Dr. Smith has taught classes and sessions for many Gang Investigators Associations, the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, the National Crime Prevention Council, the Regional Organized Crime Information Center, the National Gang Crime Research Center, the Southern Criminal Justice Association, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Army. Dr. Smith is a retired U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Division (CID) Command Special Agent. He worked in the CID for over twenty-two years, with fifteen of those at Fort Campbell, KY, where he identified the growing gang problem in the early 1990s and later started the Army’s first Gang & Extremist investigations team.

He provided and directed the security of several U.S. Army bases, supervised multi-national fraud and theft investigations, and conducted various criminal and cyber-crime investigations in Germany, Korea, Panama, and the United States. He has been interviewed by several national, regional and local television, print, internet and radio news sources, and has appeared twice in the History Channel’s Gangland series. He is a member of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS), The American Society of Criminology, the Southern Criminal Justice Association, the American Criminal Justice Association, the Fraternal Order of Police, Infragard, and ASIS International. He was a founding (and still serving) board member of the Tennessee Gang Investigators Association, and is a three-time recipient of the Frederic Milton Thrasher Award of the National Gang Crime Research Center.

« Read Less

Peer-reviewed

Stickle, B., Begum, P., & Smith, C.F. (2024). Human Trafficking Hotline Analysis: Insights from the State of Tennessee. Victims & Offenders: An International Journal of Evidence-based research, Policy, & Practice, https://doi.org/10.1080/15564886.2024.2341891

Etter, G.W., Smith, C.F., Pottorff, S.N. & Rush, J.P. (2021). The laws of physics & the laws of man do not apply to me: Sovereign Citizens. Journal of Gang Research, 28(4), 1-20.

Etter, G.W., Smith, C.F. Wellman, A.P. and Rush, J.P. (2019). Dual-Enrollment Classes in Criminal Justice and Their Possible Effects on College and University Criminal Justice Programs. ACJS Today, 45(4), 19-28.

Smith, C.F., and Choo, T. (2018). Military-trained gang members: Revisiting the threat to the civilian community (in press – International Journal of Criminal Justice Sciences).

Smith, C.F., and Harms, J. A. (2018). Street Gangs, Terrorists and Outlaw Bikers: Examining the community threat of organized crime groups with military trained members. Journal of Gang Research, 25,(2), 1-13.

Choo, T. and Smith, C.F. (2016). Gang Cop Stress in the Volunteer State: More considerations for law enforcement mental health. Journal of Gang Research, 24(1), 37-52.

Smith, C.F. (2016). When is a prison gang not a prison gang: A focused review of prison gang literature. Journal of Gang Research, 23(2), 41-52.

Smith, C.F. (2015). Military-Trained Gang Members – Two different perspectives. Journal of Gang Research, 22(2), 23-38.

Smith, C.F. and Choo, T. (2013). Revisiting Security Administration in the classroom: A decade later.  Security Journal. (25 March 2013; doi: 10.1057/sj.2013.7).

Smith, C.F. (2013). Gangster undergrads: Perceptions regarding gang members in colleges and universities. Journal of Gang Research, 20(2), 41-52.

Smith, C.F., Rush, J.P., and Burton, C. E. (2013). Street Gangs, Organized Crime Groups, and Terrorists:  Differentiating Criminal Organizations. Investigative Sciences Journal, 5(1), 2-19.

Smith, C.F., Rush, J.P., Robinson D. and Karmiller, M. (2012). Flashgangs and Flashgangbanging: How can local police prepare? Journal of Gang Research 20(1), 33-50.

Smith, C. F. and Doll, Y. (2012). Gang investigators' perceptions of military-trained gang members. Critical Issues in Justice and Politics, 5(1), 1-17.

Smith, C. F. (2011). A comprehensive literature review of military-trained gang members. Journal of Gang Research, 19(1) 9-20.

Smith, C. F. (2011). The early days of military gang investigation. Journal of Gang Research, 18(4) 46-52.

Smith, C. F. (2011). Documenting the pilot: The military gang perception questionnaire (MGPQ). Journal of Gang Research, 18(4) 1-17.

Smith, C. F. (2010). Corrections in the classroom: A recruiting tool.  Corrections Today.  

Other publications

Smith, C.F. (2020, 15 February). Gangs and the Military Note 4: The Role of the East Coast in the Development of Military-Trained Gang Members. Small Wars Journal. https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/gangs-and-military-note-4-role-east-coast-development-military-trained-gang-members

Smith, C.F. (2020, January 22). Gangs and the Military Note 3: The Role of the West Coast in the Development of Military-Trained Gang Members. Small Wars Journal, https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/gangs-and-military-note-3-role-west-coast-development-military-trained-gang-members-0

Smith, C.F. (2018, May 31). Gangs and the Military Note 2: Military-trained Gang Members as Criminal Insurgents. Small Wars Journal. http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/gangs-and-military-note-2-military-trained-gang-members-criminal-insurgents

Smith, C.F. (2018, 18 April). Gangs and the Military Note 1: The Increased Threat of Third Generation Gangs with Military-Trained Gang Members. Small Wars Journal. http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/gangs-and-military-note-1-increased-threat-third-generation-gangs-military-trained-gang

Smith, C.F. and Harms, J. (2018, March 23). The Threat of Street Gangs, Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, and Domestic Terrorist/Extremist Groups with Military-Trained Members. Small Wars Journal.  http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/threat-street-gangs-outlaw-motorcycle-gangs-and-domestic-terroristextremist-groups

Etter, G.W., Smith, C.F., Gross, S.K., and Pottorff, S. (Summer 2017) Virtual Poster Competitions: A Way to Involve Nontraditional and Online Students in Research. ACJS Today, XLII, 3, 78-88.

Smith, C.F. and Choo, T. (March, 2015). Military-trained gang members in the Volunteer State: Four year follow-up with the gang investigators. Paper submitted to Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Conference proceedings.

Albanese, J. A. [Ed.]. (2014, January 22). Department of Homeland Security. Encyclopedia of Criminology & Criminal Justice. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell. DOI: 10.1002/9781118517383.wbeccj157

Smith, C.F. (January 2014). Adult Learning Theories. Presentation used in project’s online supplemental activities for Bridgepoint Education project: The Change Leader in Education: Roles and Strategies in the Differentiated Environment.

Smith, C.F. (2012). Gang Investigators' Perceptions of Military-Trained Gang Members in the Southern U.S. Submitted to American Society of Criminology conference proceedings.

Smith, C.F. (2012) Gang member undergrads: What are gang members doing in our colleges and universities? Paper submitted to Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences conference proceedings.

Smith, C.F. (2012) Security Administration in the classroom: More challenging when it’s not as sexy as policing. Paper submitted to Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences conference proceedings.

O’Deane, M. and Smith, C. F. (2010, April 27). Gangs in the military forces conspire to make U.S. gangs a worldwide threat. LawOfficer.com [online].

Fisher, B. S. & Lab, S. P. [Eds.] (15 February, 2010). Encyclopedia of Victimology and Crime Prevention [Contributing Author] Project Safe Neighborhoods. Publisher: Sage.

Fisher, B. S. & Lab, S. P. [Eds.] (15 February, 2010). Encyclopedia of Victimology and Crime Prevention [Contributing Author] Youth Crime Prevention Initiatives, United States. Publisher: Sage.

Allen, S., Deragon, J. T., Orem, M. & Smith, C. F. (2008). The Emergence of The Relationship Economy: The New Order of Things to Come. Cupertino, CA: Happy About.

Smith, C. F. (2008). Gang Members in the Military -- Homeland Security Issue or Hired Guns? Paper submitted to National Gang Crime Research Center conference proceedings.

Smith, C. F. (2007). When in Rome: Teaching 21st Century Students Using 21st Century Tools. Paper submitted to Middle Tennessee State University Instructional Technology Conference Proceedings, “Engaging the Learner”.

Books

Knox, G., Etter, G., & Smith, C. F. (2018). Gangs & Organized Crime. (2019). Boca Raton, FL: Routledge-Taylor & Francis.

Smith, C.F. (2017). Gangs & the Military: Gangsters, Bikers, & Terrorists with Military Training (Lanham, MD: Roman & Littlefield).Smith, C. F., Schmalleger, F., & Siegel, L. (2017).

Private Security Today: An Introduction to Security. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.Hess, M., Przemieniecki, C. & Smith, C.F. (2016) Gangs. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt.

Allen, S., Deragon, J. T., Orem, M. & Smith, C. F. (2008). The Emergence of The Relationship Economy: The New Order of Things to Come. Cupertino, CA: Happy About.

Book Chapters

Smith, C.F. (2021) Gangs in the U.S. Military; In Hess, M., & Przemieniecki, C. (2021) Gangs. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt.

Smith, C.F. (2021) Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs and the Military; in Bain, Andy, & Lauchs, Mark; Understanding the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs International Perspectives Volume II, Carolina Academic Press, Durham, North Carolina.

Smith, C.F. & Harms, J. (2020). The Threat of Street Gangs, Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, & Domestic Terrorist/Extremist Groups with Military-Trained Members. In, J. P. Sullivan & R. J. Bunker, Eds. Strategic Notes on Third Generation Gangs: A Small Wars Journal-El Centro Anthology (pp. 383-408). Small Wars Foundation. https://smallwarsjournal.com/index.php/jrnl/art/new-small-wars-journal-el-centro-book-gangs-strategic-notes-third-generation-gangs

« Read Less

Interview, Bruce St. James & Judy Pielach, Military Gangs in the Civilian Community, WLS 890 AM Radio/Podcast Chicago, IL, March 29, 2022. https://www.wlsam.com/2022/03/29/gangs-invading-the-military/

Interview, Quil Lawrence, After The Capitol Riot, Officials Promise To Crack Down On Extremism In The Military. National Public Redia – NPR - Weekend Edition. January 24, 2021. https://www.npr.org/2021/01/24/960060922/after-the-capitol-riot-officials-promise-to-crack-down-on-extremism-in-the-milit

Interview, Elizabeth Lane, Nashville Explosion Update: Was the Bombing 'Terrorism'? News 2/WKRN. 29 Dec, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLhMycOIjXQ

Interview, Kathleen Jacob, MS-13 continues to gain power in middle Tennessee. Fox 17 News/WZTV. 2 Feb, 2020.

Interview, Howard Altman, How to spot neo-Nazis in the military? Brandon Russell case shows how hard it is. Tampa Bay Times. 4 Jun, 2018.

Interview, Burl Barer, We gang up on gang expert Dr. Carter F Smith. True Crime Uncensored. 16 Sep, 2017.

Interview, Howard Altman, Arrest of 'neo-Nazi' soldier highlights extremists' links to U.S. military. Tampa Bay Times. 12 Jun, 2017.

Featured in article on Faculty Awards, MTSU Magazine, Volume 21, 2, Winter 2017. 

Interview, Presley Smith, Local gang violence experiencing growth. UT Daily Beacon, 5 Jun, 2016.

Interview, Christina Hoag, Congressional Quarterly/Sage. Gang Evolution in the U.S. 1 Sep, 2015.

Interview, Aldo Amato, Law enforcement officers, legislators aim to crack down on human trafficking. Daily News Journal. 7 Feb, 2015.

Interview, Louis Goggans, Memphis’ Gang Problem How widespread is it? And what’s being done to stop it? Memphis Flyer. 18 Sep, 2014.

Interview, Sheryl N. Nash. Ready to fight crime and save the world? Then gear up for a job as a federal field agent. Careers with as federal field agents INSIGHT, the magazine of the Illinois CPA Society. Summer 2014.

Interview, Nadya Labi. Rogue Element: How an anti-government militia grew on a U.S. Army base. New Yorker.  26 May, 2014.

Interview, Victoria Cavaliere. The Rise and Fall of Kurdish Gangs in Nashville. Vocativ.com/ Reuters. Nashville, TN. 20 Nov 2013.

Interview, Michael S. Hale, ASMDSS Radio. “Gangs in the Military.” San Diego, CA. 6 Sep. 2013.

Interview, Mark Riley, WWRL-AM1600. “Hate Crimes/Racists in the Military.” New York, NY. 22 Aug, 2012.

Interview, Reuters. U.S. “Army battling racists within its own ranks.” New York, NY. 21 Aug, 2012

Interview, My Fox Memphis. “Anti-Gang Law Rarely Used.” Memphis, TN. 22 Nov, 2011.

Interview, NewsChannel5 Inside Politics. “The Future of Terrorism without Osama bin Laden.” Nashville, TN. 5 May, 2011.

Interview, NewsChannel5 Open Line. “Ethnic Gangs in Middle Tennessee.” Nashville, TN. 3 May, 2011.

Interview, WebMD Health News. “Drugs, Gangs on the Rise in Schools: Survey Shows Increase in Gang Activity and Drug Use in Nation's Schools.” Atlanta, GA. 20 August, 2010.

Interview, The Tennessean. “Probe of police chief ends without charges.” Nashville, TN. 4 July, 2010

Interview, The New York Times. “Trying to Take a Bite Out of Crime via Felons’ Dogs.” New York, NY. 15 May, 2010.

Interview, The Tennessean. “What should schools do about gangs?” Nashville, TN. 7 March, 2010.

Interview, The Tennessean. “What should youths who are being recruited do?” Nashville, TN. 7 March, 2010.

Interview, The Tennessean. “What should parents do about gang influence?” Nashville, TN. 7 March, 2010.

Interview, The Tennessean. “MTSU seminar will focus on gang activity.” Nashville, TN. 7 March, 2010.

Interview, The Murfreesboro Post. “Symposium to examine gang activity.” Murfreesboro, TN. 7 March, 2010.

Video Interview, The Tennessean. “Gang Operations and Growth.” Nashville, TN. 1 March, 2010. Interview, The Tennessean. “Gangs start fights, frighten and intimidate students and disrupt normal activities.” Nashville, TN. 1 March, 2010.

Interview, The Tennessean. “Gangs expand their criminal business into TN suburbs.” Nashville, TN. 28 February, 2010.

Interview, Associated Press/The Daily Herald. “Tenn. Anti-Gang Law Largely Unused Since Passage.” Columbia, TN. 3 February, 2010.

Interview, The Murfreesboro Post. “Fed probe results in Vice Lord arrests.” Murfreesboro, TN. 1 November, 2009.

Interview, War News Radio. “Military-Trained Gang Members.” Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA. 23 October, 2009.

Video Interview, The History Channel. “Gangland: Hunt and Kill,” Gangland series documentary. August, 2009.

Interview, Salon Magazine. “Neo-Nazis are in the Army now.” 15 June, 2009

Video Interview, 10News (ABC Affiliate). “I-Team Investigates Gangs In The Military.” San Diego, CA. 30 October, 2008. Radio Show webcast

Interview, SmallBizAmerica. “Beyond Networking with Ron Sukenick.” 19 May, 2008.

Video Interview, The History Channel. “Gangland: Basic Training” Gangland series documentary. January, 2008.

Interview, The Murfreesboro Post. “Many approaches needed to stop gang violence.” Murfreesboro, TN. 9 December, 2007

Interview, Army Times. “Gangs in uniform; Are moral waivers opening the ranks to criminals?” Washington, D. C. 3 September, 2007

Interview, The Murfreesboro Post. “100 gang members ID’d locally.” Murfreesboro, TN. 19 August, 2007.

Interview, The Tennessean. “Crime fear tinges view of life in suburbs.” Nashville, TN. 17 June, 2007.

Interview, The Fort Campbell Courier. “Leaders’ Conference Builds ‘Team of Teams.’” Fort Campbell, KY. 25 January, 2007.

Interview, FOX & Friends Weekend. “America’s Growing Urban Insurgency.” New York, NY. 8 October, 2006.

Interview, The Tennessean. “Austin Peay wants to teach students techniques to combat terrorism.” Nashville, TN. 24 October, 2004.

Interview, The Leaf Chronicle. “Country’s Top Gang Experts Visit Fort Campbell.” Clarksville, TN. 05 April, 1999.

« Read Less

CJA 1100 - Introduction to Criminal Justice Administration

CJA 3220 - Ethics in Criminal Justice

CJA 3400 - Constitutional Issues and Criminal Justice

CJA 3411 - Intelligence Analysis

CJA 3750 - Terrorism and Criminal Justice

CJA 3900 - Organized Crime

CJA 3911 - Introduction to Homeland Security

CJA 4220 - Community Relations and Minority Problems

CJA 4260 - Special Topics - Gangs

CJA 4330/5330 - Criminal Investigations

CJA 4800/5800 - Crime in America – An Assessment

CJA 4850 - Private and Industrial Security Security Administration

CJA 4870 - Security Law

CJA 6000 - Criminal Justice Administration

CJA 6020 - Judicial Process

CJA 6411 - Intelligence Management

CJA 6950 - Business and Industrial Security

« Read Less