Valerie Anderson

Dr. Valerie Anderson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri - St. Louis. Professor Anderson is a community psychologist by training, receiving her Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 2015. Her approach to research is characterized by utilizing multiple methods to conduct interdisciplinary, community-engaged research to understand system responses to youth offending and victimization, and—more specifically—the circumstances and contexts in which these areas intersect. Her research program includes two substantive areas of inquiry: (1) system-involved youth and responses, and (2) experiences of victimization and trauma (with a primary focus on human trafficking). Given Dr. Anderson's background in community psychology, her examination of these specific topics spans multiple levels of analysis (e.g., individual, relational, environmental, socio-structural), cross-disciplinary theoretical perspectives, and multiple methodological approaches—relying on primary data collection and community-based collaborations with agency partners.

Dr. Anderson's recent research has been published in a variety of criminal justice (e.g., Criminal Justice and Behavior, Crime and Delinquency, Criminology & Public Policy), public health (e.g., American Journal of Public Health, Pediatrics, Journal of Adolescent Health), and psychology (e.g., American Journal of Community Psychology) journals. In addition, she has served as the principal investigator on several externally funded grants. She has received national recognition for her research and teaching by the American Society of Criminology Division of Victimology, the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, and the American Society of Criminology Division of Feminist Criminology. 

Areas of Specialization:

Feminist criminology
Youth and adolescence 
Victimization
System responses