The PennZone

PITTSBURGH - PennZone -- Pittsburgh Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Attorney Frank C. Walker II of Frank Walker Law, widely recognized for his legal acumen and advocacy on behalf of individuals navigating the criminal legal system, has reached a new professional milestone by recently earning his Ph.D. in Instructional Management and Leadership from Robert Morris University following the successful defense of his dissertation, "Reversing Course: Gauging Perceptions of Stakeholders in the Criminal Justice System Towards Reform to Decrease Mass Incarceration."

A graduate of West Virginia State College, Marshall University and West Virginia University College of Law, Attorney Walker's achievement not only reflects academic excellence but also a designed commitment to improving legal systems and advancing fair, data-driven Criminal Justice Reform. Attorney Walker's research explored how stakeholders inside the criminal justice system—judges, prosecutors, law enforcement, defense attorneys, and probation officers—responded to empirical evidence on incarceration trends and decision-making patterns. The study reasoned that greater exposure to reliable data concerning mass incarceration could prompt meaningful shifts in how stakeholders perceive their influence and accountability within the broader justice system.

The Local Crisis: In Allegheny County, criminal justice disparities persist at every level:

• The average daily jail population continues to exceed capacity benchmarks, with many individuals incarcerated pretrial simply due to inability to afford bail—not because they pose a safety risk.
• Technical probation violations, not new criminal conduct, account for a substantial share of jail admissions.
• A 2023 independent audit noted significant delays in case processing, inconsistent diversion practices, and overreliance on incarceration for non-violent offenses.
• Community-level outcomes reveal uneven access to legal representation, treatment options, and rehabilitative programming, especially for youth and first-time offenders.
• The overuse of the Allegheny County jail takes an especially heavy toll on people of color. Despite making up only 13% of the local population, Black people make up 67% of the jail population as of June 2021.
• In addition, roughly 75% of the jail population has been identified as having a mental health issue or substance use disorder. Those with a history of behavioral health issues spend an average of 14 days longer in jail than those without that background.

Attorney Walker's dissertation highlighted how stakeholders—when presented with verified local data—began to reevaluate their role in perpetuating these trends. The findings support a growing body of scholarship that ties effective reform to transparency, interagency cooperation, and professional education.

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Looking Ahead: Service Through Leadership

With both a thriving legal practice and a doctoral degree, Attorney Walker is now positioned to make a broader institutional impact. As a skilled trial Trial Attorney, Law Professor and community advocate, Attorney Walker continues to consider future roles where he can lead and serve within the criminal justice system. According to Attorney Walker, "This degree isn't the end of the road—it's a new beginning. We have the ability and the data, but our system has yet to identify leaders committed to change we so desperately need. "

About Frank Walker Law

Attorney Frank Walker of Frank Walker Law is a National Top 100 Criminal Defense Lawyer, and Personal Injury Attorney who has been recognized as a Super Lawyer, a member of the National College for DUI Defense, Best Attorneys in America, Best Law firms of America, America's Greatest Attorneys, and a Top AVVO Rated (https://www.avvo.com/attorneys/15219-pa-frankie...) attorney, with offices in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania (https://www.frankwalkerlaw.com/) and Morgantown West Virginia (https://www.westvirginiacriminallawfirm.com/).

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Additionally, you can find Attorney Walker on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKLoiiXOBx-INb...), TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@frankwalkerlaw), the Pittsburgh Attorney Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-pittsburgh-attorney-podcast/id1650413081) and the West Virginia Attorney Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-west-virginia-attorney-podcast-with-frank-walker/id1649097861), where he gives legal tips (not advice!) and discusses the pressing legal issues of the day.

If you or someone you love are facing criminal charges or are seriously injured in an accident, contact Attorney Frank Walker immediately at 412-532-6805 (Pittsburgh), 304-413-0179 (Morgantown), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for aggressive and experienced Criminal Defense or Representation in a Civil Case.