Dr. Smith is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice in the Department of Social Transformation at Eastern University. Before joining Eastern, she taught and chaired the Sociology, Criminology, and Justice Department at Cabrini University. Dr. Smith’s research focuses on centering the lived experiences of women of color, understanding the collateral consequences of mass incarceration, and examining factors related to substance abuse, drug policy, gender, and crime. She currently serves as an executive member of the PA Delaware County Reentry Coalition. Dr. Smith considers herself an advocate for her students and loves being in the classroom. She is a former member of the Virginia and Maryland Army National Guard.
Education
Ph.D., Criminal Justice, Rutgers University -School of Criminal Justice
MA, Criminal Justice, Rutgers University- School of Criminal Justice
BA, Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Maryland-College Park
Classes Taught
- CRMJ 105- Introduction to Criminal Justice
- CRMJ 315- Criminology
- SOCI 220- Social Statistics
- CRMJ 215 – Victimology
- CRMJ 220 – Restorative Justice
- CRMJ 310 – Correctional Systems
- CRMJ 495 – Internship
Research Interests
- Centralizing lived experiences of women of color
- Racial/ethnic disparities in sentencing
- Drug policy and its effects on communities
- Collateral consequences of mass incarceration
- Correlates of drug abuse among justice- involved women
Professional Associations and Services
American Society of Criminology
- 2025 Sub-Area Chair - Washington, D.C. "Criminology, Law, and the Democratic Ideal"
Eastern Sociological Society
Invited Reviewer
- Crime and Delinquency
- Health Promotion Practice
- Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma
- Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency
- Feminist Criminology
- Victims and Offenders
Publications
Howard, J., Smith, V., & Amaize, A. (2023). A roadmap to sustainability Farm to School in Maryland. Maryland State Department of Education, Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs.
Thomas-Davis, S., Smith, V., and Muhammad, B. (2023). On the frontlines: Stressors of Black women caring for children of incarcerated parents. The Black Women’s Wellness Series, Resilience: Black Women and Public Health, New York: SUNY Press.
Smith, V. (2018). The Prison Industrial Complex. In J.M. Williams & L. Chowdhury (Eds). Contemporary Ethical Issues in the Criminal Justice System. San Diego, CA: Cognella
Smith, V. (2017). Substance-abusing women offenders as victims: Chronological sequencing of pathways into criminal behavior. Victims and Offenders, 12(1):113-137. Published online 2015 Jul 24. doi: 10.1080/15564886.2015.1017131
Jessell, L., Smith, V., Jemal, A., & Windsor, L. (2016). Using Technology to Facilitate Collaboration in Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR). Journal of Technology in Human Services, 34(3), 241-255. doi: 10.1080/15228835.2016.1186581
Thomas, S., B. Smith, V., Muhammad, B., (2016). Mass Incarceration: Perpetuating the Habits of Survival and Race Identities of Black Women Caregivers to Children of Incarcerated Parents. Journal of Criminal Justice and Law Review, 5(1-2): 95-115.
Harris,S., Nikulina, V., Gelpí-Acosta, C., Morton, C., Newsome, V., Gunn, A., Hoefinger, H., Aikins, R., Smith,V., Barry, V., Downing, M.J.. (2015). Prescription Drug Diversion: Predictors of Illicit Acquisition and Redistribution in Three U.S. Metropolitan Areas. AIMS Public Health, 2(4): 762-783. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2015.4.762
Smith, V., & Jemal, A. (2015). Addressing the health of formerly imprisoned persons in a distressed neighborhood through a community collaborative board. Health Promotion Practice, 16(5): 733-744. Published online 2015 Jun 8. doi: 10.1177/1524839915588293