Research

Kelly Socia Research

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Public Opinion, punitivity, and crime control policies; Reentry and ‘sex crime’ policies; Spatial Analysis/GIS; Experimental and quasi-experimental designs

My research covers a variety of topics surrounding public opinion, crime control policies, violent crimes, and individuals returning to the community. One such interest concerns how public policies relating to crime control and reentry are proposed, supported, and implemented, with a specific focus on how labels and demographics influence public opinion, punitivity, and policy support. I am also interested in policies applying to the reentry process, especially for individuals with sex crime convictions, such as residence restriction policies.

SELECTED CONTRACTS, FELLOWSHIPS, GRANTS AND SPONSORED RESEARCH

  • Co-I, “Improving Identification, Prevalence Estimation, and Earlier Intervention for Victims of Labor and Sex Trafficking” (with PI Ryan Shields), 2019-VT-BX-0037, National Institute of Justice, $499,483 (2019)
  • Co-PI, “Community-level influences on the sentencing of convicted sex offenders” (with PI Jason Rydberg), 2015-R2-CX-0039, National Institute of Justice, $39,997 (2015)
  • PI, “Analyzing Indicators of Disorder, Community Structure, and Crime in Lowell, MA” (with joint PI Melissa Morabito), Internal Seed Grant, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, $8,000 (2014 – 2015)
  • PI “Predictors of Injury and Reporting of Intraracial, Interracial, and Racially-Biased Nonsexual Assaults” (with PI Ráchael A. Powers), 2013-R2-CX-0033, National Institute of Justice, $39,995 (2013). Data published as ICPSR36236-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: ICPSR [distributor], 2018-05-16. http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36236.v1
  • Graduate Research Fellowship, “Residence Restriction Legislation and Sex Offender Residential Locations in New York” 2010-IJ-CX-0004, National Institute of Justice, $25,000 (Sept. 2010 – May 2011)