معرفی
Racheal E. Pesta serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, Criminology and Social Work at Eastern Connecticut State University, specializing in criminological theory and social inequality within criminal justice systems.
Education
- Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Akron
- M.S. in Criminal Justice, Youngstown State University
Research Focus: Dr. Pesta's work rigorously examines racial and gender disparities across criminal justice contexts. Her seminal research investigates how school suspension and expulsion disproportionately impact adolescents' life trajectories through the school-to-prison pipeline, with recent work spotlighting the stagnation of women in law enforcement (only 12% representation since the 1990s). She co-founded Eastern's "Women in Policing" mentorship program connecting female students with officers statewide to address recruitment gaps.
Publication Trends: Her peer-reviewed work since 2016 consistently centers on intersectional analysis of punishment systems. Articles span school discipline's racialized gender effects, gendered responses to intimate partner violence, and policing career barriers, predominantly published in Feminist Criminology, Crime & Delinquency, and gender studies journals. A unifying thread examines how institutional practices compound disadvantages for marginalized groups.
Mentorship & Engagement: Dr. Pesta actively supervises honors theses and independent studies, noting student career milestones like graduate program acceptances as most rewarding. Her community partnerships include Eastern's Department of Public Safety and Willimantic Police Department for the mentorship initiative, reflecting commitment to translating research into practical solutions for criminal justice disparities.
