Sociology and Criminology in the News

Department highlights

Students gain new perspectives through immersive spring break experience
8/14/26
The trip to the American South explored the connections between enslavement and mass incarceration.

News Center

Study shows how changes in family ties are associated with mental health among older adults in China
7/30/26
Study examined 3,519 participants in China to examine how older adults' relationships with their children change over time.
Study: Lasting employment barriers for Buffalo’s refugee communities suggest investment in economic integration needed
7/29/26
Study on local refugee community identifies three areas for policy improvements.
Author of PEN America report on prison book ban speaking at UB
4/21/26
James Tager, author of “Literature Locked Up,” will give a presentation about censorship practices in jails and prisons on April 23.
New perspectives through immersive spring break
4/21/26
The trip to the American South explored the connections between enslavement and mass incarceration.
UB study rethinks the dropout-crime connection
4/9/26
The research shows that the link between dropout and crime varies by pathway, particularly if a student is pushed or pulled out of school.
Study: Childhood war exposure leaves lasting pain
2/5/26
Paper provides new insights into warfare’s lifelong health consequences, particularly for noncombatants, with critical policy implications related to post-war recovery efforts.
Students take on justice reform in new criminology design challenge
11/19/25
UB students reimagine justice in the Innovate for Impact Criminology Design Challenge, a first-of-its-kind competition uniting creativity, compassion and criminology to tackle real-world issues in public safety and reform. From youth mentorship to restorative justice, the top teams turned bold ideas into actionable solutions for their communities.
Study: It’s not just chronic pain. It’s how many places it hurts that may affect the brain
11/10/25
Findings suggest that pain experienced in more than one site is strongly associated with a faster decline later in life in areas such as memory, reasoning and attention tasks.
Study: State social policies reduce joint pain prevalence
10/24/25
More benefits and easier access to care mean fewer people living in pain, researcher says.
David Geffen’s divorce gives new meaning to an old term
7/31/25
The New York Times interviewed Srushti Upadhyay, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology and Criminology, about hypergamy – the act of marrying someone with more financial resources.
New book by UB researcher turns urban sociology on its head
6/25/25
Disheartened by what he saw yet encouraged by the possibilities of sharing a new perspective, Gottdiener started down a path to shift the ideological focus of urbanism away from its historically singular focus on large cites.
Four first-gen students share stories of triumph following commencement
5/23/25
About one-third of undergraduates at the University at Buffalo are the first in their family to attend college. They radiate determination and ambition, and they inspire others to pursue higher education as a path toward upward mobility.
Management undergrad shares story of triumph as he walks the stage to graduate
5/23/25
Hector Cedeno Herrera, BS ’25, was the first in his family to attend college and will be starting a career in corporate strategy this fall.
New theory suggests 'emotional invalidation’ can be a precursor to crime
5/14/25
Criminologist Christopher Dennison builds upon General Strain Theory, with implications for crime reduction.
Study: Families confront roles and responsibilities of rural jail incarceration
5/6/25
Although families have no official place in the criminal justice system, they create and take on substantial support roles for incarcerated people both during and after the incarceration.
Women warriors rising
4/22/25
The USA Today special edition “Year in Defense” interviewed Brenda Moore about how female warfighters are thriving a decade after the Department of Defense lifted the ban on women in combat.
UB to present panel on prison writing
3/31/25
The panel discussion, featuring local authors, guest scholars and UB faculty members, is part of a series of events that also includes a month-long book exhibit featuring incarcerated authors.
Simulation shows difficulties of return to society after release from jail
3/10/25
Organizers say the exercise was designed to not only raise awareness but foster empathy and action.
A novel framework for developing environmental policy
2/26/25
UB sociologist Jordan Fox is part of a team that has developed a more flexible approach for addressing environmental change in urban areas.
Media Advisory: UB to host a simulation demonstrating the challenges faced by people released from prison
2/26/25
People re-entering society following their release from prison face several obstacles, including finding housing, transportation and employment, organizers explain.