Dr. Bryce Westlake received his Ph.D. in criminology from Simon Fraser University in 2015. He comes from an interdisciplinary background with a master’s degree in criminology and a bachelor of arts degree in psychology and sociology (double major). He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Justice Studies’ Forensic Science program at San Jose State University (SJSU).
Dr. Westlake has been heavily involved in curricular development at SJSU. He has developed and introduced six undergraduate courses in justice studies and forensic science, revised two graduate courses, and introduced one graduate course. In Fall 2020, he created and implemented a new concentration in digital evidence (computer forensics) for forensic science majors. This concentration is one of the first in-person digital forensic bachelor of science degree in the United States and meets the American Academy of Forensic Sciences’ forensic science education programs accreditation commission (FEPAC) standards. He has since developed and directs the Silicon Valley Digital Forensics Laboratory. The laboratory will begin accepting students in Summer 2024, for internships starting in Fall 2024. Through partnerships with criminal justice agencies (e.g., district attorneys offices, law enforcement agencies, etc.), students will receive training and practical experience conducting digital forensic investigations from start (evidence collection) to finish (report writing and testimony).
Dr. Westlake’s primary area of study is on the development of automated tools to detect, collect, analyze, and match child sexual abuse/exploitation material (i.e., child pornography) disseminated online. This work is conducted with an international team of university researchers, which includes collaboration with government, law enforcement, and industry.
Dr. Westlake’s secondary research explores the expression of alternative sexuality. He is currently leading a multi-phasic, kink-positive, study examining health and safety within BDSM communities. The aim is to better communicate the social, emotional, and mental enrichment practitioners receive from participating in BDSM (kink) activities. Topics covered include community and personal safety; community cohesiveness, participation, and governance; pathways into BDSM; acquisition of knowledge and education; pornography; engagement in paid sex work; upbringing and perceptions of sexuality; mental health, chronic pain, and self-growth; parenting; and experiences of trauma and abuse.
Dr. Westlake also collaborates with researchers in Canada and the United States on content control and personal boundaries among online sex-related content producers. Topics covered include: the theft or misuse of sex-related media; managing/balancing a work identity with a ‘real-life’ identity; the implications of stigma associated with sex work; and how personal boundaries are maintained with clients.
Recent Updates
December 4th & 5th 2023 – Bryce Westlake co-hosted the first annual Child Sexual Abuse Reduction Research Network workshop in Adelaide Australia.
November 15th, 2023 –Bryce Westlake and Isabella Mahan published ‘An international survey of BDSM practitioner demographics: The evolution of purpose for, participation in, and engagement with, kink activities’, in The Journal of Sex Research.
October 15th, 2023 – Bryce Westlake, Jennifer Kusz, and Erin Afana published ‘A double-edged sword: The role of pornography in learning about BDSM’, in Sex Education.
October 5th, 2023 – Katie Logos, Russell Brewer, Colette Langos, and Bryce Westlake published ‘Establishing a framework for the ethical and legal use of web scrapers by cybercrime and cybersecurity researchers’, in International Journal of Law and Information Technology.
August 26th, 2023 – Bryce Westlake and Enrique Guerra co-authored ‘Using file and folder naming and structuring to improve automated detection of child sexual abuse images on the Dark Web’, published in Forensic Science International: Digital Investigations.
August 3rd, 2023 – Bryce Westlake, Michelle Rippy, and Young Hee Park were awarded a three-year $497,948 grant from National Science Foundation to study ‘Training digital forensics examiners through hands-on education investigating live criminal investigations’.
April 13th, 2023 – Enrique Guerra defended his Master’s thesis ‘Crawling the Dark Web: Structural attributes of child sexual abuse websites on the Dark Web’.
April 12th, 2023 – Francesca Fanucchi defended her Master’s thesis ‘Examining the role of echo chambers within online incel communities using sentiment analysis and group-based trajectory modeling’.
March 15th, 2023 – Bryce Westlake was a co-author on ‘Advancing child sexual abuse investigations using biometrics and social network analysis’, published in Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice.
November 26th, 2022 – Bryce Westlake presented ‘Surveying the motivations, benefits, and experiences of those who engage in BDSM/kink’, at the CARAS Conference: Leather-Kink Research and Clinical Knowledge.
September 22, 2022: Russell Brewer presented ‘Developing automated methods to investigate child sexual abuse using face and voice biometrics’ at European Society of Criminology EuroCrim 2022 in Malaga, Spain.
June 27, 2022: Allyson Cruz Galan defended her Master’s thesis ‘Experiences of transgender people who navigate the criminal justice system’.
June 22, 2022: Jai Mica Vaca defended his Master’s thesis ‘The impact of policy uncertainty on SJSU deferred action for childhood arrivals students: Their use of mental health services’.
June 15, 2022: Jai Mica Vaca was awarded the prestigious 2022-2023 California State University Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program fellowship
Spring, 2022: Jai Mica Vaca was admitted to the University of California – Merced doctoral program for Fall 2022.