Maria Valdovinos Olson, Ph.D.
Senior Research Associate
Science & Innovation Division
Bio
Dr. Valdovinos Olson is a Senior Research Associate at the National Policing Institute, where she works on a portfolio of projects in policing, corrections, and prisoner reentry. She is an experienced researcher and project manager working to advance a diverse portfolio of federally and privately funded, multi-year research projects and initiatives across support, management, and leadership capacities. Dr. Valdovinos Olson obtained her Ph.D. in Sociology from George Mason University.
Publications
Valdovinos Olson, M., & Amendola, K.L. (2023). Adopting community policing principles in jails to build community and improve safety, health, and wellness outcomes. In D. Rudes, G. Armstrong, K. Kras, & T. Carter (Eds.), Handbook on prisons and jails (pp. 206-227). Routledge.
Amendola, K.L., Hill, C., Valdovinos Olson, M., & Gorban, B. (2023). Compendium: Community policing and procedural justice in jails, parts 1-9. Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/resourcecenter/ric/Publications/cops-w0970-pub.pdf
Han, S., Valdovinos Olson, M., & Davis, R.C. (2021). Reducing recidivism through restorative justice: An evaluation of Bridges To Life in Dallas. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 60(7), 444-463. https://doi.org/10.1080/10509674.2021.1966156
Amendola, K.L., Valdovinos Olson, M., Grieco, J., & Robbins, T. (2021). Development of a work-family conflict scale for spouses or partners of police officers. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, 44(2), 275-290. https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-07-2020-0127
Valdovinos Olson, M., & Amendola, K.L. (2021). Promoting health, safety, and wellness in Los Angeles County jails: A process evaluation of gender responsive programming for incarcerated women. Women & Criminal Justice, 31(6), 422-444. https://doi.org/10.1080/08974454.2019.1700874
Areas of Focus
- Safety, health, and wellness issues in the criminal justice system
- Police organizations
- Procedural justice & police legitimacy
- Harm reduction and alternatives to justice involvement
- Recidivism and collateral consequences
- Re-entry programming and policy