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| Dr. Jonathan Reid |
The National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago selected Dr. Jonathan Reid and five other scholars to participate in the Diversity, Racial Equity, and Inclusion Scholars Program (DREI) for Fall 2022. The program is an opportunity for scholars to use NORC datasets to conduct equity-focused research to inform programs, policies, and services across the American landscape. The DREI focuses on mentorship from NORC’s expert data scientists as well as on collaboration and networking among scholars. The program runs from August through December 2022.
In the wake of recent nationwide demonstrations against police brutality, calls to defund the police and reinvest in public services emerged as a prominent proposal for reform. Dr. Reid’s study will use the General Society Survey (GSS) to examine the correlates of public attitudes toward the proposal. His study will specifically explore the effects of perceived national and personal economic insecurity on public support to defund law enforcement. He will also look at the indirect effects of these attitudes on public policy preferences during a time of reduced economic growth, a policing crisis, and widespread sociopolitical turmoil. Dr. Reid states, “As a scientist, I aim to leverage the opportunity as a NORC collaborator to engage in data-driven research that informs the ongoing debate on police reform in the United States.”
The GSS, the database used in Dr. Reid’s study, is a nationally representative survey of adults in the U.S. that started in 1972. The database has a wide range of topics, including opinions, attitudes, and behaviors. Through the GSS, NORC will work with Dr. Reid to build quantitative DREI research skills and learn strategies to develop culturally responsive methodologies. Dr. Reid states that “the [program’s] collaborative spirit will foster cross-fertilization of ideas that will broaden my scholarly toolbox and help me understand practical approaches to mentoring student scholars of diverse backgrounds and those interested in DREI research. It will also allow me to dive deeper into these pressing societal issues, understand the public’s perceptions and attitudes, and formulate strategies to best address the problem.”
Dr. Jonathan Reid obtained his Ph.D. in Criminology from Florida State University before joining Sam Houston State University as an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology in 2021. His research interests include sociopolitical inequalities and crime, police-community relations, public opinion, and lethal violence. Dr. Reid looks forward to the NORC experience to help “refine my approach to research on racial inequities in American policing and have access to unique data that I can use to explore the potential dynamics that underlie shifts in police policy across the country.” Dr. Reid states, “When you bring those two things together, it’s a fantastic opportunity.”
By: Allison Phillips ![]()
