Presenter: Presley Camp, Social Science
Mentors: Alora McCarthy, M.A. & Dr. Edelyn Verona
Title: Trauma Incarcerated: Investigating the Link Between Adverse Childhood Experiences
and Adult Criminal Offending Behaviors
Research: This research sought to investigate the relationship between childhood trauma and
adult criminality in incarcerated individuals. Using data from 1000 participants incarcerated
at the Pasco County Jail, it was found that there were significant, positive correlations
between participants' Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) scores and frequency of
offenses, violent offenses, and lifetime arrests. These results allow us to infer
that experiencing more traumatic events in childhood is related to exhibiting more
criminal behaviors in adulthood.
Presenter: Karly Underwood, Social Science
Mentor: Dr. Christine Ruva
Title: Age and Accountability: The Effects of Defendant Age on Verdicts and Credibility
Research: We examined the effects of defendant age, victim age, and age-related stereotypes on undergraduate mock jurors’ (N = 251) verdicts and defendant credibility ratings. To address gaps in the literature we focused on the difference between young and older adult victims and defendants. Overall, the current findings suggest that defendant and victim age influence juror decisions and perceptions, and contribute to the gap in the literature concerning age effects for older defendants.