Marisa Omori

Marisa Omori is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL). Her research focuses on racial inequality within criminal justice institutions, courts, sentencing, and punishment. Prior to UMSL, she was an Assistant Professor at the University of Miami. She earned her Ph.D. in Criminology, Law & Society from the University of California, Irvine.

Her work examines how racial inequality is perpetuated through criminal justice systems, emphasizing the role of context and place. Key research interests include racialization of crime control, colorism in sentencing among Hispanic communities, and organizational practices influencing police use-of-force disparities. Recent publications explore algorithmic approaches to detecting racial bias in criminal justice and the long-term impact of education on neighborhood crime trends.

Dr. Omori has contributed to peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Quantitative Criminology, Social Problems, and AI & SOCIETY. Her interdisciplinary work bridges criminology with sociology, policy analysis, and data science. She advocates for equitable reforms to address systemic racial disparities in policing, prosecution, and sentencing practices.