Research

My research focuses broadly on two areas. The first is how beliefs influence behaviors and attitudes related to crime and health. For example, I have long been interested in the religious predictors of crime and delinquency, and some of my more recent work examines the beliefs that matter for gun ownership or gun policy preferences. I also recently completed a SSRC-funded data collection effort focused on beliefs about the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., who is to blame) and anti-Asian behaviors and attitudes. These data will support my ongoing researched focused on hate crime, discrimination, and bias. Also in my “criminology of beliefs” research line is a cluster of projects that focus on the belief-based predictors of outcomes such as criminal justice punitiveness, moral acceptance of sex work, and support for welfare policies that are inclusive of undocumented immigrants.

My second research theme is focused on how place matters for crime and health outcomes. This line incorporates extensions of my dissertation, as well as ongoing collaborations. A strong emphasis in my research on place is the ways that places can be interconnected through not only geographic proximity but also social mechanisms (e.g., routine human mobility, online communication, etc.), as well as implications of these connections for crime and health.

Please use the buttons below to explore my published work.