Danny Hayes

Danny graduated from Peru State College in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology. He earned a Master of Forensic Science degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 2007. His emphasis for the Master’s degree was in the Behavioral Sciences. He has also completed much graduate coursework in Sociology.

Danny worked for 10 years for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. He has experience working at both the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution and the Nebraska State Penitentiary. He served in several positions during that time including Unit Caseworker, Unit Case Manager, Unit Manager, Emergency Preparedness Specialist, Unit Administrator and Litigation/Public Information. Danny was also a member of the Crisis Negotiator Team and a certified instructor for many courses within NDCS. He also worked for approximately 5 years as a part-time instructor for Peru State College prior to becoming a full-time instructor.

The main courses Danny is responsible for are Corrections, Juvenile Delinquency and a variety of Sociology courses. He is also a trained Inside/Out instructor which is a course that brings college students and incarcerated persons together for a semester long course inside the prison facility. With his diverse experiences within the correctional system, with emergency response, Sociology and Forensic Science, Danny is able to assist students in better understanding the functions and practices used in the field today. Using real life examples and activities to engage students in the curriculum, the students will come away from the courses with a good base for working in the career of their choice.

Danny is involved in many other engaging experiences for students across the campus. He has been the advisor for Kappa Omicron Rho since 2012. Kappa Omicron Rho is a chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association. The students involved in the organization are able to attend regional and national conferences where they can network, compete and train alongside their peers and professionals from around the country. Danny has also led students on study abroad experiences to Europe where they have been able to participate in a variety of learning experiences around criminal justice, psychology, sociology, history and art.

Danny is a lifelong resident of Southeast Nebraska having grown up in Brownville, NE and currently lives here in Peru with his wife (Nikki) and their 3 children (AJ, Lucy and Jack). Nikki and Danny are also very active in the surrounding community including the operation of Aunt Bea’s Apiary which is a nonprofit organization tasked with teaching children and adults about the importance of pollinating insects.