Leon Sawh, PhD, MPH

Leon Sawh is an assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology. His research focuses on the supervision, treatment and management of individuals with behavioral health disorders who encounter the criminal legal system. Current projects include a mixed-methods evaluation of a hospital-based primary care reentry model and a qualitative examination of peer provider perspectives on how people identify and access medication, treatment and support for opioid use and mental health disorders upon their release from prison.

Dr. Sawh has nearly two decades of applied research and policy experience. Prior to joining UWM in the fall of 2023, he worked as an associate/scientist at Abt Global, a large health research and consulting firm with various federal clients. He has also held positions in several government- and academic-based research centers including the Smart Decarceration Project at the University of Chicago, the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission, the VA’s National Center on Homelessness among Veterans and the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Education:

• PhD, Criminal Justice & Criminology, University of Massachusetts-Lowell
• MPH, Behavioral Sciences & Health Education, Emory University
• BS, Psychology, Florida State University

Research Interests:

• Smart decarceration
• Community corrections
• Reentry
• Behavioral health
• Qualitative methods

Courses Taught:

• CRM JST 273 – Introduction to Corrections
• CRM JST 291 – Current Issues in CJ: Mental Health & Criminology
• CRM JST 662 – Methods of Social Welfare Research
• CRM JST 743 – Proseminar: Administration of Criminal Justice Systems

Recent Publications:

• Cinque, A., Epperson, M., Garthe, R., Lee, H., & Sawh, L. (2026). Program outcomes in a light-touch prosecutor-led misdemeanor diversion program. Journal of Criminal Justice, 101. doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102498
• Ayemoba, J., Robinson, C., Nordgren, R., Francis, M., Galvan, C., Sawh, L., ... & Kvasnovsky, C. (2026). Delays in crime victim compensation in Illinois affect the most vulnerable. The American Journal of Surgery, 251, 116579.
• Kvasnovsky, C., Ayemoba, J., Robinson, C., Nordgren, R., Francis, M., Galvan, C., Sawh, L., ... & Cosey-Gay, F. (2026). Crime Victim Compensation in Illinois: We Can Do Better. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 242(1), 162-168. doi.org/10.1097/XCS.0000000000001644
• Bocanegra, K., Epperson, M.W., & Sawh, L. (2024). Exploring community-centric decarceration strategies for people with behavioral health needs. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 15(3), 459-484. doi: 10.1086/720011
• Epperson, M.W., Sawh, L., Patel, S., Pettus, C., & Grier, A. (2023). Examining case dismissal outcomes in prosecutor-led diversion programs. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 34(3), 236-260. doi: 10.1177/08874034221138738
• Pettus, C., Pederson, S.D., Curley, E.J., Grier, A., Epperson, M.W., & Sawh, L. (2023). “People make mistakes” Stakeholders and participants’ perception of the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of diversion and deferred prosecution programs. Psychology, Public Policy, & Law, 29(2), 154-168. doi: 10.1037/law0000357