Crossroads, Young Adult Court, and Road to Reentry
Research assistants in the 3D lab work on three projects: the Crossroads Study, the Young Adult Court Study, and the Road to Reentry Study. The Crossroads Study examines the developmental trajectories of juvenile delinquency, develops diagnostics to improve the identification of treatment needs among youthful offenders, and explores the practical, legal, and economic implications of this research. The Young Adult Court (YAC) of Orange County was founded in response to the misalignment between developmental research and the application of criminal justice policies for transitional-aged youths. The YAC is a collaboration between the Defense Attorney, the District Attorney, Probation Officers, the Judge, the Orangewood Foundation and University of California, Irvine. Dr. Elizabeth Cauffman and her research team are evaluating the efficacy of the YAC in reducing recidivism and promoting prosocial outcomes. The Road to Reentry Study evaluates the effectiveness of a developmentally-tailored jail-based program for young adult males in Orange County.
For all studies, research assistants are primarily responsible for tracking youth between interviews, scheduling interviews with youth, and interviewing youth face-to-face in the community or in facilities. Additional responsibilities vary based on need, but may include data entry, literature searches and reviews, and file management tasks.
- For more information about applying to be a Research Assistant in the 3D lab, see the research opportunities page.
- If you are interested in receiving a letter of recommendation from Dr. Cauffman, please click here.
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
Each year, the undergraduate research assistants in the 3D lab team up with a graduate student to participate in UCI’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. RAs successfully obtained UROP funding, apply to and present at professional conferences, and participate in a research symposium for UROP. Check out some of our past UROP projects!
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Current Lab Members |
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Dannah Elhaj (Lab Manager) recently received her M.A. in Legal and Forensic Psychology from the University of California, Irvine. She plans to pursue a PhD in developmental psychology. Dannah is interested in how childhood trauma, maltreatment, and exposure to violence impact development in a variety of domains across the lifespan. She is specifically interested in the impact trauma and adversity have on adolescent and young adult offending behavior, violent behavior, and psychopathic traits. |
Karen Coronado graduated from the University of California, Irvine with her M.A. in Legal and Forensic Psychology. Her academic journey has fueled her interest in comprehending the mental health experiences of incarcerated populations, with a specific focus on immigrant communities. With the goal of obtaining her Ph.D., she aims to contribute to the field by supporting the development of culturally sensitive assessments and practices. Her dedication is driven by the desire to mitigate the risk of overpathologizing in underrepresented communities, fostering a more inclusive and equitable approach to mental health assessment and treatment. Her interests lie in bridging the gap between research and practice to enhance mental health assessments, referrals, and treatment for vulnerable groups. |
Angeleia Do is a 4th year undergraduate student double majoring in Psychological Science and Criminology, Law, and Society. Her research interests lie in the nuances of relationship factors and their importance to individual and social functioning, specifically as these dynamics differ across groups. She is particularly interested in how these relationships contribute to the re-entry process for incarcerated adults. Upon graduating, she plans to apply to Clinical Psychology PhD programs and work with justice-involved populations in the future. |
Amy Vera is in her third year at UC Irvine, pursuing a B.A. in Psychological Sciences and Criminology, Law, and Society. Her research interests include what behavioral programs can do to mediate the implications of adverse childhood experiences in adulthood. She is also interested in justice and social reform, such as public services like child protective services. She plans on pursuing a master’s in social work and becoming a clinical social worker. |
Teresa Verduzco Villa graduated cum laude from California Baptist University in December 2021 with a B.A. in Psychology, a concentration in Forensic Psychology, and a minor in Criminal Justice. She is currently in the post-baccalaureate program at UCI. Her research interests include adolescent development and criminogenic factors, sentence disparities and inequities within the criminal justice system, the efficacy of diversion programs, recidivism reduction, and reintegration support. After completing the post-bacc program, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Psychology and continue exploring research that integrates psychology and law. |
Nancy Reynoso is a third year undergraduate at UC Irvine. She is double majoring in Psychological Science and Political Science. Nancy is interested in researching ho wour current judicial systems affect the communities around us, physically and emotionally. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career in either immigration law or immigration policy. |
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Cynthia Rojas is a fourth-year student double majoring in Psychological Sciences and Criminology, Law, and Society. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree, she plans to apply to graduate school for forensic psychology. Cynthia’s primary research interests revolve around juvenile delinquency. |
Ethan Khousavath graduated in the Spring of 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. He is interested in mental health, specifically how child trauma and abuse manifest themselves as a person develops. Ethan plans to attend graduate school and enroll in a doctoral program to become a clinical psychologist. |
Emily Hernandez graduated from the University of California, Irvine (2020) with a B.A. in psychological science. She is in her second year of the Master of Legal and Forensic Psychology program at UC Irvine. Emily’s research interests include sexual violence, juvenile delinquency, violence, and anger. After graduating, Emily plans to take a year off to become a community college professor before applying to clinical psychology PhD programs. |
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Leo Tahmasebian graduated in Spring 2024 from UC Irvine with a BA in Psychology. His research interests are family dynamics in justice-system-impacted youth and the role of social media in engaging in risky behaviors in young people. He plans to go to graduate school to become a clinical psychologist and hopes to be able to work with children. |
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