Erica Redner-Vera

Dr. Erica Redner-Vera is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Affairs at San Diego State University (SDSU), within the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts. Her research focuses on race, ethnicity, crime, and justice, with a specialization in American Indian legal and social issues. She holds a Ph.D. from Arizona State University (2019) and has taught courses on criminal justice, race/ethnicity, and juvenile justice at multiple institutions.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University (2019)
• M.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University (2011)
• B.A. in Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Reno (2008)

Research Interests:

• Examining sentencing disparities for American Indian defendants in federal courts
• Public perceptions of law enforcement in Native communities
• Racial equity in policing and criminal justice policies

Key Awards:

• Best Paper Award (2016) for work on Native youth perceptions of law enforcement
• U.S. Department of Justice-funded research on American Indian defendants (2015)

Grants/Advising:

• Co-PI for a study on La Mesa’s police oversight board (2020 proposal)
• Recipient of SDSU’s Fall 2022 research funding

Teaching spans undergraduate and graduate courses, including topics like juvenile justice, criminological theory, and race/ethnicity in crime.