Katherine Irwin

Katherine Irwin is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, within the College of Social Sciences. Her research focuses on gender, race, class, and structural inequalities as they intersect with youth violence, criminal justice, and school-based punishment. She teaches courses such as SOC 231: Introduction to Juvenile Delinquency, SOC 335: Survey of Drugs and Society, and SOC 609: Seminar in Qualitative Research.

• PhD, Sociology, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2001
• BA, Sociology, Smith College, 1989

Her research investigates whether general theories of youth violence apply to girls’ physical aggression and explores the gendered, raced, and classed experiences of multiple forms of violence. As a scholar-activist, she designs and evaluates support programs for teens, including the “lunch bunch,” a school-based group that fosters emotional safety and problem-solving. She advocates for non-punitive youth interventions and civil rights restoration for formerly incarcerated individuals.

Her book Jacked Up and Unjust has been praised by scholars like Amy Best and Victor Rios for its powerful ethnography on marginalized youth resilience and systemic injustice. While no recent publications are listed, her work influences discussions on youth violence and alternatives to punitive systems.

• Advocacy for prison-to-college pathways
• Testimony to legislators on youth justice reform
• Design and implementation of teen support programs

She is actively engaged in community outreach, including mental health awareness and peacemaking initiatives with youth. Her blog highlights teen creativity, empowerment, and strategies for coping with stress and depression.