His research utilizes qualitative and computational data collection methods to examine how and why gang violence, trauma, grief, and identity are expressed on social media and the real world impact they have on well-being for low-income youth of color. Dr. Patton’s research on Internet Banging has been discussed nationally on media outlets to include the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, USA Today, NPR, Boston Magazine, ABC News, and many more. Dr. Patton also provides expert witness testimony using social media during court trials. He was recently cited in an Amici Curae Brief submitted to the United States Supreme Court in the Elonis vs United States case which examined the issues of interpreting threats on social media.