معرفی
Matt Epperson is an Associate Professor at the University of Chicago's Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, where he serves as Director of the Smart Decarceration Project and faculty director of the Transforming Justice Policies and Practices program. He is currently on leave for the 2022-23 academic year. With over 15 years of clinical and administrative experience in behavioral health and criminal justice settings, his work bridges research, policy, and practice.
Education:
- Ph.D. with distinction from Columbia University School of Social Work
- M.S.W. from Grand Valley State University
- B.S. in Sociology/Criminal Justice from Central Michigan University
Epperson's research develops interventions to reduce disparities in criminal legal systems, focusing on:
- Risk factors for legal involvement among people with mental illnesses
- Evidence-based decarceration strategies
- Substance abuse interventions for justice-involved populations
- Prosecutor-led diversion program efficacy
His publications demonstrate consistent focus on criminal justice transformation, with recent work emphasizing prosecutor-led diversion models, bail reform impacts on mental health populations, opioid crisis interventions, and probation system improvements. Methodologies span clinical trials, mixed-methods designs, and systematic reviews.
Major Research Projects:
- Principal Investigator: System-wide Adaptive Mental Health Measurement for Probationers (Cook County, IL - Arnold Foundation)
- Principal Investigator: Prosecutor-led Diversion Program Evaluation (Joyce Foundation)
- Co-Investigator: Reducing Opioid Mortality in Illinois (NIDA-funded)
- Principal Investigator: Justice and Mental Health Collaborative Evaluation (Bureau of Justice Assistance)
He directs the Smart Decarceration Project, which generates evidence for reducing incarceration through stakeholder collaborations. The initiative develops new interventions, informs policies, and fosters cross-sector movements for systemic change.
