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MU Professor of Criminal Justice Dr. Scott Thornsley was an instructor to a group of Harrisburg-area police officers on Saturday, March 5th when he delivered an 8 hour seminar on "riminal profiling"which was designed to give local law enforcement the first glimpse into what is involved in constructing a profile. The class was offered through Harrisburg Area Community College’s Law Enforcement Training Unit.
Dr. Thornsley has acquired a considered amount of exposure to criminal profiling (or criminal investigative analysis, as it is now referred to) by enrolling in numerous seminars over the years, which culminated in his attending three weeks of special training offered by The Academy Group, the world’s largest forensic behavioral science company whose members were all special supervisory agents within the FBI’s Behavior Science Unit, the very unit made famous by the 1991 move "The Silence of the Lambs."
When former Governor Rendell commuted the life sentence of inmate Keith Smith it brought with it a considerable amount of positive publicity for the Mansfield University campus since the inmate was represented by Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Dr. Scott Thornsley before the state’s Board of Pardons.
On January 5 2011, the Wellsboro Gazette ran an article entitled “MU professor is instrumental in lifer’s Dec. 30th commutation.” On Sunday, January 9th the Harrisburg Patriot-News’ “Review & Opinion” section ran an editorial written by Dr. Thornsley entitled “Rendell’s pardons were just,” and on Sunday January 16th the Williamsport Sun- Gazette ran an article entitled “Mansfield University professor instrumental in prisoner release.” These stories were followed up with Dr. Thornsley appearing in a PA Cable News program that focused on clemency in Pennsylvania. Appearing with Dr. Thornsley was Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico and a criminal defense attorney.
A life-sentenced inmate who has already served more than 35 years in prison for a felony-murder got the best Christmas and New Years news one could possibly get - that his life-without-parole sentence was commuted by Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell on December 30th, 2010.
On December 14th Dr. Thornsley appeared before the state Board of Pardons in Harrisburg for the second time this year, but this time the Board voted unanimously to recommend inmate Keith Smith for a commutation of his life-sentence. On December 30th Governor Ed Rendell signed the commutation of Keith Smith's life-sentence. In the immediate future Smith will be placed in a pre-release center for 12 months, and afterwards he will be on parole supervision for the rest of his life.
This was the fourth time that Dr. Thornsley appeared before the Board of Pardons for this inmate, starting in 1986, then in 2005, and twice in 2010.
For the second time in five years, Dr. Scott Thornsley, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Ciminal Justice program at Mansfield University, has appeared before the PA Board of Pardons to represent a life-sentenced inmate who has already served 36 years of a life-without-possibility of parole sentence.
On June 2nd Dr. Thornsley met with and interviewed the inmate for three hours at the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill, site of the 1989 prison riot.
On June 3rd Dr. Thornsley appeared with life-sentenced inmate Keith Smith at the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill, during a required private hearing before the Board of Pardons, chaired by Lt. Governor Joe Scarnati, along with Attorney General Tom Corbett and three other members of the Board (a victim advoate, psychologist, and corrections expert). Later that afternoon Dr. Thornsley appeared in public before the Board in the Supreme Court Courtroom in the state's Main Capitol Building to present his case as to why the life-sentenced inmate should have his sentence reduced to life-on-parole. The Board handed down their verdict - to hold their decision under advisement, until a pending lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is resolved by the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals later this year. (The lawsuit is expected to eventually wind up before the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2008 Dr. Thornsley was subpoened by the 3rd Circuit to be interrogated by the PA Attorney General's Office in this same case.)
Mr. Joshua Battin, Program Director
212 Pinecrest Manor
(570) 662-4493
Dr. John Mansfield, Chair
209 Pinecrest Manor
(570) 662-4483
Gayle M. Thompson, Secretary
213 Pinecrest Manor
(570) 662 - 4661
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