Melba V. Pearson

Melba V. Pearson serves as Director of Prosecution Projects at Florida International University's Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy and holds adjunct appointments in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. She earned her J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law and a B.A. in Metropolitan Studies/Politics/Psychology from New York University.

Her research examines prosecutorial reform, criminal justice policy innovation, and civil rights litigation strategies. Key focus areas include:

• Data-driven prosecution metrics
• Police-community relations
• Voting rights restoration

Publications address racial justice, legal ethics, and political advocacy, with recent work analyzing reproductive rights ballot initiatives and electoral reform. Awarded for leadership in Florida's Amendment 4 voting rights campaign.

Advises on victim rights initiatives and mentors through the National Black Prosecutors Association.