Professor Zalman came to Wayne State University in 1980 as chair of the then-new Criminal Justice Department. He previously taught at the Criminal Justice Department at Michigan State University and in the law faculty at Ahmadu Bello University in northern Nigeria. His work in constitutional criminal procedure focuses on the limits of state power and individual liberty. His textbook case book Criminal Procedure: Constitution and Society, 6th edition (Prentice Hall 2011) integrates legal, social scientific, and criminal justice policy approaches. He currently serves on the editorial boards of several scholarly journals: Criminal Law Bulletin, Criminal Justice Review, Journal of Crime & Justice, and Justice System Journal. He is listed in Who's Who in American Law (14th edition, 2005-2006) and Who's Who in America (60th edition, 2006).

Dr. Zalman has directed nine master’s theses on wrongful convictions subject matter, published in more than twenty-five academic journals, participated or led in at least twenty-four funded research/scholarly projects, and presented papers and led seminars both nationally and internationally. His most recent book is Wrongful Conviction and Criminal Justice Reform: Making Justice