Adam Dunbar

Adam Dunbar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), part of the College of Liberal Arts. He joined UNR in 2020 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship in Sociology and Criminal Justice at the University of Delaware. His Ph.D. in Criminology, Law, and Society was earned at the University of California, Irvine, following a B.A. in Sociology and Psychology from Stanford University. Dunbar’s research focuses on the intersection of race and criminal justice, including racial disparities in policing and punishment, public opinion on criminal justice reform, and the role of stereotypes in shaping policy preferences.

His educational background includes a double major in Sociology and Psychology from Stanford University (2010) and a Ph.D. in Criminology, Law, and Society from UC Irvine (2017). Key themes in his work include how racial attitudes influence criminal justice outcomes, the psychology behind law enforcement decisions, and barriers to systemic reform. Recent studies explore the impact of racial stereotypes on public funding for crime control, perceptions of systemic racism among judges, and the effects of protest demographics on support for police reform.

Publications span journals like Justice Quarterly, Race & Justice, and Psychology, Public Policy, & Law, with a focus on experimental methods to analyze societal attitudes. His work often bridges criminology with sociological and psychological frameworks, emphasizing real-world policy implications. Notable research includes examining rap music’s role in legal judgments and the intersection of public health crises with policing practices.