Society for Police and Criminal Psychology

Conference in Atlanta, Georgia USA
September 16-19, 2026

Photos from W Atlanta Downtown Hotel website

The annual conference of The Society for Police and Criminal Psychology (SPCP) will be held at the beautiful, JW Marriott Atlanta Downtown, Wednesday, September 16 through Saturday, September 19, 2026. See below for information about our venue, special conference rates, and hotel reservation instructions.

SPCP conferences seek to foster collaborations across a multidisciplinary audience, including academics, practitioners, law enforcement and corrections professionals, and students. The conference includes substantial time for informal conversations among participants. Conference presentations will include a wide range of proposals, including empirical research findings, theoretical discussions, practical applications, and case studies. APA-approved continuing education credits will be available. We will also host a session of posters submitted by students or professionals. The student making the best poster presentation will receive the Michael F. Serafino Award, a cash award made possible by the generous donations of Gerry and Ann Serafino.

Call for Proposals

Proposals for the 2026 Annual Conference were due on May 1, 2026. To inquire about late proposals and for other questions regarding proposals, please contact Conference Program Chair Dr. Marina Sorochinski at conference@policepsychology.org and copy Dr. JoAnne Brewster at brewstja@jmu.edu .

View the Call for Proposals

Conference Registration

SPCP strives to keep conference registration rates as low as possible. To encourage informal interaction among members during our meetings, registration includes two receptions, some meals, and some refreshments. We recognize that our students are the future of our profession, so we offer discounted registration to students. Discounted registration is also available to long-term members who have achieved retired or emeriti status in SPCP, to encourage these individuals to attend conferences to share their knowledge and experience.

To register for the conference, you must be a member of SPCP and your dues for 2026 must be paid. If you are not a member, or you have not yet paid 2026 dues, first go to the website homepage, select “Join or Pay Dues” and follow the instructions. Then return to this page to register.

Current members, to register for the conference, choose from the following options:

	Members	Students, Retired & Emeriti Members
Early Registration (Until June 1)	$450	$350
Regular Registration (June 2 – July 31)	$500	$400
Late Registration (August 1 and after)	$550	$450

Notes:

You must be a member of SPCP, and your 2026 dues must be paid, before you can register.
Conference participants who register as students are NOT eligible to make presentations. Student members are encouraged to submit proposals to present posters. If you are currently a student member, but you have recently graduated, please contact JoAnne Brewster (brewstja@jmu.edu ) to have your membership level changed to full membership.
The conference registration fee includes receptions (opening reception and poster session), some meals, and some refreshments. Tickets to our annual banquet are sold separately.
Conference registrants will receive membership in SPCP through the end of 2027, which includes online access to the Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology. Registrants who would also like to receive printed copies of the Journal through the mail can do so by paying an additional $50 fee for printing and postage. That option will be available during the conference registration process.
Conference attendees may also earn credit for continuing Education (CEUs) by paying an additional $40 fee when registering for the conference. Typically, 12-15 CEUs are available at each conference. After you have submitted the required paperwork (which will be provided to you at the conference when you check in), the Institute for Continuing Education will issue verification of continuing education credit earned by attendees through its approved provider status with the American Psychological Association (APA). Please pay for CEUs when you register for the conference. If you have already registered for the conference, you can add CEUs to your registration using this link.
Since certain conference materials must be ordered in advance, participants who register late may not receive all materials that are distributed during check in.
All rates are shown in U.S. Dollars. Rate discounts expire at midnight, Eastern Time in the U.S., on the date of the deadline(s).
The final date to cancel your conference registration and receive a refund of your registration fee is Tuesday, September 1, 2026.

Hotel Reservations

In May 2026, the W Atlanta Downtown Hotel, a Marriott property, will open as the newly renovated JW Marriott Atlanta Downtown. This fine hotel, now upgraded, will provide an exceptional venue for our meeting. The hotel offers comfortable accommodations, a beautiful bar, a restaurant, a rooftop infinity pool and bar, a gym, and a spa. It is easily accessible by metro, just 0.2 miles from the Civic Center Metro stop. (The hotel is a 20- minute ride [9 stops] from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.) Within a half mile of the hotel you can visit the Georgia Aquarium, the Coca-Cola Museum, and the Giant Ferris Wheel at SkyView Atlanta. Of course, Atlanta offers many shopping, sports, and entertainment opportunities. Learn more about Atlanta.

SPCP participants may reserve rooms with King or two Queen beds for $219/night. This special rate is available from Monday, September 14 through Sunday, September 20 for guests who would like to arrive early or stay after the conference.

Use this link to make your reservation at the new JW Marriott Atlanta Downtown. If you prefer to reserve by telephone, call Marriott Central Reservations at 888-236-2427 and make your reservation for Room Block: “Society of Police Psychology Sept 2026” at the JW Marriott Atlanta Downtown (Formerly W Atlanta Downtown).

Support our 2025 Conference Sponsors

Jerry & Ann Serafino

in honor of

Michael F. Serafino

We greatly appreciate our individual sponsors:
Gary Aumiller

Herb Gupton
James Madison University Faculty Senate
Wayne Wallace
Kammie Juzwin
Cold Case Foundation

Award and Honorarium for the Best Student Poster

The Society for Police & Criminal Psychology advocates for the pursuit of academic excellence by encouraging the submission of posters by current students at the undergraduate, masters, or doctoral level. The Michael Serafino Award is given annually to the best student poster presented at our yearly conference. Posters are judged on scholarship, contribution to the fields of police and public safety psychology or criminal justice, and the quality of the poster presentation.

Get further information about the Michael Serafino Award

Conference History

The Society sponsors an annual conference held in the fall of each year at varying locations. The conference focuses on the interface between criminal justice and the behavioral sciences.

2025 Conference

Our 2025 conference was held in Anaheim California, USA, September 24-27, 2025.