My research has a global focus and lies at the intersection of criminology, medical sociology and social psychology. It addresses the following questions:
- Why do people engage in crime and violence?
- What shapes victimization and trauma of vulnerable populations?
- What is the relationship between stress/mental health, crime, and criminal justice experiences?
I engage in original data collection in different countries, employ quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, and test theories to explain deviant behaviors and mental health issues. I focus on various populations including:
- Adolescents and vulnerable youth
- People in areas embroiled in wars and global disasters
- Persons who had contact with the criminal justice system
- Individuals with a mental illness
- Immigrant populations
Photo by Louis Hansel
trauma, violence & war
the context of ukraine
Photo by Leonhard Niederwimmer
Violent conflicts and wars each year affect about 30 countries around the world. However, little is known about the context and long-term consequences of war exposure among civilians, refugees, and internally displaced people (IDPs) in contemporary war-affected societies.
The recent Russian invasion of Ukraine has not only changed Ukraine but affected the whole world. My research team currently explores the influence of the war in Ukraine on individual health and behavior to design more nuanced policies supporting the war victims.
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- Violent Conflict in Contemporary Europe: Specifying the Relationship Between War Exposure and Interpersonal Violence in a War-Weary Country. The British Journal of Criminology, 63(1), 18-39.
- Forced to Flee Out and Down: Depression Following the Russian Invasion and Displacement of the Ukrainian People. Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology.
- Neuroscience of Trauma and the Russian Invasion of Ukraine. Nature Human Behaviour. 6, 748-49.
- Stress and Depression as Pathways between Violent Conflict Exposure and Moral Beliefs: Why People Sometimes Condone ‘Bad’ Things. Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 28(2), 184–200.
Public Health crises, victimization & crime
Evidence from six countries
The COVID-19 pandemic has become a global public health problem that influenced every part of society. My research team collected survey data across six countries – the Netherlands, Denmark, Pakistan, Ukraine, Guatemala, and the United States – to better understand the relationships between public health crises, victimization, and crime.
As health experts warn us about more pandemics in the future, we aim to provide policy recommendations on violence prevention during public health emergencies.
Photo by Martin Sanchez
violence, police contact & mental health among youth
A cross-cultural comparative approach
Photo by Peter Scherbatykh
Adolescence is a vulnerable period of life when decision-making is easily influenced and crime involvement reaches its peak. Therefore, it is important to understand how youth make decisions to engage in crime and violence.
Regardless of crime involvement, minority and immigrant youth are disproportionally affected by police contact. In my research, I take a comparative approach to understand the context and consequences of crime and contact with the criminal justice system among youth.
- Deciding to Commit Crime in Adolescence: Do Moral Beliefs Matter? Journal of Crime & Justice. Advance Online Publication.
- Youth Decision-Making and Crime: The Influences of Stressful Conditions, Adverse Mental and Physical States, and Conventional Activities. Crime & Delinquency. Advance Online Publication.
- Schools, Subcultural Values, and Youth Violence: Assessing the Code of the Street among Students in Three U.S. Cities. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 51, 244–60.
- Hot or Cool Processing? Adolescent Decision-Making and Delinquency. Justice Quarterly, 38(6), 961–94.
- Untangling the ‘Health Paradox’ among Adolescent Girls: The Role of Immigration Status, Depression and Decision-Making. Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies. Advance Online Publication.
- Scared or Attached? Unraveling Important Links in Strain-Crime Relationships Among School Students. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 63(8), 1175-1201.
health & justice
How criminal justice experiences shape mental health
Contact with the criminal justice system is an extremely stressful experience that negatively affects mental health and behavior. In many countries, racial and ethnic minorities face disproportionate levels of arrests and incarceration, which produces large health inequalities.
In my research, I draw on interdisciplinary theories to examine how experiencing police contact and arrest contributes to health disparities and deviant behaviors globally.
- Mental Illness and Mental Health Care Treatment among Persons with Criminal Justice Involvement in the United States. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 32(1), 397–422.
- Multiple Disadvantage and Social Networks: Toward an Integrated Theory of Health Care Use During Reentry from Criminal Justice Settings. International Journal of Offender Therapy & Comparative Criminology. Advance Online Publication.
- Criminal Justice Contact and Health Service Utilization among Women across Health Care Settings: Analyzing the Role of Arrest. Women’s Health Issues, 29(2), 125–34.
- Health and Justice: Framing Incarceration as a Social Determinant of Health for Black Men in the United States. Sociology Compass, 12(3), 1–15.
Photo by Logan Weaver