Mansfield University Home PageAssociate Professor of the Department of Criminal Justice Administration
CONTACT INFORMATION:217 Pine Crest Manor PHONE: (570) 662-4485 B.A., Government & Politics, Mansfield State College COURSES TAUGHT:Special Topics in Corrections |
Dr. Thornsley appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press" on October 27, 2002, after the D.C. snipers were caught. |
During the October 2002 Maryland & Virginia sniper murder spree, Dr. Thornsley was one of the most frequently quoted criminologists in the U.S. His commentary appeared in the New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, the Boston Globe, Baltimore Sun, Chicago Tribune, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, Newsday, Houston Chronicle, Washington Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and the London Daily Mirror. He appeared on television nationally on CNBC, Fox News Channel, the Canadian Broadcasting System, CNN and NBC's "Meet the Press." His radio commentary was heard throughout North America and Mexico on CBS, Fox News, KDKA-Pittsburgh, KABC-Los Angeles, WOAI-San Antonio, Minnesota Public Radio, the Canadian News Network and nationally syndicated radio talk show programs.
Since then, Dr. Thornsley has been quoted extensively by the news media about the conviction and sentencing of the Green River Killer, Coral Eugene Watts, Charles Cullen, and the BTK serial killer in Wichita, Kansas.
Dr. Thornsley began his university teaching career at Troy University, Alabama, from 1996-2000, and has been at Mansfield University since August 2000. He has had 19 years of professional experience at the senior executive level within the Pennsylvania Department of Correction, serving as the Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs from 1983-1995 where he orchestrated legislative efforts in the areas of intermediate punishments, boot camps, private sector prison industries, private prisons, truth-in-sentencing, change in the manner of execution from electrocution to lethal injection and clemency. Dr. Thornsley's academic expertise lies in the areas of correctional public policy-making and serial murder.
Immediately following Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell's victory in the November 2002 election, Dr. Thornsley was named as a member of Governor Rendell's Transition Team for the State Department of Corrections and the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole. In March of 2003 he was named by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to serve as advisory committee chair to Senate Resolution #149, which was charged with investigating Pennsylvania's seriously ill geriatric and life-sentenced state inmate population. In June 2005 he reported his committee's findings to the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
Since 2002 Dr. Thornsley has been teaching classes in violent criminal behavior and serial murder at Nipissing University (located in North Bay, Ontario, Canada) using live video tele-conferencing technology. The Wall Street Journal acknowledged this unique educational exchange in one of their news stories.
Dr. Thornsley still maintains an interest in corrections. His correctional classes tour state prisons each year and are involved in state legislative issues addressing corrections. Since 2005 Dr. Thornsley has taken advantage of Dr. Tim Madigan's annual survey research class by having questions inserted in Mansfield's annual State Survey, and in turn providing the results to state legislative leaders. Dr. Thornsley's current interests include clemency, wrongful convictions and the life-sentenced inmate. His short-term objective is to prompt the Pennsylvania General Assembly to consider legislation which will provide compensation to wrongfully convicted offenders. His long-term interest involves clemency and the life-sentenced inmate. (In 2005 Thornsley represented a life-sentenced inmate before the PA Board of Pardons, receiving a 4-1 vote, one vote shy of having the Board recommend clemency to the Governor.)
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In the spring of 2004, Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) selected Dr. Thornsley as one of their 10 most interesting faculty members from over 5,600 faculty. This picture and a brief bio currently appears on the SSHE web page. |
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Dr. Thornsley with Robert Ressler and Roy Hazelwood, in Fairfax, Virginia, in January 2005. Ressler and Hazelwood are former FBI profilers and best selling authors. |
Below: Dr. Thornsley with Roy Hazelwood.
Below: Dr. Thornsley with his Mansfield and Nipissing University students, attending a day long profiling seminar featuring FBI Behavioral Science Unit profilers Robert Ressler and Ray Hazelwood in Fairfax, Virginia.
Mansfield & Nipissing University students in Fairfax, Virginia
Dr. Thornsley's personal outside interests continue to revolve around the sport of track and field. While at Mansfield, he held the college record in the indoor and outdoor 400m and mile relay team. As a USA Track and Field (USATF) Master's competitor, he has won 12 USATF Master's national championships in the long jump, triple jump and pentathlon. In 1997 he placed 4th in the triple jump at the World Veteran's Championships held in Durban, South Africa.
As an administrator in track and field, he was awarded the "Administrator of the Year" in 1996 by USA Track and Field for his work with Masters track.
Dr. Thornsley was a track and field PIAA official for 20 years and is still a nationally certified USATF sports official and has officiated at numerous national and international competitions.
