Heather Zaykowski

Heather Zaykowski is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her research focuses on victimization, youth violence, and the intersection of victimization with criminal justice systems. She holds a PhD from the University of Delaware and has received research funding from organizations like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and the Senator Charles E. Shannon, Jr. Community Safety Initiative.

Her expertise spans topics such as police-community relationships, victim reporting behaviors, and interventions for chronically homeless populations. Key areas of investigation include racial and gender disparities in policing, youth victimization prevention, and the effectiveness of housing programs for individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

Zaykowski has published extensively on victimization trajectories, judicial sentencing patterns, and community-based solutions to crime. Her recent work highlights systemic issues in victim services, the paradox of crime reporting among disadvantaged groups, and the role of collective efficacy in high-crime neighborhoods. She collaborates with policymakers to translate research findings into actionable strategies for reducing victimization and promoting social equity.