Interdisciplinary Research in Mental Health & Criminal Justice

Posted May 7, 2024December 21, 2024 in PhD Students, Prevention Science, Stories, Students

Reading Time: 4 minutes

A fascination with the intersections of mental health and criminal justice has shaped Catherine Heitz’s journey from clinical psychology to groundbreaking research as a PhD student in the Prevention Science program at Rutgers-Camden. Driven by a desire to address the root causes of societal challenges, she now explores critical issues such as community violence, firearm attitudes in rural settings, and the impact of trauma-informed policing on urban violence rates. Her work not only seeks to understand these pressing topics but also aims to spark transformative change. Keep reading to discover how Catherine’s unique background and interdisciplinary approach are paving the way for innovative solutions.

From Clinician Aspirations to Researcher Realizations

My education journey began with a bachelor’s degree in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice where I graduated cum laude with two minors, interdisciplinary studies and art. While abroad on a clinical psychology study trip to the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, my career goal of clinician shifted to researcher. It inspired me to pursue a Master’s program in Behavioral Neuroscience at Queens College to study the biological basis of psychology and behavior, particularly the epigenetics of fear and traumatic stress. This research allowed me to publish in prenatal stress and child neuropsychology.

Here, I learned about and conducted longitudinal research responsibilities, including participant outreach, surveying, neurocognitive interviewing, such as the mini-international neuropsychiatric interview, and physiological measures, such as heart rate and MRIs. I also participated in a study evaluating the use of daily intervention software (games) on depressive and anxiety symptoms in college-aged adults.

The Prevention Science program emphasizes active research, where we aim to identify, propose, and evaluate catalysts for change in our society.
Catherine Heitz

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Choosing Prevention Science for Lasting Impact

These blended experiences encouraged me to find a program that will allow me to keep my interests and incorporate them all into my research moving forward. The Prevention Science program emphasizes active research, where we aim to identify, propose, and evaluate catalysts for change in our society. I am honing my research skills using large, open-access data and combining it with local data collection to study the effects of policy implementation. The amazing support of the prevention science graduate committee and affiliated faculty makes this possible!

I am a natural collaborator, so I wanted an interdisciplinary program that could be shaped by my passions: mental health and criminal justice. Specifically, I am interested in the psychiatric epidemiology of community violence and trauma.

Assessing Trauma-Informed Police Policies in Philadelphia

Currently, I am working on evaluating community violence and attitudes toward firearms in a rural county with Dr. Richard Stansfield. I am also looking at the efficacy of trauma-informed policies in local and city police on violence rates in Philadelphia. In the future, I hope to merge my background in psychology and neuroscience with the experience of trauma in chronically affected areas to implement policies and interventions to help individuals and their communities.