Major:
Criminal Justice/Criminology, Psychology, Political Science

Project:
Legal Financial Obligations and Impacts on Mental Health of Racially Marginalized People

Monetary sanctions serve as internalized punishments for defendants, especially those of color, as they form emotional, financial, and mobile burdens. Maddy Hinrichs’ study consisted of 78 cases of court observations, qualitative data analysis, and the utilization of existing research by scholars. She found that LFOs intrude on defendants’ daily life- whether that be through confusion, delay of a case, or costing a defendant more of their time. These findings contribute to a greater need for research on how LFOs contribute to the decline of defendants’ mental health, reinforce inequality under the legal system, and disrupt defendants’ daily routines.

Faculty Mentor:
Brittany Martin, teaching professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice

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“As someone who will be attending law school and in turn, will become a criminal defense attorney, I believe it is important to fully immerse yourself in your work and interests if you are truly passionate. My education has provided me with a solid foundation for understanding how intersecting identities impact accessibility to justice, and my research has further equipped me to recognize their prominence in the field. I am confident that both my research skills and my attention to current issues will lend itself well in both law school and my future career.”– Madison Hinrichs ’27