Jeff Kukucka

Dr. Jeff Kukucka is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Towson University, part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on psychological causes and consequences of wrongful convictions, including forensic science errors, post-exoneration adjustment, and police interrogations. He directs the PLaTo Lab, which examines applications of psychology to criminal justice. Kukucka holds a Ph.D. from the CUNY Graduate Center and has been recognized with awards such as the APS Rising Star (2021) and the American Psychology-Law Society Saleem Shah Award (2020). He teaches courses like Behavioral Statistics and Advanced Experimental Design.

• Education: Ph.D. Psychology (CUNY, 2014), M.A. Forensic Psychology (John Jay College, 2012), B.A. Psychology (Loyola College, 2009)
• Research: Human factors in forensic science, wrongful conviction impacts, cognitive biases
• Awards: 2024 Early Career Teaching Award, 2016-2023 Distinguished Faculty Awards

His work bridges psychological science and legal reform, with a focus on exoneree mental health and forensic expert decision-making. Recent projects include auditing mental health barriers for exonerees and exploring bias in fingerprint analysis.

• Lab: PLaTo Lab (Psychology & Law at Towson) trains students in forensic research
• Grants: Active projects on forensic bias mitigation and post-exoneration support
• Publications: Over 40 peer-reviewed articles on wrongful convictions and legal psychology