School of Public Policy Celebrating 10 Years

Dr. Robynn Cox’s research examines the intersections of crime, health, labor, housing, and social and racial inequality, with a focus on the social, economic, and health consequences of mass incarceration policies. She is also a faculty affiliate at the School of Public Policy’s Presley Center for Crime & Justice Studies and Immediate Past President for the National Economic Association. Her work has been published in various journals including the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Neuropharmacology, AEA Papers and Proceedings, Justice Quarterly, Cityscape, Journal of Labor Research, Southern Economic Journal, and Review of Black Political Economy.

Most recently, Dr. Cox co-authored “Black Lives: The High Cost of Segregation,” published in the February 2026 issue of the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy. The article explores the extent to which segregation impacts homicide victimization by race, revealing a robust positive relationship between segregation and non-White homicide victimization. Through her research, Dr. Cox is encouraging national conversations on inequality and helping policymakers better understand the consequences of criminal legal policies.