Education

• Ph.D. 2000, Michigan State University, Social science and criminal justice
• M.A. 1991, Temple Univeristy, Criminal justice
• B.A. 1988, Temple University, Criminal justice

Bio

Dr. Koons-Witt’s research and scholarship focuses on understanding how gender frames the experiences of system-involved women, particularly in the areas of courts and corrections. This includes understanding how policies and practices can impact women who are marginalized within a system that largely focuses on processing, managing, and supervising men as the dominant population. Her works have appeared in Criminal Justice and Behavior, Feminist Criminology, Criminology, Punishment & Society, Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, and Criminal Justice Policy Review, among other outlets. Dr. Koons-Witt is currently co-PI (Dr. Christi Metcalfe, PI) for a National Institute of Justice grant, Court Decision-making in Domestic Violence Cases: An Analysis of the Case Processing Pipeline in South Carolina. Dr. Koons-Witt teaches courses in both the undergraduate and graduate programs. She generally teaches undergraduate Research Methods for Criminal Justice (CRJU 202), undergraduate Women, Gender, and Crime (CRJU 554), a graduate seminar- Survey of Criminal Justice (CRJU 701) and a graduate elective- Gender, Crime, and Justice (CRJU 771). Dr. Koons-Witt currently serves on the editorial board for Women and Criminal Justice.

Specialization

• System-involved women
• Maternal incarceration
• Courtroom decision-making
• Corrections programming and policies

Publications

Koons-Witt, B., Crittenden, C., & Crick, S. (2024). Coping with incarceration: How women adjust to being separated from their children. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 51(3), 353-374.  

Wilson, A., Koons-Witt, B., & Pasquire, N. (2023). Mothering experiences in prison: Exploring distinctions between maternal and paternal caregiving arrangements. Family Relations, 72(5) 2754-2776.

Koons-Witt, B. Huffman, A., & Wilson, A. (2021). Exploring the perceived helpfulness of correctional programs and needs among incarcerated mothers. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 60(8), 501-526.

Wilson, A. & Koons-Witt, B. (2021) “They still know I’m their momma”: Incarcerated mothers’ perceptions of reunification and resuming a caregiver role: Feminist Criminology, 16(5), 583-606. 

Martin, T. E., Huffman, A., Koons-Witt, B.A., & Brame, R. (2020) Hiring people with criminal records in South Carolina: Examining businesses’ hiring practices and views on incentives. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 31(4), 532-554.