Jim Mann is an Associate Professor in Criminal Justice at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.  He received a Masters degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Texas at Arlington, a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology from Western Kentucky University, and a doctoral degree (Ph.D.) in Counseling Psychology from Texas A&M University.  He is currently a Licensed Psychologist in Texas and North Carolina.  

Prior to his academic career, Dr. Mann served in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for more than 20 years.  Starting as a correctional officer, he worked in a wide variety of prison assignments.  He took a leave of absence and obtained his doctoral degree in 1990.  After earning his psychology license, he returned to the federal prison system as a mental health specialist. While with the Bureau of Prisons, Dr. Mann was instrumental in developing the first Sex Offender Treatment Program for federal inmates, providing expert testimony in insanity and competency cases referred by the federal court, and serving as Chief Psychologist for a large prison complex encompassing four prisons each with distinct security levels ranging from minimal to a high security penitentiary.  Additionally, Dr. Mann served as a volunteer mediator within his community for over ten years, assisting individuals, families, and small businesses resolve their disputes.  In addition to his teaching and research duties, he provides pre-employment assessments for police candidates.  

He has authored articles related to mentally ill offenders, mental health courts, and correctional programs.  He is also the author of the assessment instruments: Sex Offender Incomplete Sentence Blank and the Anger Screening Test.  His teaching has been centered on: Criminal Behavior, Forensic Psychology, Corrections, and Responses to Crime.  In addition, he has lead applied graduate seminars in Leadership, Conflict Management, and Mediation.  His current research involves self control assessment, police candidate evaluation procedures, and best practices in leadership development.  

In addition to his membership in NAS, Dr. Mann is a member of the International Association of Police Chiefs, American Psychological Association, American Correctional Association, Society of Police and Criminal Psychology, and the International Association of Correctional and Forensic Psychology.