fan but a UC builder. He was, as his close friend Larry Johnson often says, the hard-shelled candy with the soft middle.

Ed was a born leader who helped build this great program. He had a presence. Chutzpah even. He commanded your attention and you were happy to give it to him. He owned every room he stepped into. He was equal parts intellectual, philosopher, and pragmatist. And he was funny. Really funny.

He was your best friend. Or at least that's how it felt being near him. Sharing a meal with Ed was both a rite of passage and a treat to savor. Sitting beside him at an event, no matter how serious, was always a risk worth taking. The risk lie in the fact that his inner comedian never took a night off. He could make you laugh out loud at the most inappropriate times. And he had a bullshit detector that he was never afraid to vocalize.

Ed was a family man. He spoke often and lovingly of his family, and he always asked (and remembered) the details of your own family. He kept toys and candy in his office, hoping for little visitors. He readily dispensed important wisdom. He’d often remind those around him that careers are marathons not sprints; no need to miss anything important along the way.

Ed understood human behavior better than anyone - like he was told secrets no one else knew. He could cut right to the heart of an issue like a skilled butcher, accomplishing in minutes what might take a trained professional several weeks to achieve. And he could motivate you with the simplest and slightest gestures.

Whether those skills were God given, instilled during his upbringing in Youngstown, or earned over time we never figured out. When asked he would demure, in his classic way, with a pithy remark like, "it ain't that hard."

What is remarkable is not that he had these abilities; rather, it is remarkable that he chose to use them consistently in such positive ways. Propped up by his skills, Ed helped build one of the best doctoral programs in the country. He also created an intricate research and training program that has led to untold reductions in harm and improvements to public safety. And he trained dozens of other scholars and practitioners along the way. His intellectual and professional legacy will live on through his contributions to the professionalization of rehabilitation and corrections in Ohio, the US, and around the world.

There will never be another one like him.

A memorial service is currently being planned for Sat., March 12, 2022. Updates will be posted here:
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/edlatessa

Ed's obituary can be read here:
https://www.cincinnati.com/obituaries/cen210298

History of Ed Latessa’s Career, Interview by Alex Holsinger, ACJS Criminology Project, 2017 (51.12):
https://www.criminologystories.com/edwardlatessa

Latessa Retirement Video, Aug. 2020 (5:04):
https://youtu.be/NkEUcxopt2o

Celebrating Ed Latessa, Nov. 2020 (30:25):
https://youtu.be/6RUdO-rLVbA

Research Support

Grant: #7AS3800 Investigators:Latessa, Edward 07-01-2016 -12-31-2017 Ohio Department of Youth Services FY 2017 DYS Technical Assistance Contract Role:PI 568392.00 Closed Level:Ohio, State of

Grant: #USCA16C1025 Investigators:Latessa, Edward 09-14-2016 -06-05-2019 Administrative Office of the United States Courts Curriculum Development Role:PI 4814738.15 Closed Level:Federal

Grant: #410036-V17-RLH6153-ING-01 / BJA Investigators:Latessa, Edward 12-01-2016 -09-30-2020 Bureau of Justice Assistance Wisconsin BJA Smart Grant 2016 Role:PI $211,221.00 Active Level:Federal

Grant: #ODYS 8AS3960 2017-2018 contract Investigators:Latessa, Edward 07-01-2017 -06-30-2018 Ohio Department of Youth Services FY 2018 DYS Technical Assistance Contract Role:PI 431492.00 Closed Level:Ohio, State of

Grant: #9AS4430 Investigators:Latessa, Edward 07-01-2018 -06-30-2019 Ohio Department of Youth Services DYS FY 2019 Technical Assistance Contract Role:PI 349960.00 Closed Level:Ohio, State of

Grant: #Cordata/Third Frontier Investigators:Latessa, Edward 08-01-2018 -06-30-2021 Ohio Development Services Agency Ohio Opioid Abuse, Prevention and Treatment Technology Initiative Role:PI 500000.00 Active Level:Ohio, State of

Grant: #Master Agreement_ESM-7304 Investigators:Latessa, Edward 08-31-2017 -07-31-2020 Cordata Healthcare Innovations, LLC Master MOA with Cordata Role:PI $.00 Active Level:Industry

Grant: #ORAS Investigators:Latessa, Edward 02-01-2019 -06-30-2019 Bureau of Justice Assistance Illinois Region 1 Planning Council What Works and ORAS Training Role:PI $16,500.00 Closed Level:Federal

Grant: #0AS4870 Investigators:Latessa, Edward 09-30-2019 -06-30-2020 Ohio Department of Youth Services DYS FY 2020 Technical Assistance Contract Role:PI 356400.00 Active Level:Ohio, State of

Grant: #D25-21-17131 / 2020-SM-BX-0004-00 Investigators:Latessa, Edward 10-01-2020 -09-30-2023 Department of Justice Innovations in Supervision Initiative: Building Capacity to CreateSafer Communities BJA-2020-17131 Indiana Role:PI 982918.00 Active Level:Federal

Grant: #2021-CS-OTH-508 / 2020-AR-BX-0041 Investigators:Haberman, Cory; Latessa, Edward; Manchak, Sarah 10-01-2020 -09-30-2023 Bureau of Justice Assistance Ohio COSSAP Role:Collaborator 302620.00 Active Level:Federal