Leonard E. Dobrin, a former faculty member who helped build Old Dominion University’s criminal justice program and drew praise from students and colleagues for his expertise and kindness, died in Florida on May 26. He was 86.
Dobrin, an associate professor emeritus of sociology and criminal justice, taught at Old Dominion from 1972 until his retirement in 1999. His charge was “to develop the criminal justice program,” said Lou Lombardo, professor emeritus of sociology and criminal justice. “This he did very well.”
Dobrin was the first ODU faculty member with a doctorate in criminology, said Mona J.E. Danner, professor and chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice. “He taught a wide variety of courses, including very large sections of Intro to Criminology.”
Dobrin also was instrumental in the departmental merger of sociology and criminal justice and in hiring “new faculty who would bring different perspectives and skills,” Lombardo said.
“Over the years,” Lombardo added, “Len and his colleagues in the department were always supportive of changes and program developments” – including the creation of a doctoral program – “that led the way to criminal justice’s now national recognition. In addition, Len was always a sage adviser to our department’s chairpersons, providing helpful and strategic counsel at critical times to make it possible for all to contribute and for students to reap the benefits.”
On a personal level, “Len was kind, generous and very funny,” said Janet Katz, associate dean emerita of the College of Arts and Letters and associate professor emerita of sociology and criminal justice. “He welcomed and nurtured new faculty. He did everything he could to make us successful.”
Danner described him as “extremely supportive of junior faculty. He stopped by regularly to ask how we were doing and if there was anything we needed. He often said, ‘You’re the future’ when asking my opinions.”
Randy Gainey, professor of sociology and criminal justice, described Dobrin as “a lovely, kind man” and “a strong mentor to me in my first years at ODU. He had a way of making junior faculty feel safe and that their opinion was important. He regularly came by our offices to see how we were doing, offering teaching and research tips,” including “what committees would need to see for promotion and tenure reviews.”
Among students, Danner said, “he earned rave reviews for his depth of knowledge, attention to organization and detail, and kindness.”
Norman Soroko, who received his bachelor’s degree in 1978, said, “I enjoyed Dr. Dobrin as a professor. He made his courses very interesting, and he was one of the fairest professors I had.”