Criminal Justice Graduate Students
Ellen Agyei B.A., Sociology, University of Ghana I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Ghana, where I conducted my final-year research on the stigmatization of women living with mental health disorders in the workplace. I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice, with a continued focus on gender and crime. My research interests also include juvenile delinquency and the intersection of mental health and crime. |
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Nhylia Burl B.A., Psychology, University of Memphis I am currently pursuing a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Criminology and am approaching my final semester. My areas of interest have broadened to include Victim Advocacy, Mental Health, Re-entry, and Court systems. I have participated in research on alternative solutions to imprisonment and community-based strategies. Currently, I am gaining field experience in Probation, Pretrial, Pre-Sentence, and Post-Conviction services within a federal agency dedicated to the fair administration of justice and promoting community safety through established best practices. |
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Andrew Gilbert B.A. Criminology & Criminal Justice, University of Memphis I received my Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Memphis in May 2024, and I am currently working with Dr. Johnson on research and teaching. My areas of interest include criminal procedures and law enforcement in policing, with a primary focus on the role of education and training for police officers to enhance public relations and improve the efficiency of law enforcement interactions. |
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William Hicks B.A., Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Memphis I received my Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Memphis in Spring 2024, graduating Magna Cum Laude with University Honors and a minor in Emergency Management. During my undergraduate studies, I worked as a student trainee with the United States Secret Service, maintaining a Top-Secret Security Clearance. I also served as a Certified Transportation Security Officer at Memphis International Airport, where I became certified in computed tomography X-ray technology. In both roles, I worked directly for the Department of Homeland Security. My achievements include a University of Memphis award for "Outstanding Academic Achievement, Criminal Justice Career Professional," the Vigil Honor, several firearm identification awards from my time with TSA, an 8-hour time off award for exceptional service from the Secret Service, and the discovery of an illegal firearm during a warrant search of a convicted felon. I also served as an Associate Justice with the University Student Court. In addition, I am an Eagle Scout, a dual-certified lifeguard, Basic Life Support Red Cross certified, and have instructed Leadership Development courses for the Boy Scouts of America. I’ve also served as the director of a tri-state chapter of The Order of the Arrow, a national nonprofit focused on youth development. |
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Jaun Mei B.A., Criminology & Criminal Justice, University of Memphis I am currently in my second year of the Master's program, having earned my Bachelor's degree in Criminology & Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology from the University of Memphis. I work part-time as a crime analyst for the Memphis Police Department, where I also previously interned, and have been with the department for over two years. Additionally, during my undergraduate studies, I completed an internship with the Bartlett Police Department. My areas of interest include juvenile delinquency in China, Asian American experiences, cultural influences on crime within Asian communities, and the impact of immigration on crime. One of my research papers, co-authored with Dr. Iratzoqui, examines gender differences in strains among Chinese adolescents through the General Strain Theory and is currently under review for publication in an academic journal. Furthermore, I am collaborating with Dr. McCutcheon on several projects, including the development of a database on mass murders from NIBRS, an analysis of crime on Beale Street, and the correlation between juvenile delinquency and school bell times. |
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Sophie Miller B.A., History & Communication, University of Memphis I am currently in my second year of the Criminology and Criminal Justice Master’s program. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in History and Communication from the University of Memphis in December 2022. My areas of interest include domestic and intimate partner violence, victim-offender overlap, crime data analysis, and criminological research on sexual assault cases. I am co-authoring a research paper with Dr. Iratzoqui that proposes a more comprehensive explanation of both perpetration and victimization using Routine Activities Theory, with a focus on campus-based sexual assault. This paper will be presented at a Criminal Justice conference and subsequently submitted for publication in an academic journal. |
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Madeline Stewart B.A., Psychology, University of Memphis I am currently in the second year of my master’s program in Criminology and Criminal Justice. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Legal Thought and Liberal Arts from the University of Memphis. My areas of interest include sex crimes and sexual deviance, forensic psychology, sexual assault kit backlog data, and crime data analysis. I serve as a research assistant under Dr. McCutcheon, where I analyze and recode data from the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) for the Memphis Police Department (MPD). I completed a year-long internship with the Shelby County District Attorney's Office from Fall 2022 to Spring 2023. I am currently working on my master’s thesis, which focuses on analyzing the backlog of sexual assault kit data, with particular attention to the use of weapons, weapon types, and types of injuries sustained during incidents. |
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Kaycee Wayne B.A., Psychology and Criminal Justice, University of Tennessee at Martin I was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, and received my Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice from the University of Tennessee at Martin. During my undergraduate studies, I conducted research on stress and anxiety in college students, as well as on music, cognition, and its effects on aggression. I now work as a Graduate Assistant under Dr. Shelley Keith. My research interests include mental health issues, youth delinquency, and recidivism. I am committed to giving back to my community and working to improve Memphis and its systems. Currently, I work with children ages 6 weeks to 18 years as an Assistant Teacher and Youth Specialist. My future career goal is to work in crime analytics or criminal intelligence, aiming to identify and address critical issues within the city through research to improve outcomes for Memphis youth. |