Please join #AltAc’s meet and greet with its next rock star:
Dr. Marie Garcia
Dr. Marie Garcia’s role at the National Institute of Justice showcases the flexibility of any PhD. As a Senior Science Analyst, she provides technical expertise to NIJ Director, coordinates the implementation of federal legislation, leads setting the federal research agenda for corrections and reentry with agency partners, and oversees a large corrections and reentry research portfolio. We’re excited to talk to Dr. Garcia about why she entered federal service, the many hats she wears there, and how she manages dual audiences of policy makers and practitioners.
Keywords: Federal Agency, Legislation Implementation, Reentry, Institutional Corrections
Marie Garcia, Ph.D., is a Senior Social Science Analyst in the Office of the Director at the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). In this role, she provides leadership and technical expertise to the NIJ Director on issues related to corrections and offender reentry, and is the lead staff for activities related to the implementation of Title I of the First Step Act. Dr. Garcia leads and coordinates with federal partners to develop long-term research agendas on issues related to offender reentry and recidivism reduction, and acts as liaison and disseminates information about NIJ program requirements to in- and external stakeholders. She earned her doctorate in criminal justice from Temple University, where her research focused on the impact of disorganization and crime on levels of trust in Philadelphia, communities and crime, and institutional corrections. Dr. Garcia’s research portfolio at NIJ focuses on institutional and community corrections, offender reentry, risk and needs assessments, and special offender populations. Prior to NIJ, Dr. Garcia worked as a mental health counselor at Valley State Prison for Women in Chowchilla, CA. Her writing has appeared in Justice Quarterly, Criminology & Public Policy, The Journal of Research on Crime and Delinquency, The Journal of Family and Marriage, and Criminology. Dr. Garcia is committed to addressing the challenges faced by individuals under the supervision of the justice system and criminal justice personnel through innovation and science.