Research

Student Projects

Alora McCarthy

The effects of a jail-adapted dialectical behavior therapy intervention on reducing interpersonal violence in an incarcerated population: Utilizing a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in a county jail, this study explores the effect of a dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills group on interpersonal violence while in custody and up to one-year post-release from custody.
Legal and extra-legal correlates of cash bail imposition and effects of jail detention on recidivism: Explores the relative contributions of legal, quasi-legal, and extra-legal factors in predicting bail determination, as well as the impact of bail decisions on recidivism.

Kendall Smith

What Works in Correctional Programming? A Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis: This project involves a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of various types of programs for system involved populations on post-release outcomes. The primary goal of the project is to better understand what types of interventions are most effective for reducing recidivism and improving post-release outcomes and address important questions regarding remedies to the ‘revolving door’, the cycle in which many system-involved individuals return to jail or prison, in the United States.

Mia Martinelli

Undergraduate Honors Thesis: explores the application of the Big Four risk/needs factors to a sexual offending sample. The proposed project aims to identify the prevalence of general criminogenic risk factors among those charged with a sex crime in a county jail.

Kara Weihman & Bailey Hall

Investigating the relationship between risk perception and criminal offending: A correlational analyses of self reported offending and risk perception questionnaire scores.

Alora McCarthy

Process evaluation of a civilian-based crisis response model: Equity and access (Manuscript under review): Evaluated equitable implementation of the CALL program, a civilian-based 911 diversion program in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Alora McCarthy & Ivy Chen

Exploring the factor structure of crime categories: Explores the classification of crime through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to better understand validity and generalizability of popular classifications (e.g., NIBRS; violent vs. non-violent).

Alora McCarthy

Gun violence and the COVID-19 pandemic (Manuscript in preparation): Explores the ways in which gun violence has changed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alora McCarthy & Presley Camp

Trauma incarcerated: Investigating the link between adverse childhood experiences and adult criminal offending behavior (Poster presentation): Explored the relationship between adverse childhood events (ACEs) with later adult criminal behavior.

Kendall Smith

Considering Context in the Measurement of Externalizing: This project aims to understand more about how contextual information may alter how we conceptualize the externalizing construct, which represents a liability toward disruptive, impulsive and disinhibited behaviors. Specifically, we are interested in understanding if context such as community drivers of inequity and sociodemographic variables may be biasing the extent to which current behavioral indicators of externalizing (e.g., substance use, aggression, etc.) are a true reflection of the construct.

Alora McCarthy

Psychopathy facets and crime: Explored relationships between psychopathy facets, as measured by the PCL-R, with narrow categories of crimes (e.g., burglary; assault). To read the article, click here.

Bailey Hall

Perceived Defendant Psychopathy and Mock-Juror Decision-Making: Investigated the relationship between defendant psychopathic traits (criterion effects) on mock-juror decision making in a capital (death penalty) case. We found that psychopathy trait descriptions, particularly interpersonal-affective traits, were significantly related to mock juror ratings of treatment amenability and future dangerousness but were not related to sentencing. The same pattern was observed for perceived psychopathy. Sentencing decision was predicted by mock juror gender and judgements of defendant treatment amenability and future dangerousness. To read the full thesis, click here.
Psychopathy, Emotion, and Mock-Juror Decision-Making: This dissertation investigates the mechanisms by which defendant psychopathy influences juror decision-making.