Beaver County professor earns U.S. Dept. of Justice award for domestic-violence research
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A Penn State Beaver professor and volunteer with domestic-abuse nonprofit Crisis Center North has been presented with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Crime Victims Research Award.
John Chapin, 58, of Center, a survivor of childhood domestic violence who now researches the subject, was given the award which “recognizes individual researchers that made a significant contribution to the nation’s understanding of crime victim issues,” Department of Justice officials said in a news release.
Chapin used education as his way out of abuse, by becoming first-generation college student, earning a doctorate. from Rutgers University and working with at-risk youth in urban New Jersey. Since 1999, Chapin has also volunteered at the Allegheny County based Crisis Center North, which provides counseling, services and more to domestic violence victims.
Chapin served as board president for the Women’s Center of Beaver County and was a key partner in the development and execution of the Western Regional Training Initiative, which provides web-based training for 13 women’s centers in 10 Pennsylvania counties. The initiative was awarded the Pennsylvania Governor’s Award for Excellence for being the first computerized domestic violence training unit in the state.
Chapin spoke with the Trib recently about his research. This interview has been edited for length:
Q: How did you connect with Crisis Center North (CCN) initially and what do you like most about volunteering with them?
A: I have been volunteering with CCN for over 20 years. My wife, Grace Coleman, is the executive director. I started working with the children’s counselor to develop a curriculum for the prevention education program. After the first year, the Columbine school shooting happened and things changed quickly. We moved from a “domestic-violence-101” model to students who knew a lot about school violence and bullying through the media but didn’t believe it could happen at their own school. This led to the focus on optimistic bias. I also served on the Board of the Women’s Center of Beaver County for nine years, including three years as the President of the Board of Directors.
Q: Much of your research has centered around the concept of “optimistic bias” — how would you explain that idea to someone unfamiliar with psychology?
A: In lay terms, optimistic bias is the belief that “bad things happen to other people.” Most adults experience optimistic bias. We drive over the speed limit thinking we won’t have an accident or get a ticket. For children and adolescents that might mean failing to take precautions on social media to protect their physical and mental health. The object of our programs is to get students to recognize realistic risks without frightening them. It’s a fine line.
Q: The Department of Justice said your work has made a significant contribution to the nation’s understanding of crime victim issues. What are some of the ways it has done so?
A: I think that quote refers to sharing best practices through research and presentations. Each summer, I meet with staff to review the findings, highlight what’s going well, and strategies to improve what wasn’t as effective. When people talk about evidence-based programs, that’s usually based on national norms. In the case of Crisis Center North, they’re using evidence-based programs based on Pittsburgh/Allegheny County data. I’ve personally done workshops with local teachers, intermediate units, parents, church groups, etc., to share best practices and lessons learned.