Bio

Valerie L. Wright earned her Ph.D. in Sociology from the Ohio State University in 2009 and joined the Department of Sociology at Cleveland State University in 2012. She has a diverse background in research, policy evaluation, advocacy, and teaching. In addition, she has worked in corrections with both adults and juvenile offenders. Her research interests include race and gender disparities in the criminal justice system, sentencing policy, and the effects of mass incarceration. Her most recent publication is a book titled Could Quicker Executions Deter Homicides which examines whether long waits on death row have implications for the deterrent value of capital punishment.