Susan McNeely
Postdoctoral Scholar Alumni
Biography:
Susan McNeeley received her Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati. Her main research agenda involves developing and testing theories of crime and victimization. Specifically, she is interested in crime-event criminology, examining how situational and neighborhood context are related to factors that influence criminal motivation, such as subcultural beliefs or self-control. For example, her dissertation examined the relationship between the adoption of the street code and victimization; more specifically, it incorporated routine activities theory and social disorganization theory in order to provide a more complete understanding of how street values are associated with victimization. Prior to her graduate work at the University of Cincinnati, Susan received an M.A. from the University of Memphis and a B.A. from Centenary College of Louisiana.
Susan’s additional research interests include the application of the death penalty, issues surrounding race/ethnicity and immigration, and public opinion regarding crime and criminal justice. She is currently involved in research projects on the relationship between lifestyles and delinquency over time, the prosecutorial decision to seek the death penalty, public opinion on sentencing and prison conditions, and the effect of neighborhood racial context on attitudes toward the police. Recent publications have appeared in the Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, Victims and Offenders, and Juvenile and Family Court Journal. She has also written chapters for the Handbook of Survey Methodology for the Social Sciences and Handbook of Juvenile Delinquency and Juvenile Justice.
Susan is currently a Senior Research Analyst at the Minnesota Department of Corrections.