Dr. Sharon Oselin’s research focuses on using real-world accounts and field research to understand topics surrounding crime, the criminal-legal system, prisoner reentry, deviance, gender and sexuality, urban conditions, organizations, and culture. As a professor of Public Policy & Sociology and Director of the Presley Center of Crime & Justice Studies, she examines how policies, social environments, and community dynamics shape outcomes related to incarceration, public safety, social inequality and more. Her work has been supported by many organizations, including the National Science Foundation, the Haynes Foundation, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. She has received multiple awards recognizing her excellence in teaching and mentorship.

Dr. Oselin’s recent research explores systemic inequalities and the social contexts of justice systems. Her latest article, “Minority Threat and Social Context: Global Value Chains and the Carceral Effect of Ethnic Polarization in Rich Democracies”, examines how global value chains (GVCs) interact with ethnic polarization to influence incarceration rates in rich democracies. Another recent project titled “Legal Changes and the Decline of Sex Work Arrests in Toronto Neighborhoods, 1992–2020” explores the legal aspects of sex work and how government agencies can focus on harm reduction to keep all sex workers safe, especially those who are already marginalized or vulnerable in their communities. Through this work, Dr. Oselin brings a sociological and policy-driven perspective to improving justice systems and creating more equitable outcomes for vulnerable communities.