Former Police Officer and Criminology Professor Explores Moral Psychology in Trump Election Book

LOUISVILLE, KY, UNITED STATES, October 31, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Dr. Terry C. Cox, a former police officer and criminology professor, has published a new book that delves into the moral psychology behind public decision-making, specifically focusing on the election of President Donald J. Trump.

Cox, who earned his Ph.D. from the University of Akron with concentrations in criminology, social psychology, and criminal justice, brings a unique perspective to the book. His academic career spanned three decades, during which he taught at Eastern Kentucky University and later served as an adjunct professor at Western Carolina University. His research focused on homicide, violent predatory crime, and police use of force, and he has published in academic journals and served as an expert witness in federal civil rights litigation.

In the book, Cox applies established theories from social psychology, including Albert Bandura’s theory of moral disengagement and Leon Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance, to examine how people weigh their moral standards when making decisions about public leadership. He uses the screening standards for police candidates as a point of comparison to assess the standards the public applies in other areas of life.

The book also delves into broader social trends, including shifts in religious affiliation, economic pressures on working families, and demographic change. It concludes with a discussion of child poverty and health in Kentucky and West Virginia, the Appalachian communities where Cox has spent most of his life. Cox’s epigraph comes from John Prine’s 1972 song “The Great Compromise,” which he returns to in his closing pages.

Cox served as a Baltimore and Ohio Railroad police officer in Akron, Ohio, and then as a patrol officer with the Marietta, Ohio Police Department. He spent thirty-nine years on the faculty of the School of Justice Studies at Eastern Kentucky University, where his research focused on homicide, violent predatory crime, and police use of force. He was qualified as an expert witness in federal civil rights litigation and taught in the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training and the Ohio Peace Officers Training Academy.

The publication date is March 11, 2026.