Samantha Kopf

Dr. Samantha Kopf serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Services at Bowling Green State University's College of Health & Human Services, where she joined the faculty in 2023 following completion of her Ph.D. in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology and Quantitative Methods from BGSU. Her academic responsibilities include teaching undergraduate courses such as Research Methods for the Human Services, Introduction to the Criminal Justice System, and Juvenile Justice Subsystems within the Criminal Justice program.

Educational background:

• Ph.D. in Sociology (Criminology and Quantitative Methods), Bowling Green State University, 2023

Dr. Kopf's research program centers on life-course and developmental criminology, specifically investigating how early life turning points—including juvenile arrest and victimization—shape long-term outcomes in family relationships, employment trajectories, and civic engagement. Her victimology work examines subtype variations and gendered pathways between victimization and subsequent offending, utilizing advanced quantitative methodologies to analyze longitudinal datasets and identify critical developmental junctures.

Analysis of her 13 publications (2020-2025) reveals a cohesive research trajectory focused on collateral consequences of justice system involvement, particularly among adjudicated youth populations. Key thematic clusters include labeling effects of arrest on family support systems, racial inequities in employment outcomes following early justice contact, and the interplay between neighborhood contexts and youth firearm carrying behaviors. Her methodological approach consistently employs longitudinal designs to capture age-graded effects and developmental trajectories.

Scientific recognition:

• No awards or fellowships documented in available sources

Regarding academic mentorship, no graduate students or research advisees are listed in current documentation. Dr. Kopf operates within BGSU's Department of Human Services, which participates in the Police Integrity Research Group and Labor Trafficking Research initiatives; while her specific role in these units isn't detailed, her publication record demonstrates alignment with their investigative foci on justice system impacts and vulnerable populations.