Melinda Tasca

Dr. Melinda Tasca is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), College of Liberal Arts. Her research focuses on corrections, collateral consequences of incarceration, and criminal justice disparities.

Her work examines correctional policy, prison conditions, and incarceration consequences with emphasis on gender and race disparities. Key research areas include prison violence, visitation dynamics, and reentry challenges, employing mixed-methods approaches to bridge research, policy, and practice.

Recent publications (2025-2018) highlight her focus on prison visitation barriers, restrictive housing disparities, and gendered reentry experiences. Her scholarship appears in top journals including Justice Quarterly and Criminal Justice and Behavior.

Dr. Tasca has secured major research funding from:

• National Science Foundation (NSF)
• National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
• Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Arnold Ventures

She collaborates extensively with correctional agencies on large-scale data collection projects involving incarcerated populations and correctional staff.