Ph.D. - Criminology
University of Missouri at St. Louis - 2003
Timothy Bray
Associate Professor of Practice of Public Policy and Political Economy
Professional Preparation
M.A. - Criminology and Criminal Justice
University of Missouri at St. Louis - 1998
University of Missouri at St. Louis - 1998
B.S. - Criminology and Criminal Justice
University of Missouri at St. Louis - 1994
University of Missouri at St. Louis - 1994
Research Areas
Research Interests
Dr. Bray's current research focuses on the development of multidimensional indicators for quality of life and disparities in quality of life. He was instrumental in the Institutes launch of the Wholeness Index, a comprehensive index of disparities in quality of life that taps 12 key dimensions of social dislocation. These dimensions are representative of those identified in academic literature and, more importantly, were vetted through representatives of the underserved communities in Dallas. In addition, Dr. Brays research includes the development and application of hierarchical models to explain variation in neighborhood levels of social dislocations, including assessing and controlling for spatial dependence in the data. Dr. Bray is also working to develop new and promising methods for evaluating the impact of individual community development programs in the context of the effects of their peer programs, with an emphasis on identifying the outcomes of their collective efforts, separate from the outcomes of their individual efforts.Publications
Dallas Domestic Violence Taskforce - Journal Article
Coordinated Community Response: Toward a More Systematic Response to Domestic Violence in an Urban Setting 2018 - Book Chapter
Coordinated community response: Toward a more systematic response to domestic violence in an urban setting 2018 - Book Chapter
Are sex offenders different? An examination of rearrest patterns 2006 - Journal Article
Justice by geography: Racial disparity and juvenile courts 2005 - Journal Article
Appointments
Director, Institute for Urban Policy Research
University of Texas at Dallas [2008–Present]
University of Texas at Dallas [2008–Present]
Clinical Assistant Professor
University of Texas at Dallas [2006–Present]
University of Texas at Dallas [2006–Present]
Director, J. McDonald Williams Institute
Foundation for Community Empowerment [2005–2008]
Foundation for Community Empowerment [2005–2008]
Assistant Professor of Criminology
University of Texas at Dallas [2002–2006]
University of Texas at Dallas [2002–2006]
Assistant Bureau Chief
Illinois State Police [2001–2002]
Illinois State Police [2001–2002]
Strategic Development Advisor
Illinois State Police [1999–2001]
Illinois State Police [1999–2001]
Research Analyst
Illinois State Police [1998–1999]
Illinois State Police [1998–1999]
Graduate Teaching and Research Assistant
University of Missouri - St. Louis [1997–1998]
University of Missouri - St. Louis [1997–1998]
Police Planner
St. Louis County Police [1995–1997]
St. Louis County Police [1995–1997]
Police Dispatcher
St. Louis County Police [1992–1995]
St. Louis County Police [1992–1995]
Projects
The Effect of Socio-Economic Disadvantage and Racial Composition on Neighborhood Homicide: An Application of the Massey-Denton Racial Concentration Index
2000–2000 Bray, Timothy M. (2000). The Effect of Socio-Economic Disadvantage and Racial Composition on Neighborhood Homicide: An Application of the Massey-Denton Racial Concentration Index. American Society of Criminology. San Francisco, CA.Islands of Disadvantage: Employing Multi-Level Modeling Techniques to Explore the Relationship Between Race, Socioeconomic Disadvantage, and Homicide
1999–1999 Bray, Timothy M. (1999). Islands of Disadvantage: Employing Multi-Level Modeling Techniques to Explore the Relationship Between Race, Socioeconomic Disadvantage, and Homicide. American Society of Criminology. Toronto, ON.Are Sex Offenders Different? An Analysis of Re-Arrest Patterns
2000–2000 Sample, Lisa L. and Timothy M. Bray. (2000). Are Sex Offenders Different? An Analysis of Re-Arrest Patterns. American Society of Criminology. San Francisco, CA.Predicting Sex Offending From Criminal Offense History - A Collaborative Approach
1999–1999 Sample, Lisa L. and Timothy M. Bray. (1999). Predicting Sex Offending From Criminal Offense History - A Collaborative Approach. American Society of Criminology. Toronto, ON.Racial Disparity: Is It Due to "Justice by Geography?"
2001–2001 Sample, Lisa L. and Timothy M. Bray. (2001). Racial Disparity: Is It Due to Justice by Geography? American Society of Criminology. Atlanta, GA.Additional Information
Works in Progress - In Preparation
- Bray, Timothy M. The Effects of Child Safety Zones on Public Safety.
- Bray, Timothy M. The Use of Census Microdata in Racial Profiling Analyses.
- Bray, Timothy M. The Liquidity of Crime: A Case for Fluid Beat Boundaries.
- Bray, Timothy M. Assessing Systemic Social Disorganization Theory: An Application of City Police Data to City Problems.
- Bray, Timothy M. Advanced Measures of Segregation – Do They Outperform Simple Composition in Predicting Violent Crime?
- Bray, Timothy M. The Impact of Spatially Non-Random Sampling on Statistical.
- Indicators of Clustering.
Personal Statement
Dr. Timothy Bray serves as director of the Institute. As the only research institute to be established by a grass roots community building organization, the Institute retains a flavor that makes it unique among its peers. IUPR truly believes that the fruits of research must serve the underserved by motivating the caliber of sustainable change necessary to improve quality of life and build a better world. The Institute continues to build friendships in the communities we serve, helping residents realize their visions of lasting change.Dr. Bray is also on the faculty of the School of Economic, Political, and Policy Studies at the University of Texas at Dallas, where he teaches in the political economy and criminology programs. He teaches graduate and upper division courses in quantitative methodologies and structural correlates of social disorganization. He also mentors graduate students, and involves graduate and undergraduate students in the research work of the Institute.
Dr. Bray serves on the Board of Directors of the North Texas Housing Coalition and the Executive Committee of the Urban Institute's National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership, In addition, he advises a number of local organizations on issues of equity and sustainability.
Dr. Bray received his Ph.D. in Criminology from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Prior to earning his doctorate, Dr. Bray served as an Assistant Bureau Chief with the Illinois State Police, where he headed the strategic and operational research units. Upon leaving the State Police, Dr. Bray was awarded the Achievement Medal for his innovative approach to solving contemporary and traditional policing issues.
Memberships
Urban Institute National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership 2005-Present- Elected to Executive Committee 2008-Present
- Appointed to Working Group on Integrating Performance Measurement and Community Indicators 2008-Present
- Crime, Law, and Deviance Section
- Community and Urban Sociology Timothy M. Bray
- Government Statistics Section
- Social Statistics Section
- Statistical Consulting
- North Texas Chapter
News Articles
Research Institute Examines Children's Health, Insurance Needs in Five North Texas Counties
Texas’ uninsured rate for children remains among the highest in the nation, according to the latest report on children’s health care, education, economic security and safety from Children’s Health and researchers at UT Dallas.The 2014 report, “Beyond ABC: Assessing Children’s Health in the North Texas Corridor,” focuses on five North Texas counties: Collin, Cooke, Denton, Fannin and Grayson. Researchers at UT Dallas’ Institute for Urban Policy Researchcompiled data for the 13th annual edition of the report.
Partnership Aims to Improve Resources for Domestic Violence Victims
Researchers from UT Dallas are partnering with Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support and the Conference on Crimes Against Women (CCAW) in a planning grant to develop an institute and an educational curriculum to better serve victims of domestic violence across Texas.The W.W. Caruth Jr. Foundation at Communities Foundation of Texas awarded the $530,000 grant to CCAW, the national conference hosted annually by Genesis and the Dallas Police Department.
UT Dallas Institute Assesses Child Well-Being
The number of Dallas County children with some form of insurance has increased, but other troubling trends continue in the health, economic security, safety and education of local youth, according to a new report from UT Dallas and Children’s Medical Center.Researchers at UT Dallas’ Institute for Urban Policy Research compiled the data for the 2013 report, Beyond ABC: Assessing Children’s Health in Dallas County. The 12th edition of the report focuses exclusively on children in Dallas County and aims to offer a foundation for understanding the socioeconomic and health issues they face.
UT Dallas Assists with Report Revealing Childhood Crisis
Nearly 30 percent of children in Dallas County are living in poverty, according to a Children’s Medical Center report compiled by the Institute of Urban Policy Researchat UT Dallas.The report, Beyond ABC 2011: Assessing Children’s Health in Dallas County, examines the quality of life of area children. Dr. Timothy Bray, head of the Institute and a faculty member in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, was one of several panelists who discussed the findings during a recent symposium moderated by KDFW Fox 4 news anchor, Clarice Tinsley, at Children’s Medical Center.
“This is without a doubt the most pressing issue that our county faces,” Bray said during the symposium. “It is the future of our youth, our children, our tomorrow. They are tomorrow’s doctors, they are tomorrow’s teachers, they are tomorrow’s firefighters and police officers. And so if they’re not healthy, they’re not going to reach that goal.”
University Team Shares New Domestic Violence Data with Task Force
The Dallas Police Department receives an average of 42 domestic violence-related 911 calls every day, according to a new report that University of Texas at Dallas researchers wrote for the Dallas Domestic Violence Task Force.The University’s Institute for Urban Policy Research (IUPR) collected and analyzed extensive data on domestic violence for the city for the fourth year in a row, detailing the number of incidents reported to police, lack of shelter space and the outcome of domestic violence cases in the courts as part of a 57-page report.