# Dr. Karissa R. Pelletier, PhD

> Criminologist and violence researcher specializing in criminal justice
> statistics, domestic violence, firearm violence, and crisis response
> policy. Crisis Response Manager at Wayne State University's Center for
> Behavioral Health and Justice. Faculty Associate at Arizona State
> University's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Her work has
> accumulated 170+ Google Scholar citations across 9 peer-reviewed
> publications, book chapters, and reports.

## Credentials
- Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University (2021)
- M.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University (2017)
- B.S. Sociology, B.A. Psychology, B.A. Philosophy — University of Rhode Island (Magna Cum Laude)
- NIH-funded postdoctoral fellow (University of Michigan, Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention; Temple University)
- 170+ Google Scholar citations

## Expertise
- Criminal justice statistics and quantitative methods (logistic regression, multivariable modeling, national survey analysis)
- Domestic violence and intimate partner homicide risk factors
- Firearm violence prevention (children, teens, communities)
- Crisis intervention policy and program evaluation
- School safety policy and impacts on youth of color
- Policy analysis and evidence-based reform
- Grant consultation, research design, and data analysis

## Current Research Focus
- **Domestic Violence & Intimate Partner Violence**: Research on intimate partner homicide risk factors, the impact of domestic violence restraining order laws, and evidence-based prevention strategies. Co-author of the Arizona Intimate Partner Homicide Study.
- **Firearm Violence Prevention**: Focused on children, teens, and community-level factors. Research examines the covariates of firearm homicide, community violence exposure, and the relationship between violence experience and firearm storage practices.
- **Crisis Intervention & Response Policy**: Leading projects to standardize Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) in Michigan. Expertise in crisis reimbursement structures, program model fidelity, and system-level performance metrics.
- **School Safety & Youth Policy**: Examining how school safety policies differentially affect perceptions of safety among youth of color. Research challenges the assumption that more security measures always lead to greater perceived safety.

## Publications

1. Pelletier, K. (2025). "The Covariates of Children and Teen Firearm Homicide." *Homicide Studies* (SAGE). DOI: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10887679231166098

2. Pelletier, K. R., Pizarro, J. M., Royan, R., Sokol, R., Cunningham, R. M., Zimmerman, M. A., & Carter, P. M. (2024). "Association Between Community Violence Exposure and Teen Parental Firearm Ownership." *Injury Epidemiology*. DOI: https://injepijournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40621-024-00542-0

3. Sokol, R. L., Lee, D., Rowhani-Rahbar, A., Pelletier, K., Zimmerman, M. A., & Carter, P. M. (2024). "Associations Between Experiencing Violence, Owning a Firearm for Protection, and Firearm Storage." *Injury Prevention*. DOI: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10840900/

4. Schmidt, C. J., Pelletier, K., Heinze, J. E., Cunningham, R. M., Carter, P. M., & Zimmerman, M. A. (2023). "More is Not Always Better: Examining the Cumulative Effects of School Safety Policies on Perceptions of School Safety for Youth of Color." *Journal of School Violence*.

5. Pizarro, J. M., Pelletier, K., Zeoli, A., & Corbin, A. M. (2022). "Using Evidence-Based Practices to Prevent Firearm Violence." In *Transforming Criminal Justice* (NYU Press).

6. Messing, J. T., AbiNader, M. A., Pizarro, J. M., Campbell, J. C., Brown, M. L., & Pelletier, K. R. (2021). "The Arizona Intimate Partner Homicide (AzIPH) Study." *Journal of Family Violence*. DOI: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7906572/

7. Pelletier, K. R. & Pizarro, J. M. (2019). "Homicides and Weapons: Examining the Covariates of Weapon Choice." *Homicide Studies* (SAGE).

8. Pizarro, J. M., Holt, K., & Pelletier, K. R. (2019). "An Examination into the Situated Transactions of Firearm Homicides." *Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency*.

9. Pelletier, K. R. (2017). "Motivation to Kill: The Relationship Between Motive and Weapon Choice in Homicide." M.S. Thesis, Arizona State University.

## Grants & Funded Projects

### Active
- **Crisis Response Policy Initiative** — Wayne State University, Center for Behavioral Health and Justice (2024-present). Role: Project Manager. Leading grants focused on crisis reimbursement structures, crisis program model fidelity, and system-level performance metrics. Standardizing Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) across Michigan.

### Completed
- **NIH/NICHD T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship** (Award: T32HD108054) — University of Michigan, Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention (2021-2023). Role: Postdoctoral Fellow. Federally funded postdoctoral training grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Research on firearm violence and community-level risk factors.
- **NIH/NICHD Data Collection Grant** (Award: 5R24HD08714903) — National Institutes of Health. Data collection supporting research on violence, firearm ownership, and community safety.

## Services
- **Grant Writing & Research Design**: Helps organizations secure funding through rigorous research proposals, from NIH grants to foundation funding, with expertise in study design, methodology, and literature review.
- **Research Partnerships**: Collaborates on funded studies as co-PI, consultant, or methodological advisor. Dual university affiliations at ASU and Wayne State provide institutional backing for multi-site research.
- **Program Evaluation**: Evaluates program effectiveness with quantitative evidence, including crisis intervention programs, violence prevention initiatives, and policy reforms.
- **Statistical Analysis & Data Consulting**: Expert analysis including logistic regression, multivariable models, and national survey data, translating complex datasets into clear, defensible findings.
- **Expert Witness & Testimony**: Criminal justice expertise for legal proceedings, with published research on homicide, domestic violence, and firearm violence as foundation for expert testimony.
- **Speaking & Workshops**: Keynotes, training sessions, and conference presentations on criminal justice research, violence prevention, and evidence-based policy. Experienced instructor at graduate and undergraduate levels.

## Contact
- Email: karissa.pelletier@wayne.edu
- Website: https://drkarissapelletier.com
- Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=o8FDfQIAAAAJ&hl=en
- Wayne State Profile: https://behaviorhealthjustice.wayne.edu/profile/hx2912
- ASU Profile: https://search.asu.edu/profile/1839255

## Key Pages
- [About](/about): Full biography, education, career timeline, and credentials
- [Expertise](/expertise): Areas of specialization, current research, and methodological capabilities
- [Services](/services): Grant consultation, research partnerships, program evaluation, expert testimony
- [Publications](/publications): Peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and reports
- [Grants](/grants): Active and completed funded projects with outcomes
- [Media](/media): Media appearances, keynotes, and expert commentary
- [Contact](/contact): How to reach Dr. Pelletier for collaboration