My research focuses on improving correctional policies and practices to promote inclusivity and advance equitable and evidence-based treatment of justice-involved individuals, particularly those disproportionately impacted by the system. I have focused my work in three main areas: evidence-based corrections, substance abuse and harm reduction, and criminal justice pedagogy.
My doctoral dissertation focused on improving the treatment of justice-involved youth; utilizing an intersectional lens, I explored adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among system-impacted youth, comparing these experiences across race/ethnicity and gender. The relationship between ACEs, at-risk behaviors (e.g., substance use, suicidality, etc.), and future involvement in the juvenile justice system will also be examined through an intersectional lens (i.e., accounting for race/ethnicity and gender).
My work focuses on risk/needs assessments, gender-responsive correctional practices, best practices within community corrections, evidence-based correctional rehabilitation, and trauma-informed care. I emphasize applied research and value collaboration with impacted agencies and populations.
My work in this area has been published in Criminal Justice & Behavior, The Prison Journal, and Feminist Criminology.
The War on Drugs has disproportionately impacted women and BIPOC, leaving millions of individuals without adequate treatment to address their substance misuse and dependency.
My research works to improve policies and practices surrounding substance misuse, both within correctional settings and also in the general public. My work has examined the impact of juvenile drug courts concerning adulthood recidivism and harm reduction practices to reduce the harms associated with substance use.
My work in this area has been published in the Journal of Drug Issues, International Journal of Prisoner Health, and Juvenile and Family Court Journal.
I was also selected as a participant in the Learning Experiences to Advance Practice (LEAP) Program Investigator Track, sponsored by the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN).
In order to advance correctional practices, it is crucial to focus on criminal justice education. To better prepare students for entering the criminal justice field, where they will directly impact the treatment of justice-involved individuals, I partner with instructors to research the influence of teaching practices and advance criminal justice pedagogy.
My current and ongoing research in this area have focused on the impact of experiential learning tactics such as correctional facility tours, guest speakers, and class-led research projects.
My work in this area has been published in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education and the Journal of Experiential Education.