Criminology and Criminal Justice majors Serena Goodridge '25, Jocelyn Horan '25, Robert Ahern '25, and Kyle Stump '25 presented research at the Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences (NEACJS) annual conference from June 5-7 in Gettysburg, Pa. They traveled alongside Associate Professor Dr. Favian Martín and Assistant Professor Dr. Kevin Revier, who both presented at the conference.

"It was rewarding as an educator to witness the students engaging in original research," explained Dr. Martín. "Each topic is timely as we are seeing these social problems become more pervasive in light of the political climate whether it is anti-trans legislation or an uptick in hate crimes against vulnerable communities. For the Criminology and Criminal Justice Program, we want our students to be aware of social inequality and how to promote social justice in the field."

Research presented at the event included:

• "The March on the Capital: An Analysis of Punishment Among 1/6 Rioters" by Serena Goodridge and Dr. Favian Martín

• "Trans Rights Behind Bars: Exploring Trans-Related Social Problems in Prison" by Jocelyn Horan and Robert Ahern

• "Figuring Out Hate: Motivations of Arson-Related Hate Crimes in Places of Worship" by Kyle Stump, Drs. Favian Martín, and Kevin Revier

• "Communing with the Dead in Gettysburg: Dark Tourism, Racism, and U.S. History" by Drs. Favian Martín and Kevin Revier

"We hope that our students will use their initial research as a basis for their senior capstone projects. Perhaps, collect data and come up with policy recommendations to address the social problem," Dr. Martín said. "As for the dark tourism paper, we have submitted our manuscript on this topic to Routledge Press for an upcoming book that examines dark tourism in Salem, New Orleans, and a southern plantation."

The NEACJS is an organization dedicated to sharing information with members, developing philosophy and quality education, and promoting long-term planning and research in the criminal justice system. This year's conference included complete panel discussions, individual paper presentations, poster presentations, roundtable discussions, and workshops.