Alexandra Natapoff

Professor Alexandra Natapoff is a faculty member at Harvard Law School and a leading expert in criminal justice, with a focus on misdemeanors, wrongful convictions, and racial inequality in legal systems. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Yale University (1987) and a J.D. from Stanford Law School (1995). Her scholarly work has earned recognition including the ABA Silver Gavel Award Honorable Mention and a 2016 Guggenheim Fellowship.

Her research examines systemic issues in municipal courts, plea bargaining practices, and the role of criminal informants. Notable publications include Punishment Without Crime (2018) and Snitching (2022). Her work has been cited in judicial opinions and influenced legislative reforms at both state and federal levels.

As a former Assistant Federal Public Defender in Baltimore, Maryland, she brings practical insights to her academic work. She actively collaborates with legal practitioners and policymakers through initiatives like the Municipal Courts Project and Constitutional Rights in Black & White video casebook. Her scholarship bridges empirical legal studies with critical legal theory, emphasizing the intersection of race, poverty, and criminal justice outcomes.