Emily K. Asencio

Emily K. Asencio is Professor and Chair of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies at Sonoma State University. She holds bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in Sociology from the University of California, Riverside. Her primary research examines the relationship between social psychological identity development and criminal outcomes, with particular focus on adolescent interactions with justice systems.

Research expertise spans:

• Social psychology and identity formation
• Criminological theory development
• Juvenile justice system processes
• Quantitative and qualitative research methods
• Correctional rehabilitation programs
• Policy evaluation methodologies

Current investigations focus on identity development during adolescence and how justice system contact influences subsequent behavioral outcomes. Her work connects psychological frameworks with structural analysis of institutional impacts on developmental trajectories.