Dr. Natalia Tapia

Associate Professor, Justice, Law and Public Safety Studies

Credentials:
Ph.D., Sam Houston State University, 2011
M.S., University of North Texas, 2004
J.D., Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, 2002
B.J.S., Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, 2000

Celebration of Scholarship Mentor:
A Step Toward a Better Life After Sex Trafficking
Undergraduate Student Project in Humanities

Courses/Focus Areas, Graduate:
Applied Research Methods
Criminology
Ethics and Integrity
Police Civil Liability

Professional Background:

Dr. Tapia has worked as a Security Investigator for the U.S. Department of State and as a Legal Counselor for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. She has also done research for non-governmental organizations in the areas of family violence and prisoners’ rights. Her main areas of academic and teaching expertise are Criminology, Research Methods, Criminal Law, and the Intersections of Race, Gender and Crime.

Research Interests:

Dr. Tapia’s research interests include state violence and human rights violations, political corruption, race and crime, female offenders and victims, prisoners’ rights, and elder abuse. She regularly presents her work at annual conferences such as the American Society of Criminology, the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, and the American Correctional Association. She has published numerous research pieces in addition to book reviews at top-tier peer-reviewed journals such as The Prison Journal, Criminal Law Bulletin, Social Science Review, Southwest Journal of Criminal Justice, and Race and Justice.