Overview
My work focuses on the prevalence, causes, and consequences of contact with the criminal legal system and the child welfare system for families.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Professor of Sociology
·
2020 - Present
Sociology,
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Co-Director for the Carceral Studies Certificate in the Kenan Institute for Ethics
·
2025 - Present
Kenan Institute for Ethics,
University Institutes and Centers
Chair of Sociology
·
2025 - Present
Sociology,
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy
·
2023 - Present
Sanford School of Public Policy
Affiliate of the Center for Child and Family Policy
·
2023 - Present
Center for Child and Family Policy,
Sanford School of Public Policy
Recent Publications
The direct financial costs of having a family member incarcerated.
Journal Article Science advances · November 2025 Using original data from the Family Incarceration Costs Survey, we present national estimates of the direct financial costs of family member incarceration. We find that most Americans with an incarcerated family member provide them direct financial support ... Full text CiteThe Fallout from Criminal Justice System Contact
Journal Article RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences · October 2025 Full text CiteTwo Decades of Child Welfare System Contact in the Global North: A Research Note on Trends in 44 Countries.
Journal Article Demography · February 2025 Child maltreatment and child welfare system contact are both associated with an elevated risk of adverse outcomes in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Yet, data on variation in system contact are available for only a handful of countries, limiting kno ... Full text CiteRecent Grants
Rockwool #5- Intergenerational desistance, persistence, and escalation in severe marginalization
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Rockwool Foundation · 2025 - 2029National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect (NDACAN)
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Department of Interior · 2022 - 2027"Implications of Parental Incarceration for Child Health and Wellbeing"
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Pennsylvania State University · 2022 - 2027View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
Princeton University ·
2008
Ph.D.