Nicole Kaufman

Nicole Kaufman is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Graduate Program Director of the M.A. in Law, Justice & Culture at Ohio University’s College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Sociology and Anthropology. She is actively engaged in research and teaching in political sociology, criminology, law & society, and qualitative methods.

• BA, Barnard College, Columbia University
• MA, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Dr. Kaufman's research focuses on institutional arrangements affecting social inclusion, particularly in the criminal justice system. Her work explores prisoner reentry, women’s incarceration, faith-based rehabilitation programs, and the role of NGOs in the penal state. She employs qualitative methodologies to examine how governance, race, and gender intersect in correctional policies and practices. Her scholarship critically analyzes privatization, state reliance on religious organizations, and epistemic conflicts in frontline criminal justice work.

The trends in her recent publications reveal a sustained engagement with the expansion of the penal state through non-governmental actors, racial and gender disparities in community corrections, and the politics of knowledge in criminal justice reform. Her work spans interdisciplinary venues in criminology, sociology, and legal studies, reflecting a deep commitment to understanding structural inequities and pathways to justice.

Scientific awards and recognitions include:

• Teaching Assistant Award for excellent service at UW-Madison

Dr. Kaufman mentors students involved in prison reform research and has guided capstone and graduate-level work on incarceration and reentry. While specific grant details are not listed, her research on state-NGO partnerships and correctional systems suggests sustained scholarly investigation likely supported by academic funding. She teaches courses such as Criminology, Punishment & Society, and a graduate seminar on Prisoner Reentry.

She is affiliated with research platforms including Academia.edu, Google Scholar, and ORCID, and her work is cited in public discourse, including media outlets like the Ohio Capital Journal. Her role as Graduate Program Director indicates leadership in academic training within the Law, Justice & Culture program.