Faculty Directory

Victor Petreca

Assistant Professor

Photo of Victor Petreca

Victor Petreca

Ph.D., D.N.P., PMHNP-BC, CNP

Contact

Maloney Hall 378B

Telephone: 617-552-0194

Email: victor.petreca@bc.edu

Education

  • B.S., Eastern Michigan University
  • B.S.N., MGH Institute of Health Professions
  • M.S.N., MGH Institute of Health Professions
  • D.N.P., University of Massachusetts, 艾可直播
  • Ph.D., 艾可直播 College Connell School of Nursing

Research Interests

Correctional healthcare, forensics, character pathology

Expertise

  • Mental Health
  • Health Equity Minority Health
  • Forensics

Profile

Dr. Victor Petreca is an Assistant Professor at the 艾可直播 College William Connell School of Nursing. A board-certified Advanced Practice Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, he directs the Center for Police Training in Crisis Intervention. He has extensive experience in psychiatry (including forensics and personality disorders), correctional healthcare, psychopharmacology, and risk assessment.听


His research focuses on forensic psychiatry and mental health, examining issues related to victimology, sexual trauma, sexual offending, and violent behavior (e.g., mutilation and strangulation). His research is also funded by the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health to explore jail diversion programs, working closely with law enforcement and forensic clinicians to assess and optimize behavioral crisis responses. In his clinical work, he has performed psychiatric evaluations and managed the mental health care of individuals in several correctional facilities. He also performs psychiatric evaluations and psychopharmacological management for individuals who are under supervision of the Federal Bureau of Prisons as they reintegrate into society.

A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO JAIL DIVERSION

Assistant Professor Victor Petreca heads a new center to improve policing and promote mental health

Selected Appointments and awards

  • 2024: Inaugural DAISY Nurse Leader Award in Forensic Nursing
  • 2017:听American Psychiatric Nurses Association
  • 2017:听Golden Key Honour Society
  • 2012-2013:听Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing

Selected Publications

  • *Petreca, V.G., Barros, J.T., Popp, A., Burgess, A.A., Harding, S.L. (2025). Keeping Crisis from Becoming an Emergency: Predictors of ED Diversion in Police-Led Behavioral Health Responses. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 55,听151860.听听
  • *Petreca, V.G., Tzani-Pepelasis, K., Ioannou, M., Siggery, A., McBride, L., Barros, E. Burgess, A.W. (2025). The Grip of Crime: A Typology of Strangulation and Asphyxiation in Homicide Cases. Journal of Forensic Science. Advance online publication.听
  • Petreca, V. G., Burgess, A. A., Barros, J. T., Wise, J., & Burgess, A. W. (2024). Analyzing Violent Attacker Texts: Examining Ideologies through Machine Learning-Assisted Topic Modeling. Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression, 1鈥�18.
  • Burgess, A. W., Petreca, V., Brucato, G., Hoblock, C., Mars, M., Lamade, R. V., & Dowdell, E. B. (2024). Murdered Elder Indigenous Women and Legal Outcomes. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Advance online publication.
  • Petreca, V. G., Dowdell, E., Harding, S., Mars, M., Pudvah, E., Jeune, J., & Burgess, A. W. (2024). Murdered Indigenous Women: A Comparison Study of Victim and Perpetrator Patterns and Characteristics. Journal of Forensic Nursing, 20(3), 174鈥�184.
  • Petreca, V. G., & Patch, M. (2024). Homicidal Strangulation: An Integrative Review of Perpetrator Characteristics. Victims & Offenders, 1鈥�21.
  • Ellis, K., Harding, S. L., & Petreca, V. G. (2024). Psychiatric Deprescribing: Case Studies and Clinical Implications in Forensics. Journal of the Academy of Forensic Nursing, 2(2), 54鈥�64.
  • Petreca, V. G., Flanagan, J. M., Lyons, K. S., & Burgess, A. W. (2024). The Reintegration of Men into Society after a Sexual Offense: An Hermeneutic Phenomenology Study. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 45(5), 453鈥�467.
  • Petreca, V. G., Burgess, A. A., Wise, J., & Burgess, A. W. (2024). Using Machine Learning and Topic Modeling to Examine Manifestos of Violent Attackers. The Journal of Threat Assessment and Management. Advance online publication.
  • Petreca, V. G., Burgess, A. W., & Jarvis, K. (2023). Manual and Instrument Asphyxiation/Strangulation: Examining Perpetrator and Victim Characteristics. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 98, 102575.
  • Petreca, V. G., Barros, J., Hoblock, C., & Burgess, A. W. (2024). The Nurse-Police Assistance Crisis Team (N-PACT): A New Role for Nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing. Advance online publication.
  • Petreca, V. G., & Burgess, A. W. (2024). Long-Term Psychological and Physiological Effects of Male Sexual Trauma. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 52(1), 1鈥�10.
  • Petreca, V. G., Brucato, G., Burgess, A. W., Flores, J., & Leary, T. (2022). Female Murderers Who Mutilate or Dismember Their Victims: An Exploration of Patterns and Sex Differences. Journal of Forensic Sciences.

Selected Presentations

  • * V. Petreca. (2025, February).听The Nurse-Police Assistance Crisis Team (N-PACT): Transforming Crisis Intervention through Nurse-Police Collaboration. Presented at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Baltimore, MD.听
  • * V. Petreca.听(2025, February). An Analysis of Police-Led Jail Diversion Programs in Massachusetts: Evaluating Efficacy and Proposing Enhanced Crisis Response. Presented at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Baltimore, MD.
  • Petreca, V. G., Dowdell, E., D鈥橲ouza, A., Pudvah, E., Lapinski, A., Jeune, J., 鈥� Burgess, A. W. (2023). Reducing Violence of Native American Indigenous Women and Girls: Improving Health Outcomes through Nursing Science. Presented at the Eastern Nursing Research Society.
  • Bonanni, M., Riley, R., Schwikert, T., Wagner, R., & Petreca, V. G. (2023, Autumn). Trauma-Informed Lawyering. Presented at the Federal Bar Association, Memphis, TN.

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