Meet The Research Team
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Tia Andersen, PhD
Principal Investigator
Tia Andersen is an Associate Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies, with a joint appointment in Criminology and Criminal Justice, at the University of South Carolina. Her research uses feminist and intersectional frameworks to examine mentoring, service-learning, and other strengths-based approaches to youth development, with particular attention to school exclusion, gendered pathways into justice system contact, and the school-to-prison pipeline. Her work is grounded in mixed methods and community-engaged research that centers young people’s lived experiences within education and justice systems.
Barbara Koons-Witt
Co-Principal Investigator
Dr. Koons-Witt is a Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of South Carolina. Her research examines how gender shapes the experiences of system-involved women, with particular attention to courts, corrections, and policy contexts that are structured around men as the dominant population. Her work has appeared in leading criminology and criminal justice journals, and she is currently a co-PI on a National Institute of Justice–funded study of court decision-making in domestic violence cases.
Jillian Chamberlain
Graduate Research Assistant
Jillian Chamberlain is a PhD student in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of South Carolina. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Criminology in 2021 at the University of Kentucky and earned her Master of Public Administration with a focus in Criminal Justice at UK's Martin School of Public Policy in 2022. Jillian joined the research team in Fall 2023 to assist in interviewing, transcribing, and data management. Her research interests include the school-to-prison pipeline and public perceptions of the criminal justice system.
Kaitlin Kirkley
Graduate Research Assistant
Kaitlin Kirkley is a first year PhD student in the Criminology and Criminal Justice department at the University of South Carolina. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of South Carolina where she majored in Psychology with a double major of Criminology and Criminal Justice in May of 2021. Kaitlin has participated in the mentoring program for two semesters, Spring 2021 and Spring 2023, before joining the research team in Fall of 2023. Her research interests include juvenile justice and youth violence.
Christian Hall
Interviewer
Christian Hall is a graduate student in the Department of Educational Studies and Developmental Science at the University of South Carolina. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of South Carolina where he majored in Psychology with a minor in Counselor Education. Christian participated in the mentoring program in Spring 2024. Christian's focus during his graduate degree is Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling, and he hopes to incorporate work with adolescents as well.
Kaley Smith
Interviewer
Kaley Smith is a graduate student in the Criminology and Criminal Justice department at the University of South Carolina. She completed her undergraduate degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of South Carolina, with a minor in Political Science. Kaley has been part of the mentoring research project since Spring 2024, transcribing and conducting interviews. Her research interests include correctional programming, juvenile justice and criminal justice reform.
Christina Plakas
Interviewer
Christina Plakas is a 4th-year Criminology & Criminal Justice Ph.D. student at the University of South Carolina. She completed her undergraduate degree at Hamilton College where she majored in Sociology and minored in Hispanic studies. Her research focuses on the administration of justice within legal frameworks, with a particular emphasis on pre-trial justice and the quality of legal resources accessible to individuals in custody. While at USC, Christina participated in the mentoring program and led a career readiness program for women detained at the local jail.