BA, MA, PhD, University of Oklahoma
Dr. Jennifer Hartsfield is a professor and department chairperson. She also serves as the Bridgewater State Chapter MSCA President. Prior to chairing the department, she was the graduate coordinator in the department for 9 years. Dr. Hartsfield joined the Criminal Justice department fall of 2011 after completing a PhD in Sociology and a graduate certificate in Women and Gender Studies from the University of Oklahoma. Her research in Oklahoma looked at cumulative trauma across the lifetime of incarcerated women and the mental health outcomes this trauma produced. In addition to a dissertation, she has published several articles and given numerous research presentations on trauma and mental health of incarcerated women. Additionally, Dr. Hartsfield works on grant and evaluation research which has produced multiple state and agency reports. Since 2007 she has worked on funded evaluation projects on incarcerated mothers, Oklahoma City Police, trauma in corrections (MA), and Brockton-Shannon CSI LARP -2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 (Commonwealth of MA).
Dr. Hartsfield teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in the areas of mental health, gender, research methods, data analysis, theory, corrections, trauma, family, and juveniles. She has chaired Seven undergraduate honors thesis projects and ten graduate thesis projects. Many of her students have traveled to ASC, ACJS, or JSA to present their research.
Areas of Research:
Trauma, Mental Health, and CJ, Gender and Violence, Intersectionality, Youth/School to Prison Pipeline, Evaluation Research, Sports, Trauma/Violence, and Mental Health