Education
Ph.D., University of Trento, Italy (2013)
M.A., Jacobs University Bremen, Germany (2008)
Bio
Dr. Zabyelina is a socio-legal scholar. Her research covers various forms of transnational organized crime and corruption and the existing domestic, regional and global mechanisms for their prevention and control. Her scholarship is interdisciplinary and draws from the theoretical foundations and methodologies of international law, criminology, and sociology. This approach enriches her research and provides a comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay between legal structures, social dynamics, and criminal behavior. Her research not only contributes to the academic discourse but also holds the potential to influence policy-making, shaping more effective strategies for combatting these pervasive global challenges.
In addition to her academic achievements, Dr. Zabyelina has actively engaged in practical applications of her expertise, such as through her consultancy work for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).In this role, she has leveraged her deep understanding of transnational organized crime and corruption to offer valuable insights and recommendations that inform international efforts in countering these issues.
JJC Affiliations
Professional Memberships
Dr. Zabyelina is actively involved in a number of professional associations around the world, including:
- Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC)
- Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS), International Section
- American Society of Criminology (ASC)
- ECPR Standing Group on Organized Crime (ECPR-SGOC)
- International Association for the Study of Organized Crime (IASOC)
Course Taught
- ICJ 101 Introduction to International Crime and Justice
- ICJ 401 Capstone Seminar in International Crime and Justice
- POL 260 International Relations
- POL 225 Introduction to Research in Politics
- POL 325 The Politics of Transnational Crime
- POL 385 Supervised Research Experience in Political Science
- POL 387 Faculty Mentored Research
- ICJ 380 Selected Topics in International Criminal Justice
- ICJ/PAD 762 Corruption and Global Economy
- ICJ 706 Transnational Crime
- ICJ726 Drug Trafficking
Languages spoken/fluent in
Scholarly Work
Books 
Zabyelina, Y. (2023/forthcoming) Between Immunity and Impunity: External Accountability of Political Elites for Transnational Crime. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Zabyelina, Y., and Thachuk, K. (eds.). (2022) The Private Sector and Organized Crime: Criminal Entrepreneurship, Illicit Profits, and Private Sector Security Governance. London and New York, NY: Routledge
Zabyelina, Y., and Van Uhm, D. (eds.) (2020). Illegal Mining: Organized Crime, Corruption, and Ecocide in a Resource-Scarce World. London and New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Journal articles (selected)
- Zabyelina, Y., 2022. The “Capone Discovery”: Extortion as a Method of Terrorism Financing. Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 45(5-6), 501-516.
- Zabyelina, Y., 2019. Vigilante Justice and Informal Policing in Post-Euromaidan Ukraine. Post-Soviet Affairs, 35(4), 277-292.
- Zabyelina, Y., 2017. Lustration beyond Decommunization: Responding to the Crimes of the Powerful in Post-Euromaidan Ukraine. State Crime, 6(1), 55-79.
- Zabyelina, Y., 2017. Russia’s Night Wolves MC: From 1%ers to Political Activists. Trends in Organized Crime, 22(1), 51-65.
- Zabyelina, Y., 2016. Can Criminals Create Opportunities for Crime? Malvertising and Illegal Online Medicine Trade. Global Crime, 18(1), 31-48.
- Zabyelina, Y., 2016. Respectable and Professional? A Review of Financial and Economic Misconduct in Diplomatic Relations. International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice, 44, 88-102.
Book chapters and review articles (selected)
- Zabyelina, Y. 2020. The Long Arm of Anti-Corruption: Extraterritoriality and Targeted Anti-Corruption Sanctions, Global Policy, 11(4), 535–540
- Zabyelina, Y. 2019. The Role of Major Intergovernmental Organizations and International Agencies in Combating Transnational Crime. In M. Natarajan (ed.), International and Transnational Crime and Justice, 2nd edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (peer-reviewed)
- Zabyelina, Y. 2019. The Application of the Non-Punishment Principle to Victims of Human Trafficking in the United States. In J.A. Winterdyk and J. Jones (eds.), Palgrave International Major Reference Work on Human Trafficking. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. (peer-reviewed)
- Markovska, A., and Zabyelina, Y. 2019. Negotiated Prohibition: The Social Organisation of Illegal Gambling in Ukraine. In A. Polese, A. Russo, and F. Strazzari (eds.), Governance Beyond the Law: The Immoral, The Illegal, The Criminal. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. (peer-reviewed)
- Zabyelina, Y., and Markovska, A. 2019. Ukraine: Organised Crime, Politics and Frozen Conflicts. In F. Allum and S. Gilmour (eds.), The Handbook on Organised Crime and Politics. Edward Edgar Publishing.
- Zabyelina, Y. 2018. Crime Displacement as a Result of Transnational Organized Crime Control Measures. In P. Reichel and R. Randa (eds.), Transnational Crime and Global Security (Vol. 2). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger Security International. (peer-reviewed)
Select encyclopaedia entries * denotes a student co-author
- Zabyelina, Y. (2019). Multiple contributions. Single-authored: “Russian Organized Crime”; “Solntsevskaya Bratva”; “Child Sexual Abuse Material”; “International Police Cooperation”; “Metals and Minerals Smuggling”; Co-authored: “Europol” (together with Daniel Braslavsky*); “Trafficking in Nuclear Materials and Technologies” (together with Mariana Kakarakis*); “United Nations Sustainable Development Goals” (together with Christine Gancayco*). In P. Reichel (ed.), Global Crime: An Encyclopedia of Cyber Theft, Drug Smuggling, Human Trafficking, Weapon Sales, and Other Illicit International Activities. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.
- Zabyelina, Y., & Buzhor*, A. 2018. Krysha (Illicit Protection; Provision of Favors). In A. Ledeneva et al. (eds.), The Global Encyclopaedia of Informality, Volume II: Understanding Social and Cultural Complexity, Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
- Zabyelina, Y., & Ivashkiv, R., 2017. Pussy Riot and the Politics of Resistance in Contemporary Russia. In The Oxford Encyclopedia of Crime, Media, and Popular Culture. London: Oxford University Press. (peer-reviewed)
Select research reports and policy papers 
- Zabyelina, Y. et al. (2022). Responding to Illegal Mining and Trafficking in Metals and Minerals: A Guide to Good Legislative Practices. Vienna: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
- Zabyelina, Y. et al. (2022). Western Hemisphere Anticorruption Index 2021. New York, NY: John Jay College of Criminal Justice/CUNY.
- Zabyelina, Y. et al. (2020). Toolkit on Stakeholder Engagement: Implementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. Vienna: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
- Zabyelina, Y., 2015. Mine Control: Conflict and Crime Threaten Ukrainian Coal Mining. Jane’s Intelligence Review, October 2, pp. 44-47.
- Zabyelina, Y., 2015. Lying in Wait: Ukraine’s Criminal Gangs Thrive on Separatism. Jane’s Intelligence Review, March 24, pp. 42-45.
- Zabyelina, Y., 2013. Energy Sapping: Oil Theft in Russia’s North Caucasus. Jane’s Intelligence Review, January 16.
Honors and Awards
Dr. Zabyelina has received the following fellowships: The Newton International Fellowship (2013); The SAGE Junior Faculty Teaching Award (2015); The Aleksanteri Institute Visiting Scholar Fellowship (2015).
She is also the recipient of:
- The Fellow Award (2021) from the Teaching, Learning and Scholarship Section (TLS) of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) given in recognition of distinguished contribution to criminal justice education;
- The Henry Wasser Award (2020) given in recognition of outstanding research, or potential for such, in the humanities or sciences, including social and life sciences, to Assistant Professors from all CUNY campuses;
- The Outstanding Scholarly Mentor Award (2020) given by the John Jay College Office for Student Research & Creativity in recognition of faculty who have provided exceptional student mentoring by engaging undergraduates in scholarly research or creative work;
- The Presidential Student-Faculty Research Award (2019) from the John Jay College Office of the President in conjunction with the Office for the Advancement of Research and the Office of Student Research & Creativity. The award sponsors proposals for research and creative projects designed to involve students directly in substantive, faculty-mentored experiences;
- The Faculty Scholarly Excellence Award (2018) given by the Office for the Advancement of Research (OAR) to tenure-track or tenured faculty who have demonstrated exceptional scholarship in the previous three calendar years;
- The Donal MacNamara Junior Faculty Award (2016) given by the Office for the Advancement of Research (OAR) to an assistant professor who has made a significant scholarly contribution in the preceding two years to the fields of criminal justice or criminology.
Research Summary
Yuliya Zabyelina is currently Co-Director on a research project that assesses the implementation of anticorruption conventions in the Western Hemisphere funded by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the US Department of State (see WHACI). She previously examined the illegal trade in amber in Ukraine, terrorism financing from organized crime activities, informal policing in Ukraine, and white-collar crime, among other topics, with support from the Research Foundation of the City University of New York (RF CUNY).