She graduated from Texas A&M University with a sociology degree and earned her masters and Ph.D. degrees from The Pennsylvania State University. Her research interests include criminology, juvenile delinquency, the sociology of the family, parenting, and religion. Recent publication topics have included gender differences in the associated impairments of childhood sexual abuse and the impact of moral communities on criminal sentencing. Current research includes topics such as the reciprocal effects of parenting and delinquency, the impact of moral communities on cohabitation, and differences in sexual outcomes for youth living with single mothers versus single fathers.