Expertise
Public Opinion, punitivity, and crime control policies; Reentry and 鈥榮ex crime鈥 policies; Spatial Analysis/GIS; Experimental and quasi-experimental designs
Research Interests
Public Opinion, punitivity, and crime control policies; Reentry and 鈥榮ex crime鈥 policies; Spatial Analysis/GIS; Experimental and quasi-experimental designs
Education
- Ph D: Criminal Justice, (2011), University at Albany, SUNY - Albany, NY
Dissertation/Thesis Title:Residence Restriction Legislation, Sex Crime Rates, and the Spatial Distribution of Sex Offender Residences - MA: Criminal Justice, (2008), University of Albany, SUNY - Albany, New York, United States
- BS: Business Administration: Management Information Systems, (2005), Rochester Institute of Technology - Rochester, New York, United States
Highest Honors
Minor: Criminology
Biosketch
My research covers a variety of topics surrounding public opinion, crime control policies, violent crimes, and individuals returning to the community. One such interest concerns how public policies relating to crime control and reentry are proposed, supported, and implemented, with a specific focus on how labels and demographics influence public opinion, punitivity, and policy support. I am also interested in policies applying to the reentry process, especially for individuals with sex crime convictions, such as residence restriction policies.
Selected Awards and Honors
- Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service (2006), Service, Professional - Office of the Secretary of Defense
Selected Publications
- Novick, Rachel, Socia, Kelly M., and Pickett, Justin T. (2022) 鈥淎symmetric Compassion Collapse, Collateral Consequences, and Reintegration: An Experimental Study鈥 Justice Quarterly. 39(7), 1475-1498. doi:10.1080/07418825.2022.2119157
- Socia, Kelly M., Stone, Rebecca, Palacios, Wilson, and Cluverius, John. (2022) 鈥淭oo harsh for me but not for thee? Threat control, personal freedom, and perception of pandemic policy鈥 Justice Quarterly. 39(7), 1592-1617. doi:10.1080/07418825.2022.2117238
- Socia, Kelly M. (2022) 鈥淒riving public support: Support for a law is higher when the law is named after a victim.鈥 Justice Quarterly. 39(7), 1449-1474. doi:10.1080/07418825.2022.2064329
- Dum, Christopher P., Socia, Kelly M., Bengt, George, and Neiderman, Halle. (2022) 鈥淭he Effect of Reading Prisoner Poetry on Stigma and Public Attitudes: Results from a multigroup survey experiment鈥 The Prison Journal. 102(1), 3-24. doi:10.1177/00328855211069127
- Socia, Kelly M., Stone, Rebecca, Palacios, Wilson, Cluverius, John. (2021) 鈥淔ocus on Prevention: The public is more supportive of 鈥極verdose Prevention Sites鈥 than they are of 鈥楽afe Injection Facilities.鈥 Criminology & Public Policy, 20(4), 729-754. doi:10.1111/1745-9133.12566
- Socia, Kelly M., Rydberg, Jason, and Dum, Christopher P. (2021) 鈥淧unitive Attitudes Towards Individuals Convicted of Sex Offenses: A Vignette Study鈥 Justice Quarterly. 38(6), 1262-1289. doi:10.1080/07418825.2019.1683218
- Socia, Kelly M., Morabito, Melissa M., Bond, Brenda J., and Nader, Eli S. (2021) 鈥淧ublic Perceptions of Police Agency Fairness and the Willingness to Call Police鈥 The American Review of Public Administration. 51(5), 360-373. doi:10.1177/02750740211005699
- Thompson, Lisa, Rydberg, Jason, Cassidy, Michael, Socia, Kelly M., (2020) 鈥淐ontextual Influences on the Sentencing of Convicted Sex Offenders鈥 Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment. 32(7), 778-805. doi:10.1177/1079063219852936
- Socia, Kelly M., Grady, Melissa D., Bolder, Tess, Cronin, Kelli, Hurt, Christi, Vidrine, Sarah (2020) 鈥淧erceptions of Individuals Who Commit Sexual Offenses and Related Policies: A Group Comparison鈥 Criminal Justice Policy Review. 31(7), 1059-1094. doi:10.1177/0887403419873126
- Dum, Christopher P., Socia, Kelly M., Yarrison, Fritz, and Long-Yarrison, Brooke L. (2020) 鈥淲ould God Forgive? Attitudes Towards Sex Offenders in Places of Worship.鈥 Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment. 32(5), 567-590. doi:10.1177/1079063219839498
- Powers, R谩chael A., Khachatryan, Norair, and Socia, Kelly M. (2020) 鈥淩eporting Victimization to the Police: The Role of Racial-Dyad and Bias Motivation鈥 Policing & Society. 30(3), 310-326. doi:10.1080/10439463.2018.1523164
- Stone, Rebecca, and Socia, Kelly M. (2019) 鈥淏oy with Toy or Black Male with Gun: An analysis of online news articles covering the shooting of Tamir Rice.鈥 Race and Justice. 9(3), 330-358. doi:10.1177/2153368716689594
- Powers, R谩chael A. and Socia, Kelly M. (2019) 鈥淩acial Animosity, adversary effect, and hate crime: Parsing out injuries in intraracial, interracial, and race-based offenses鈥 Crime & Delinquency. 65(4), 447-473. doi:10.1177/0011128718779566
- Socia, Kelly M., Dum, Christopher P., and Rydberg, Jason. (2019) 鈥淭urning a Blind Eye: Public Support of Emergency Housing Policies for Sex Offenders.鈥 Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment. 31(1), 25-49. doi:10.1177/1079063217720925
- Brown, Elizabeth K., Socia, Kelly M., and Silver, Jason R. (2019) 鈥淐onflicted Conservatives, Punitive Views, and Anti-Black Racial Bias 1974-2014鈥 Punishment & Society. 21(1), 3-27. doi:10.1177/1462474517736295
- Novick, Rachel, Pickett, Justin T., Socia, Kelly M. (in press) 鈥淎symmetric Value Collapse, Collateral Consequences, and Reintegration: An Experimental Study鈥 Justice Quarterly.
- Socia, Kelly M., Stone, Rebecca, Palacios, Wilson, and Cluverius, John. (in press) 鈥淭oo harsh for me but not for thee? Threat control, personal freedom, and perception of pandemic policy鈥 Justice Quarterly.
- Socia, Kelly M. (2022) 鈥淒riving public support: Support for a law is higher when the law is named after a victim.鈥 Justice Quarterly. Online ahead of print. doi:10.1080/07418825.2022.2064329
- Dum, Christopher P., Socia, Kelly M., Bengt, George, and Neiderman, Halle. (2022) 鈥淭he Effect of Reading Prisoner Poetry on Stigma and Public Attitudes: Results from a multigroup survey experiment鈥 The Prison Journal. 102(1), 3-24. doi:10.1177/00328855211069127
- Socia, Kelly M., Stone, Rebecca, Palacios, Wilson, Cluverius, John. (2021) 鈥淔ocus on Prevention: The public is more supportive of 鈥極verdose Prevention Sites鈥 than they are of 鈥楽afe Injection Facilities.鈥 Criminology & Public Policy, 20(4), 729-754. doi:10.1111/1745-9133.12566
- Socia, Kelly M., Rydberg, Jason, and Dum, Christopher P. (2021) 鈥淧unitive Attitudes Towards Individuals Convicted of Sex Offenses: A Vignette Study鈥 Justice Quarterly. 38(6), 1262-1289. doi:10.1080/07418825.2019.1683218
- Socia, Kelly M., Morabito, Melissa M., Bond, Brenda J., and Nader, Eli S. (2021) 鈥淧ublic Perceptions of Police Agency Fairness and the Willingness to Call Police鈥 The American Review of Public Administration. 51(5), 360-373. doi:10.1177/02750740211005699
- Thompson, Lisa, Rydberg, Jason, Cassidy, Michael, Socia, Kelly M., (2020) 鈥淐ontextual Influences on the Sentencing of Convicted Sex Offenders鈥 Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment. 32(7), 778-805. doi:10.1177/1079063219852936
- Socia, Kelly M., Grady, Melissa D., Bolder, Tess, Cronin, Kelli, Hurt, Christi, Vidrine, Sarah (2020) 鈥淧erceptions of Individuals Who Commit Sexual Offenses and Related Policies: A Group Comparison鈥 Criminal Justice Policy Review. 31(7), 1059-1094. doi:10.1177/0887403419873126
- Dum, Christopher P., Socia, Kelly M., Yarrison, Fritz, and Long-Yarrison, Brooke L. (2020) 鈥淲ould God Forgive? Attitudes Towards Sex Offenders in Places of Worship.鈥 Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment. 32(5), 567-590. doi:10.1177/1079063219839498
- Powers, R谩chael A., Khachatryan, Norair, and Socia, Kelly M. (2020) 鈥淩eporting Victimization to the Police: The Role of Racial-Dyad and Bias Motivation鈥 Policing & Society. 30(3), 310-326. doi:10.1080/10439463.2018.1523164
- Stone, Rebecca, and Socia, Kelly M. (2019) 鈥淏oy with Toy or Black Male with Gun: An analysis of online news articles covering the shooting of Tamir Rice.鈥 Race and Justice. 9(3), 330-358. doi:10.1177/2153368716689594
- Powers, R谩chael A. and Socia, Kelly M. (2019) 鈥淩acial Animosity, adversary effect, and hate crime: Parsing out injuries in intraracial, interracial, and race-based offenses鈥 Crime & Delinquency. 65(4), 447-473. doi:10.1177/0011128718779566
- Socia, Kelly M., Dum, Christopher P., and Rydberg, Jason. (2019) 鈥淭urning a Blind Eye: Public Support of Emergency Housing Policies for Sex Offenders.鈥 Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment. 31(1), 25-49. doi:10.1177/1079063217720925
- Brown, Elizabeth K., Socia, Kelly M., and Silver, J. R. (2019) 鈥淐onflicted Conservatives, Punitive Views, and Anti-Black Racial Bias 1974-2014鈥 Punishment & Society. 21(1), 3-27. doi:10.1177/1462474517736295
- Rydberg, Jason, Dum, Christopher P., and Socia, Kelly M. (2018) 鈥淣obody Gives A #%&!: A Factorial Survey Examining The Effect Of Criminological Evidence On Opposition To Sex Offender Residence Restrictions鈥 Journal of Experimental Criminology. 14(4), 541-550. doi:10.1007/s11292-018-9335-5
- Rydberg, Jason, Cassidy, Michael, and Socia, Kelly M. (2018). 鈥淧unishing the wicked: Examining the correlates of sentence severity for convicted sex offenders鈥 Journal of Quantitative Criminology. 34(4), 943-970. doi:10.1007/s10940-017-9360-y
- Brown, Elizabeth K. and Socia, Kelly M. (2017) 鈥淭wenty-First Century Punitivity: Social Sources of Punitive American Views Reconsidered.鈥 Journal of Quantitative Criminology. 33(4), 935-959. doi:10.1007/s10940-016-9319-4
- Dum, Christopher P., Socia, Kelly M., and Rydberg, Jason. (2017) 鈥淧ublic support for emergency shelter housing interventions concerning stigmatized populations: Results from a randomized experiment.鈥 Criminology & Public Policy. 16(3), 835-877. doi:10.1111/1745-9133.12311
- Socia, Kelly M. and Brown, Elizabeth K. (2017) 鈥淯p in Smoke: The Passage of Medical Marijuana Legislation and Enactment of Dispensary Moratoriums in Massachusetts.鈥 Crime & Delinquency. 63(5), 569-591. doi:10.1177/0011128714557024
- Socia, Kelly M. (2017). 鈥淪ex Offender Civil Commitment Policies in Context.鈥 [Editorial Introduction]. Criminology & Public Policy. 16(3), 909-911. doi:10.1111/1745-9133.12329
- Walfield, Scott M., Socia, Kelly M., and Powers, R谩chael A. (2017) 鈥淩eligious Motivated Hate Crimes: A Multilevel Analysis of the Factors Related to Arrest.鈥 American Journal of Criminal Justice. 42(1), 148-169. doi:10.1007/s12103-016-9349-3
- Morabito, Melissa M., Socia, Kelly M., Wik, Amanda, and Fisher, William. (2017) 鈥淭he Nature and Extent of Police Use of Force in Encounters with People with Behavioral Health Disorders.鈥 International Journal of Law and Psychiatry. 50(1), 31-37. doi:10.1016/j.ijlp.2016.10.001
- Briones, Rhissa R., Powers, R谩chael A., and Socia, Kelly M. (2016) 鈥淪exual Orientation Bias Crimes: Examination of Victim Reporting, Perceptions of Police Bias, and Police Response.鈥 Criminal Justice and Behavior. 43(12), 1688-1709. doi:10.1177/0093854816660583
- Socia, Kelly M., and Harris, Andrew J. (2016) 鈥淓valuating public perceptions of the risk presented by registered sex offenders: Evidence of Crime Control Theater?鈥 Psychology, Public Policy, and Law. 22(4), 375-385. doi:10.1037/law0000081
- Harris, Andrew J. and Socia, Kelly M. (2016) 鈥淲hat鈥檚 in a Name? Evaluating the Effects of the 鈥楽ex Offender鈥 Label on Public Opinions and Beliefs.鈥 Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment. 28(7), 660-678. doi:10.1177/1079063214564391
- Socia, Kelly M. (2016) 鈥淓xamining the Concentration of Registered Sex Offenders in Upstate New York Census Tracts.鈥 Crime & Delinquency. 62(6), 748-776. doi:10.1177/0011128714526563
- Levenson, Jill S. and Socia, Kelly M. (2016) 鈥淎dverse Childhood Experiences and Arrest Patterns in a Sample of Sexual Offenders.鈥 Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 31(10), 1883-1911. doi:10.1177/0886260515570751
- Socia, Kelly M. and Brown, Elizabeth K. (2016) 鈥溾楾his Isn鈥檛 杏吧原创 Casey Anthony Anymore鈥: Political Rhetoric and Caylee鈥檚 Law.鈥 Criminal Justice Policy Review. 27(4), 348-377. doi:10.1177/0887403414551000
- Pattavina, April, Socia, Kelly M., and Zuber, Malgorzata (2016) 鈥淓conomic Stress and Domestic Violence: Examining the Impact of Mortgage Foreclosures on Incidents Reported to the Police 2005 to 2009鈥 Justice Research and Policy, 16(2), 147-164. doi:10.1177/1525107115623938
- Socia, Kelly M., Levenson, Jill S., Ackerman, Alissa R., and Harris, Andrew J. (2015) 鈥溾楤rothers Under the Bridge鈥: Factors Influencing the Transience of Registered Sex Offenders in Florida鈥 Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment. 27(6), 559-586. doi:10.1177/1079063214521472
- Morabito, Melissa S. and Socia, Kelly M. (2015) 鈥淚s Dangerousness a Myth? Injuries and Police Encounters with People with Mental Illness.鈥 Criminology and Public Policy. 14(2), 253-276. doi:10.1111/1745-9133.12127
- Levenson, Jill S., Ackerman, Alissa R., Socia, Kelly M., and Harris, Andrew J. (2015) 鈥淲here for art thou? Transient Sex Offenders and Residence Restrictions.鈥 Criminal Justice Policy Review. 26(4), 319-344. doi:10.1177/0887403413512326
- Socia, Kelly M. (2015) 鈥淪tate Residence Restrictions and Forcible Rape Rates: A Multi-State Quasi-Experimental Analysis of UCR Data.鈥 Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment. 27(2), 205-227. doi:10.1177/1079063213509412
- Socia, Kelly M. (2014) 鈥淩esidence Restrictions are Ineffective, Inefficient, and Inadequate: So Now What?鈥 Criminology & Public Policy. 13(1), 179-188. doi:10.1111/1745-9133.12071 [Policy Essay]
- Socia, Kelly M. (2013) 鈥淭oo Close for Comfort? Registered Sex Offender Spatial Clustering and Recidivistic Sex Crime Rates.鈥 Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment. 25(6), 531-556. doi:10.1177/1079063212469061
- Socia, Kelly M. (2013) 鈥淩esidence Restrictions and the Association with Registered Sex Offender Clustering.鈥 Criminal Justice Policy Review. 24(4), 441-475. doi:10.1177/0887403412445613
- Socia, Kelly M. (2012) 鈥淭he Efficacy of County-Level Sex Offender Residence Restrictions in New York鈥 Crime & Delinquency. 58(4), 612-642. doi:10.1177/0011128712441694
- Socia, Kelly M. and Stamatel, Janet P. [equal contribution] (2012) 鈥淣eighborhood Characteristics and the Social Control of Registered Sex Offenders.鈥 Crime & Delinquency. 58(4), 565-587. doi:10.1177/0011128711420111
- Socia, Kelly M. (2012) 鈥淭he Implementation of County Residence Restrictions in New York.鈥 Psychology, Public Policy, and Law. 18(2), 206-230. doi:10.1037/a0024993
- Socia, Kelly M. (2011) 鈥淭he Policy Implications of Residence Restrictions on Sex Offender Housing in Upstate, NY.鈥 Criminology & Public Policy, 10(2), 351-389. doi:10.1111/j.1745-9133.2011.00713.x
- Socia, Kelly M. and Stamatel, Janet P. (2010). 鈥淎ssumptions and Evidence Behind Sex Offender Laws: Registration, Community Notification, and Residency Restrictions.鈥 Sociology Compass. 4(1), 1-20. doi:10.1111/j.1751-9020.2009.00251.x
- Freeman, Naomi J., Sandler, Jeffrey C., and Socia, Kelly M. (2009). 鈥淎 Time-Series Analysis on the Impact of Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification on Plea Bargaining Rates.鈥 Criminal Justice Studies: A Critical Journal of Crime, Law, and Society. 22(2), 153-165. doi:10.1080/14786010902975424
- Sandler, Jeffrey C., Freeman, Naomi J., and Socia, Kelly M. (2008). 鈥淒oes a Watched Pot Boil: A Time-Series Analysis of New York State's Sex Offender Registration and Notification Law.鈥 Psychology, Public Policy, and Law. 14(4), 284-302. doi:10.1037/a0013881
- Selected Presentations: Plenary Speaker, 鈥淭ranslating Research Evidence into Public Policy Recommendations鈥 Plenary Talk, Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA) National Conference, Scheduled October 2022
- Socia, Kelly M., Stone, Rebecca. Palacios, Wilson R., and Cluverius, John. 鈥淏eyond framing: How respondent characteristics and experiences influence support for safe injection facilities in the United States.鈥 Howard League Crime, Justice, & Social Harms Conference. Oxford, UK. September 2022
- Socia, Kelly M., Palacios, Wilson R., and Stone, Rebecca. 鈥淭he influence of message framing on support for safe injection facilities in the United States.鈥 Annual Meetings of the Criminology Consortium, Online conference. November 2020.
- Socia, Kelly M., Shields, Ryan T., and Burke, Cameron. 鈥淕etting Lucky or Getting Abused: A Content Analysis of Public Comments on News Articles 杏吧原创 Sexual Abuse鈥 Poster session. Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers Annual Conference, Online, October 2020.
Selected Contracts, Fellowships, Grants and Sponsored Research
- PI, 鈥淓stablishing the UMass Lowell Crime, Justice, and Security Poll (CJSP)鈥 (with co-PIs Joshua Dyck, Andrew Harris, Jason Rydberg), Internal Seed Grant, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, $10,000 (2021)
- Consultant, 鈥淐ommunity Participatory Research on Veterans in Specialized Programming, JCOIN Coordination and Translation Center鈥 (PI James Byrne), Subaward under 5U2CDA050097-02, National Institute of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse (PI Faye Taxman) (2021-2023)
- PI, 鈥淎ddressing COVID-19 public health misinformation鈥 (with co-PIs Wilson Palacios and John Cluverius), Internal Seed Grant, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, $10,000 (2020)
- Co-I, 鈥淚mproving Identification, Prevalence Estimation, and Earlier Intervention for Victims of Labor and Sex Trafficking鈥 (with PI Ryan Shields), 2019-VT-BX-0037, National Institute of Justice, $499,483 (2019)
- Co-PI, 鈥淐ommunity-level influences on the sentencing of convicted sex offenders鈥 (with PI Jason Rydberg), 2015-R2-CX-0039, National Institute of Justice, $39,997 (2015)
- PI, 鈥淎nalyzing Indicators of Disorder, Community Structure, and Crime in Lowell, MA鈥 (with joint PI Melissa Morabito), Internal Seed Grant, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, $8,000 (2014 鈥 2015)
- PI 鈥溾 (with PI R谩chael A. Powers), 2013-R2-CX-0033, National Institute of Justice, $39,995 (2013). Data published as ICPSR36236-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: ICPSR [distributor], 2018-05-16.
- Graduate Research Fellowship, 鈥淩esidence Restriction Legislation and Sex Offender Residential Locations in New York鈥 2010-IJ-CX-0004, National Institute of Justice, $25,000 (Sept. 2010 鈥 May 2011)