Dr. Michael Kane Instructor and Chair, Criminology, Law and Society
Criminology, Law and Society
713/525-3820
kanemf@stthom.eduEmail
Dr. Michael F. Kane is the Department Chair for Criminology, Law and Society for the University of St. Thomas. Spring 2018 marks his beginning with the university, overseeing several degree plans including, Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in Criminology.
In the Bachelor of Arts degree, Dr. Kane has established a network of criminal justice practitioners which provide internship opportunities for his students as well as guest speakers and application demonstrators. Dr. Kane has greatly increased the interest in the Criminology, Law and Society degrees resulting in a significant enrollment increase.
Dr. Kane has a career spanning several years with experiences on and off the beat. His first encounter with the criminal justice system was through the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, as Deputy, assigned to the Detention Center on Atascocita Road. The next few years lead to responsibilities with the Metropolitan Transit Authority and Rice University as Investigator.
Weaving through jobs in the criminal justice system, Dr. Kane discovers a passion. To provide future practitioners, in the criminal justice system, an education that not only teaches the process and procedures, but an ethical, socially just way of addressing the challenges of crime in a free society, resulting in a move towards the academic field.
Dr. Kane taught Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement at Coastal Bend College in Beeville, Texas, promoted to Division Chair, and later Dean, culminating 25 years. In 2010, Dr. Kane continues working in academia at San Jacinto Community College, Central, in Business and Technology, retiring as Dean over the department of Health Sciences.
Dr. Kane’s biggest initiative at Coastal Bend College, introduces the academic strategy in combining the associate degree in law enforcement with the TCOLE training objectives enabling graduates to take the Texas Peace Officer Licensing Examination, guiding graduates into unique roles within Federal, State and Local agencies; to name a few:
FBI - Special Agents, Police Officers, and Correctional Officers
One graduate receives top honor, U.S. Top Cop presented by
President Bill Clinton.
Dr. Kane’s graduates account for his greatest professional accomplishments.
Dr. Kane and his wife, Carolyn, have three adult children and two grandchildren living in the Houston area. In Dr. Kane’s spear time, he enjoys camping, biking, and visiting various parts of the United States.
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Degrees
- Doctor of Philosophy - Administration of Justice - Texas Southern Univeristy (2017)
- Master of Education - Administration and Supervision - University of Houston - Victoria (2005)
- Master of Arts - Political Science and Administration - Sam Houston State University (1979)
- Bachelor of Science - Criminal Justice Studies - The University of Tulsa (1975)
