Department of Criminal Justice

Miriam Northcutt-Bohmert is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Indiana University and an expert on inequalities in corrections and community corrections. Her research examines how people navigate the criminal legal system differently based on race, class, gender identity, sexual preference, and other factors.

One of Northcutt Bohmert’s current data collection efforts explores the use of monetary sanctions in the state of Indiana, and is funded by the Arnold Ventures Foundation. The multi-year project has collected court records and financial and supervision data from probation, parole, community corrections agencies. Interviews and surveys with clients and probation officers were also conducted. Northcutt Bohmert’s research team has found that the average amount of fines and fees is $1,800 and approximately half of clients are unable to pay these amounts. Dr. Ebony Ruhland (Rutgers) lead the multi-state project; those findings are not yet available.

Another of Northcutt Bohmert’s current data collection efforts is the Arnold Ventures Reducing Revocations Challenge in Monroe County. This multi-year project is in its second phase of funding. The first phase examined the various pathways people on probation take to probation completion, or revocation. The research team, including Dr. Eric Grommon (IUPUI) and Dr. Evan Lowder (GMU), found that although most people complete probation successfully, there are about 10% of clients who experience repeated sequences of missed probation appointments, missed Court hearings, and substance use violations with or without a new offense. The second phase of the project aims to improve revocation outcomes for this group of people, as well as to target and reduce racial disparities in probation outcomes.

Finally, Northcutt Bohmert was invited to support a third research project, led by Dr. Tri Keah Henry (IU) and Dr. Eric Grommon (IUPUI) exploring racial and ethnic disparities in prosecution as well as across the criminal legal system. Northcutt-Bohmert will assist with qualitative data collection and analysis.

Northcutt Bohmert’s research has been funded by that National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Justice and has appeared in Crime & Delinquency, the British Journal of Criminology, Criminal Justice & Behavior, and Social Forces.