From the beginning of my journey at Bucknell, I wanted to conduct research. I’ve explored various research programs and got my feet wet, but I was most interested in the Digital Scholarship Summer Research Fellowship program because I wanted to conduct research and create something with real-world implications. This program helped provide the perfect medium for this. I was also excited about the opportunity to learn from our wonderful program facilitators, Carrie Pirmann and Claire Cahoon, as well as work in a research cohort with fellows on various projects. So far, the experience has been amazing, and I am thrilled to pursue this academic journey alongside such wonderful and thoughtful people. I have already learned so much from and alongside my fellow researchers and am eager to see how this summer unfolds.
My project focuses on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the criminal justice system. I am still refining the primary focus of my project, but I hope to study how the pandemic has changed the justice system by analyzing arrest and incarceration rates, COVID-19 spread rates, and approaches to incarceration. I aim to specifically focus on Pennsylvania, but I may also compare it with New Jersey. Through this, I hope to answer what some of the lasting effects of the pandemic on the justice system have been. The pandemic was a lived experience for us all, and it fascinates me how society has almost glanced over it as we returned to normal. The truth is, the pandemic was life-changing for many. I myself experienced much instability and even moved to Pennsylvania before enrolling at Bucknell. I’ve always been interested in law and justice, but my experiences throughout the pandemic made me realize how much it changed the world on a structural level. Like many other systems, the criminal justice system was not equipped to handle something like COVID-19. During the pandemic, the justice system faced numerous challenges, from addressing overpopulation during a contagious outbreak to long delays and the total closure of in-person courtrooms, which changed and affected the lives of so many people.
Through the fellowship, I hope to learn more about the digital humanities and the various tools I can use to conduct and enhance my research. By the end of the program, I aim to have produced impactful research that sheds light on the intersection of COVID-19 and the criminal justice system in Pennsylvania. I hope this can help identify best practices and areas for improvement, improving understanding of the state-level impact and providing valuable insights for those striving to address the challenges posed by COVID-19 within the criminal justice system.