RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP
Our department has nationally and internationally recognized scholars whose research addresses critical questions about society and the criminal justice system and has significant academic and policy impacts.
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FACULTY SCHOLARSHIP
Lorena 脕惫颈濒补, PhD, was one of the winners of the Research on Latinx Politics and American Institutions award presented by Arizona State University鈥檚 for her research titled 鈥淐rimmigration courts: Upholding inequality by bureaucratic means.鈥� The award supports scholars embarking on significant research into how American political institutions impact Latina/o populations.
Adjunct faculty member, Eric Gibson, JD, was selected back in October to supervise the New Jersey Attorney General Office鈥檚 racketeering case against power broker George E. Norcross III. The case is ongoing.
Rory Kramer, PhD, with coauthors Victor Ray, PhD, and Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, PhD, published the article 鈥�鈥� in Social Problems.
Max Osborn, PhD, with coauthors Brian C. Moore, PhD, and Christina DeJong, PhD, published the article "" in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education.
Kelly Welch, PhD, and Allison Ann Payne, PhD, published the chapter 鈥溾�� in the Handbook of Anti-Discriminatory Education.
Lorena 脕惫颈濒补, PhD, focuses on the role of law and legal bureaucracies in propelling inequalities through the immigration system. Her research aims to give visibility to the experiences, resources, and challenges of migrant families and migrant鈥檚 rights advocacy networks navigating inequality and racialization propelled by bureaucratic structures in place.
Tom Arvanites, PhD, is investigating the effect of residential segregation on the incarceration rate of African Americans for drug offenses.
Meredith Bergey, PhD, is working on a paper with Thomas Mackie, PhD, Giuseppina Chiri, PhD, and Nikki Freeman, PhD, that examines intersecting social identities and health inequalities.
Glenn Bracey鈥檚, PhD, scholarship examines the intersection of race, social movements, and religion. Drawing on research conducted through the Race, Religion, and Justice Project (rrjp.org), Bracey鈥檚 current work explores whiteness as a religion and the implications of the religion of whiteness for Christians of color.
Rick Eckstein, PhD, is currently exploring the social class bias in non-revenue intercollegiate sports. He recently appeared on the September episode of where he discusses special admissions for college athletes.
Guillermo Jes煤s Esca帽o (he/him), conducts research focusing on crime and violence in Latin America and the Caribbean, organized criminal groups, the structural and cultural causes and consequences of violence, and criminal justice policy (evidence-based practices). He is a quantitative researcher, mainly using panel and time series models.
Heidi Grundetjern, PhD, is currently conducting research focused on women's drug use utilizing a trauma-informed psychosocial perspective.
Lance Hannon, PhD, is currently working on a variety of sociological and criminological research projects utilizing digital text analysis tools.
Melissa Hodges, PhD, is currently working on a project that examines the relationship between the structural arrangements of care systems and variation in the distribution of economic inequality across gender, race, and class cross-nationally.
Brian J. Jones, PhD, is writing a book for Palgrave Macmillan entitled The Pursuit of Happiness in America.
Rory Kramer, PhD, is finishing work on a book manuscript about diversity within the Black student body at selective colleges and universities with colleagues at Penn and Princeton. He is also working on a related paper on the impact of racial disparities in exposure to stressful events on college completion rates.
Jill MCCorkel, PhD, is writing a book manuscript about gender and mass incarceration that examines the long term incarceration of women who are survivors of gender violence. She is also collaborating with the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office on a grant to explore the relationship between prosecutorial charging decisions and increases in women's incarceration rates. In 2022, Dr. McCorkel received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Society of Criminology Division of Corrections and Sentencing for the contributions of her non-profit organization, The Philadelphia Justice Project for Women & Girls. In 2023, Dr. McCorkel served as the co-chair of the Annual Meetings of the American Society of Criminology.
Max Osborn, PhD, is examining how LGBTQIA+ people navigate risk, safety, and gender presentation during encounters with institutional actors such as police and service providers. He is also studying representations of transgender victims of violence in the news media.
Allison Ann Payne, PhD, is collaborating with our department鈥檚 research associate, Denise Wilson, on a multilevel study examining the influence of school-related risk and protective factors on traditional and cyberbullying.
Brianna Remster, PhD, and Melissa Hodges, PhD, are investigating the incarceration-wage penalty for women compared to men.
Ken Sun, PhD, is currently working on two manuscripts, including a single-authored book on aging and migration, and the other on transnational social protection (with Professors Peggy Levitt, Erica Dobb, and Ruxandra Paul).
Kelly Welch, PhD, is editing the Research Handbook on Race, Crime, and Justice. The handbook is under contract with Edward Elgar Publishing.
Emerson, Michael and Glenn Bracey. (2024).听.听Oxford University Press.
Jones, Brian. (2024).听.听Palgrave Macmillan.
Levitt, Peggy,听 Erica Dobbs, Ken Chih-Yan Sun, and Ruxandra Paul. (2023).听. Oxford University Press.
Charles, Camille Z., Massey, Douglas S., Torres, Kimberly C., & Kramer, Rory. (2022).听. Princeton University Press.
Sun, Ken Chih-Yan. (2021).听.听Cornell University Press.
Jones, Brian. (2019).听.听Palgrave Macmillan.
Bergey, Meredith R., Angela M. Filipe, Peter Conrad, and Ilina Singh (Eds.) (2018). .听Johns Hopkins University Press.
脕惫颈濒补, Lorena and Sarah Tosh. (2024). . Critical Criminology.
脕惫颈濒补, Lorena and David Iba帽ez. (2023). . American Behavioral Scientist.
Rengifo, Andres F., Lorena 脕惫颈濒补, and David Iba帽ez. (2023). . Crime, Law and Social Change, 79(5), 555-580.
Bergey, Meredith. (2024). . Sociology Compass.
Bergey, Meredith. (2024). Journal of Health and Social Behavior.
Chiri, Giuseppina, Meredith Bergey, and Thomas Mackie. (2022). . Social Science and Medicine, 301.
Bergey, Meredith, Giuseppina Chiri, Nikki Freeman, and Thomas I. Mackie. (2022). Sociology of Health and Illness.
Bracey, Glenn. (2022). . Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, 8(4), 431-570.
Bracey, Glenn and Reverend Renee McKenzie-Hayward. (2022). Resistance in sacred spaces. In A. Rodriguez, C. Barry, and A. Armenta (Eds.), .
Esca帽o, Guillermo Jes煤s and William Alex Pridemore. (2024). . The British Journal of Criminology, 64(3), 656-674.
Esca帽o, Guillermo Jes煤s. (2024). . In K. Burgason & M. DeLisi. (Eds.), Routledge Handbook of Homicide Studies (pp. 41-64). Routledge.
Esca帽o, Guillermo Jes煤s. (2023). . Justice Quarterly, 1-34.
Grundetjern, Heidi. (2022). . The British Journal of Criminology.
Grundetjern, Heidi and Alessandra Milagros Early (2022). . Crime & Delinquency.
Hannon, Lance, Lindsay Redditt, and Brooke Cordes. (2024). . Agenda for Social Justice 3 Solutions for 2024.
Hannon, Lance and Meredith Bergey. (2024). . Research Evaluation.
Kramer, Rory, Victor Ray, and Eduardo Bonilla-Silva. (2025). . Social Problems.
Kramer, Rory and Brianna Remster. (2022). . Annual Review of Criminology, 5.
McCorkel, Jill, Paisley Hahn, and Isabella Balian. (2024). Graterfriends.
Osborn, Max, Tanyanne Ball, and Valli Rajah. (2024). Trauma, Violence, & Abuse
Moore, B., Max Osborn, and C. DeJong. (in press). Consequences and considerations of 鈥渇ree speech鈥� in higher education: Validating trans and non-binary identities in the classroom setting. Journal of Criminal Justice Education. doi:10.1080/10511253.2024.2378453.
Osborn, Max. (2023). Critical Criminology.
DeJong, Christina, Max Osborn, and Harnoor Kaur. (2023). In A. E. Goldberg, D. C. Slakoff, and C. L. Buist (Eds.), The (Mis) Representation of Queer Lives in True Crime (pp. 160-182).
Osborn, Max. (2023). In A. E. Goldberg, D. C. Slakoff, and C. L. Buist (Eds.), The (Mis) Representation of Queer Lives in True Crime (pp. 183-201).
Osborn, Max (2022). Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services.
Osborn, Max (2022). Violence Against Women, 28(9), 2033-2056.
Osborn, Max (2022). In V. Demos and M. T. Segal (Eds.), Advances in Gender Research: Gender Visibility & Erasure, 33, 51-69.
Payne, Allison Ann (2024). . In B. Welsh, S. Zane, and D. Mears (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Evidence-Based Crime and Justice Policy.
Payne, Allison Ann and Kelly Welch. (2023). . Crime & Delinquency.
Payne, Allison Ann and Kelly Welch (2022). In G. Velez and T. Gavrielides (Eds.), Restorative Justice: Promoting Peace and Wellbeing.
Wilson, Denise, Kirsten L. Witherup and Allison Ann Payne. (2022). . In C. Donoghue (Ed.), The Sociology of Bullying.
Remster, Brianna, Chris M. Smith, and Rory Kramer. (2022). . Social Problems.
Sun, Ken Chih-Yan and Baiyu Su. (2023). International Migration Review.
Sun, Ken Chih-Yan and Nicole Newendorp. (2023). The Journals of Gerontology: Series B.
Welch, Kelly and Allison Ann Payne (2025). . In A. Eizadirad and P. P. Trifonas (Eds.), Handbook of Anti-Discriminatory Education.
Welch, Kelly, Peter S. Lehmann, Cecilia Chouhy and Ted Chiricos. (2022). Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Anthony Miller '27 CLAS
From a young age, I have been deeply interested in the legal system and its role in shaping society. Majoring in criminology at Villanova was a logical choice, allowing me to critically examine crime, justice, and legal structures. While my coursework has provided a strong theoretical foundation, my at the Bergen County Superior Court in New Jersey has been essential in developing a practical understanding of the legal field. As an intern for the Honorable James X. Sattely, Presiding Judge of the Criminal Division, I gained direct exposure to courtroom proceedings and the judicial decision-making process. I assisted court staff with criminal matters, conducted legal research into New Jersey laws using a database called Westlaw, reviewed case materials, and observed trials and hearings. Drafting legal memoranda and analyzing presentencing reports reinforced the research and analytical skills I developed in Dr. Brianna Remster鈥檚 Research Methods class.
Most impactful was observing sentencing hearings, where legal arguments played a profound role in influencing judicial rulings. I was particularly drawn to the litigation processing unfolding firsthand 鈥� the strategic questioning, the presentation of evidence, and the persuasive advocacy 鈥� which deepened my appreciation for the complexities of a trial court. These interactions also enhanced my understanding of legal advocacy and courtroom dynamics, providing insight into how attorneys navigate complex cases. Additionally, I observed the negotiation of plea agreements, the presentation of pretrial motions, and the discretionary role judges play in determining sentences.
For students considering a criminology major, Villanova鈥檚 Department of Sociology and Criminology offers a wide range of electives that provide deeper insight into various aspects of the field. Courses such as White-Collar Crime, Supreme Court, Police and Society, Crime and Delinquency Prevention, and Crime and Violence in Latin America broaden perspectives and complement real-world experiences. Internship opportunities bridge the gap between academics and practical applications, offering valuable preparation for careers in law, policy, and criminal justice.
I am grateful to Villanova鈥檚 Department of Sociology and Criminology for bolstering my critical thinking skills and providing the knowledge necessary to advance in this field. Each course and professional experience have strengthened my understanding of the legal system, and I look forward to continuing this path through school and in the workforce.
Emily Robinson '25 CLAS
During my four years at Villanova, the Department of Sociology and Criminology has been an integral part of my intellectual development. Although a rigid definition of 鈥渟ociology鈥� and its constituents is perhaps nonexistent, I have found that thinking with a sociological mindset is relevant in every academic discipline, complimenting most areas of study. As a double major in art history and sociology, thinking sociologically has provided me with a structural lens to examine art and culture, allowing me to create more convincing arguments and thorough analysis of historical phenomena in the realm of visual culture. As social beings, our actions, decisions, even our personalities, are steeped in generations of socialization and institutional conditioning. As I have progressed through my courses, I have become increasingly aware of this and confident in my ability to accurately analyze and vocalize such processes.
In the summer of 2024, I had the opportunity to intern at the , an educational institution and art museum in Philadelphia. While my tasks were more aligned with my studies as an art history major, I found that thinking sociologically was inevitable during my internship. Topics relating to the accessibility and representation of the museum and its art may all be approached through the contexts of sociology.
Moving from Merion, a suburb of Philadelphia, to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in 2012 presented the Barnes Foundation with the challenge of appealing to a much larger and more diverse population than in the past; one of their biggest goals is to become the most inclusive space possible. Of course, people are most likely to enter, and engage with, a space they feel comfortable and included in, and historically (and structurally!) speaking, the most 鈥渋ncluded鈥� people in the museum space are white upper-class individuals. One of the most unique parts of the collection is also one of the biggest challenges faced by the Barnes: as a part of Dr. Barnes鈥� will, the collection cannot be altered or moved in any way. When trying to make a diverse audience feel represented and at home in a room full of paintings (largely) by dead white men, the institution must get creative. Given the circumstances, I believe their online 鈥渇ocus鈥� interface that utilizes works as a sort of 鈥渆ntry point,鈥� has provided a deeper understanding of the collection for a diverse audience.
Also, when considering a work of art, sociology is inherent: gender, race, class, and more are often depicted within one canvas, sculpture, or drawing. How many works of art containing a naked woman can you think of? A lot, probably. Why? What do they mean? What was the societal context that created the foundations for these works? While these questions can be answered through historical research, they can also be approached through a sociological lens. Being able to map continuity and change through time is a large part of being an art historian, specifically within the realm of visual culture. As previously stated, we cannot evade the societal contexts in which we are steeped, so these disciplines go hand in hand, reciprocally building off one another and strengthening the legitimacy of both of their claims. Theorists, such as Marx and Durkheim, have supplied me with theoretical frameworks to research and analyze artists, works, and movements, which serve as another tool in constructing a strong, valid thesis.
Of course, I did not just happen upon a sociological imagination on my own; each professor I have taken class with has challenged me to think of things through a lens which has become impossible to take off. As I move forward into graduate studies, I am grateful for my second major in sociology, as its flexibility, amenability, and tangibility has created a stronger base for me to approach academia in an interdisciplinary light. Not only have my academic studies been strengthened, but I have a better understanding of my own reality, and why things are the way that they are, from a more macro level. As someone who always seeks to understand the how and why, I feel as though a sociological mindset is invaluable.