She holds a Ph.D. in sociology and, in addition to communication courses, has taught courses in deviance and crime, gender, and social psychology. Much of her research focuses on violent behavior and the intersections of gender, race, class, and crime. Her recent publications include a book, “Creating Cultural Monsters: Serial Murder in America,” that explores the sociocultural context of serial murder, and an article in the journal “Criminal Justice Studies” that examines gendered treatment in the criminal justice system in cases of filicide.