Sarah Lageson

Sarah Lageson is an Associate Professor at Northeastern University with a joint appointment in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and the School of Law. She holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Minnesota and a JD from Rutgers Law School. Her research focuses on the intersection of technology, surveillance, and the criminal legal system, particularly the impact of digital criminal records on privacy and social stigma. Lageson’s work has been recognized with awards such as the Michael J. Hindelang Award for her book Digital Punishment, which examines how data-driven systems perpetuate inequality. She has also contributed to policy initiatives like the Clean Slate Initiative, studying expungement reforms and their societal implications.

• Education: PhD in Sociology (Minnesota), JD (Rutgers)
• Key Roles: Affiliated Scholar at the American Bar Foundation

Her research spans algorithmic injustice, criminal record discrimination, and automated legal relief. Notable grants include funding from the Russell Sage Foundation and the National Institute of Justice. Lageson frequently collaborates with scholars like Sarah Brayne and Robert Stewart to address issues such as data broker compliance and immigration outcomes of expungement policies.

Her advocacy extends beyond academia, with op-eds in Washington Post, Wired, and VICE, and testimony in legal cases regarding digital privacy and criminal records. Current projects include analyzing cannabis expungement laws and the role of 'surveillance deputies' in modern policing.