Social Ecology

Seeing the way forward

With the help of a scholarship and disability services, blind sophomore Gordon Wong is working toward a bright future

Study finds that drug activity boosts crime in neighborhoods regardless of stability, wealth

The influence of drug activity on crime rates is independent of a neighborhood’s stability and socioeconomic status, according to a recent UCI study. “Communities with narcotics trafficking bring in serious, high-rate offenders, whose activities spill over into surrounding neighborhoods,” said lead author Christopher Contreras, a doctoral student in criminology, law & society. “Residential stability and […]

UCI online master’s program in criminology, law & society rises to No. 2 in national ranking

UCI’s Master of Advanced Study in criminology, law & society has advanced to No. 2 in the country in U.S. News & World Report‘s 2019 ranking of the Best Online Graduate Criminal Justice Programs. A total of 77 schools with online criminal justice or criminology programs were evaluated in five categories: engagement, expert opinion, faculty […]

Pre-disaster predictions linked to post-disaster psychological outcomes, UCI study finds

First-of-its-kind research conducted in Florida before Hurricane Irma hit

National Institute of Justice awards grant of $780,000 to professor of psychological science

Elizabeth Cauffman, professor of psychological science at UCI, has received a $780,000 grant from the National Institute of Justice to evaluate the Orange County Young Adult Court. This will be the first randomized control trial in the country of a YAC. Such courts are designed to focus specifically on people between the ages of 18 […]

Distinguished Professor Elizabeth Loftus is awarded Dublin university’s Ulysses Medal

Elizabeth Loftus, Distinguished Professor of psychological science as well as criminology, law & society, has been awarded the Ulysses Medal, University College Dublin’s highest honor, given to those whose work has made an outstanding global contribution. It’s named in recognition of UCD alumnus James Joyce, and past recipients include linguist Noam Chomsky, former U.S. President […]

The American Dream Personified

From helping homeless youths to leading California’s community college system, UCI alumni are living out the American dream in myriad ways. Tenacious, intelligent and driven, they have overcome adversity to achieve their visions and make a difference in their communities and in the world. Below, we explore just a small sampling of the fascinating success stories created by UCI graduates.

Justice league

Social ecology faculty highlight deficits in effort to improve law enforcement, court processes and corrections

Community ‘factivists’

Researchers with UCI’s Metropolitan Futures Initiative use big data to reveal SoCal socioeconomic, crime trends

UCI announces 2018-19 Hellman Fellows

Seven early-career faculty members receive funding to support research