A group of Florida Tech forensic psychology students, led by faculty members Brandon May and Marshall Jones, presented their research at the annual Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences meeting in Denver, Co., this semester. The undergraduate-heavy group gave more than a dozen presentations over the course of the five-day conference.
Presentations covered the complexities of mental health courts in modern justice, juveniles and the police, law enforcement and community integration, navigating adversity and crime and long-term outcomes of individuals who started offending as juveniles, among other topics.
“We dominated that conference,” May said. “There weren’t many, if any, undergraduates presenting research at this level. It really is heartwarming to see how much they progress; they’re producing publishable research.”
Florida Tech is one of only a handful of schools in the nation to offer a bachelor’s degree in forensic psychology.
The students’ research was conducted through the university’s Center for Applied Criminal Case Analysis, which Jones directs. The center partners with federal and local law enforcement agencies so students can analyze data from real criminal case files and records. Their findings have helped several agencies determine policy and practice.
Jones established a partnership with the Florida Police Chiefs Association (FPCA) that gives students the opportunity to participate in conferences, conduct research and write for the organization’s magazine, The Florida Police Chief. This agreement allows students to deepen their resumes while also building connections in the law enforcement community.
“Engaging with the [FPCA] officers and the chiefs is really eye-opening,” said clinical psychology Psy.D. student Isobel Avento ‘21. “We learn about officers in our courses, but until you meet them, you don’t understand how those interactions will go. Getting to know that culture is really cool.”
Jones is a practitioner at heart (and in background), calling himself an “accidental academic.” He served as a police officer with the Palm Bay Police Department before leaving the sector and establishing Florida Tech’s forensic psychology program in 2003. He is still a reserve duty officer and a member of the FPCA.
Jones’s time in the field continues to shape his teaching philosophy, which values real-world research for his students that will benefit practitioners.
“Students need to learn how to be culturally competent in the culture of policing. The only way to do that is to engage and be involved,” Jones said.
The following Florida Tech presentations were delivered at the 2025 Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences meeting:
- Barriers to Success: The Complexities of Mental Health Courts in Modern Justice (Natalie Buczek, Kristin Harris, Lillianna Vitale, Sydney Minor and Kaitlyn Bonner)
- Grim Storytelling as a Catalyst for Action: Enhancing Decision-Making in High-Stakes Events through Narrative Framing (Brandon May)
- Strengthening Criminal Justice through Research-Practitioner Partnerships (Marshall Jones)
- Lessons from the UK Manchester Arena Bombing for Enhancing Decision-Making in High-Stakes Events (Brandon May)
- No Place To Land: Severely Mentally-Dependent Adults Are Likely to Default to Incarceration Facilities (Kaitlyn Bonner)
- Juvenile Offender Curfew Checks: Criminal Careers 25 Years Later (Marshall Jones, Isobel Avento, Natalie Buczek, Brandon May)
- Youthful Missteps: How Early Drug Offenses Shape Future Criminality (Kristin Harris)
- Learning by Doing: Engaging Students in Applied Research (Marshall Jones, Brandon May, Natalie Buczek, Isobel Avento, Erin Vantre, Janelle Jacobson)
- Cops in Court: Juror Perceptions of Police Witnesses (Natalie Buczek)
- Addressing the Recruiting and Retention Challenges through a Culture of Leadership Development (Marshall Jones)
- Maximizing Intelligence Opportunities through Cell Approaches in Police Custody (Brandon May)
- Long-Term Outcomes of Individuals Who Started Offending as Juveniles (Gabrielle Fox, Marshall Jones, Brandon May)
- Navigating Adversity and Crime: Exploring the Intersection of Childhood Trauma and Recidivism (Izzy Avento, Marshall Jones)
- Toward a Risk Assessment Tool for Identifying Predatory Behaviors in Public Spaces (Janelle Jacobson, Brandon May, Marshall Jones)
- Identifying Gateway Crimes: Exploring Juvenile Offenses and Their Impact on Recidivism Rates (Madison Chouinard, Sydney Minor)
- The Forensic Competency Evaluation Crisis (Sydney Minor, Lillianna Vitale)
- US Migratory Patterns of Chronic Offenders (Haley Watts, Marshall Jones, Brandon May)
- Online and On Display: Public Perceptions of Victimization in Women’s Online Sex Work (Amber King, Alexandra Philips, Brandon May)
- The Good, The Bad, and Toxic: Lessons for Current and Future Academic Leaders (Marshall Jones)
- Simulation-Based Training for Investigative Interviewing: Preparing Undergraduate Students for Real-World Forensic Practice (Brandon May, Marshall Jones, Travis Contradt)
