Irshad Altheimer is a professor of criminal justice and the director of the Center for Public Safety Initiatives (CPSI) at Rochester Institute of Technology. He received his BA from Alabama State University and his MA and PhD in sociology from Washington State University. As director of CPSI, Altheimer has partnered with a diverse set of stakeholders supporting the implementation and evaluation of projects seeking to reduce violence and improve the administration of justice. His research has included partnerships with the Rochester Police Department, Monroe County Probation, the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, Rochester General Hospital, Anthony L. Jordan Health Center, and Rise Up Rochester, Inc. Throughout his career, Altheimer has secured more than $10 million in external funding from federal, state, and private sources.

Altheimer is actively engaged in scholarly research and has published articles in various journals. His publications have appeared in the Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Journal of Criminal Justice, Homicide Studies, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, and Policing: An International Journal. His current research seeks to expand knowledge of dispute-related and retaliatory urban violence. He is currently the primary investigator of an innovative project to implement and evaluate a community-based support hub for victims of violence.

Altheimer teaches various courses, including interventions in criminal justice, introduction to criminal justice, and research methods. He also actively engages students outside of the classroom, and mentors student researchers at CPSI on community-based projects.