Wesfield, MA
Dr. Lisa Barao is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Westfield State University and a Research Fellow with the Crime and Justice Policy Lab at the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her Ph.D. in Criminology and Justice Policy from Northeastern University. Her research broadly concentrates on policing issues and urban gun violence policy and interventions. Her policing research has included organizational studies using surveys and interviews with officers to examine factors like internal procedural justice, job satisfaction, perceptions of internal support, personnel and equipment resources, and experiences of workplace discrimination and harassment. She has also explored the impacts of technology on police operations and effectiveness, focusing on body-worn cameras, CCTV, and real-time crime centers. Dr. Barao’s research on gun violence includes analyses of local violence dynamics to inform intervention strategies; evaluations of police and community-based interventions; and analyses of homicide and nonfatal shooting investigations. She has conducted comprehensive violence problem analyses in numerous cities across the U.S. and consults with municipal, state, and federal agencies to provide guidance on data-informed, sustainable violence reduction strategies.