Please see my Google Scholar page for the most up-to-date list of my publications.
If you would like to read any of these publications and do not have institutional access, please email me directly.
Applied Research and Evaluation
In 2023, I left my position as an Associate Professor with tenure and joined Justice System Partners, a national non-profit research and evaluation team. I was eager to do more applied research in partnership with communities and their criminal justice agencies. In my role as Senior Associate, I lead small teams of researchers and practitioners in applied research and evaluation projects around the country.
HIGHLIGHTS
A rapid community-based needs assessment for a major city’s reentry services organization
A multi-site RCT examining the impact of reducing drug testing for people on community supervision
A multi-year project to improve care for people with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) from prison to regional reentry centers to parole.
An evaluation of a summer fellowship program for HBCU students interested in careers in criminal justice policy.
Participatory Research Designs
In the words of U.S. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, “The people closest to the pain should be closest to the power.” Or, to take it back further: “Nothing about us without us is for us.” I believe that the people directly impacted by the criminal justice system should be centered in efforts to improve it. I specialize in community-based participatory research methods that emphasize equal community-practitioner-research partnerships with the ultimate goal of taking action and promoting change.
RECOVERING IN SAFETY
A 3-year Interdisciplinary Research Leaders fellowship project to hear experiences of intimate partner violence and opioid use in rural Vermont, then work with community organizations to co-develop a cross-training curriculum for peer recovery coaches and victim advocates.
Recruiting seldomly-reached community members
Throughout my career, I have prioritized hearing from people who are rarely included in research. I have used innovative strategies and local partnerships to reach people who may otherwise be reluctant to participate in research.
For my dissertation research on substance use during pregnancy, I recruited a community sample of 30 women who had used alcohol or other drugs during their most recent pregnancies and conducted in-depth interviews with them about their experiences.
In Vermont, I successfully recruited people who had experienced both intimate partner violence and opioid use disorder and had struggled to access local services.
To better understand the intersection of public health and reentry support for formerly incarcerated people, I recruited a community sample of people recently released from local jails and prisons to talk about their experiences navigating health challenges in reentry.