Dr. Olivia Smith
Criminal Justice
Assistant Professor
Academic Credits
2023, PhD Psychology, University of Wyoming
Concentration: Psychology and Law; Minor: Statistics
2018, MS Psychological Science, Arkansas State University
2015, BS Psychology, Arkansas State University
Minor: Criminology
Academic Positions
University of Wyoming, Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology, Assistant Professor
University of South Carolina Aiken, Department of Psychology, Assistant Professor
Classes Taught (past & present)
- Research Methods
- Criminal Courts & Process
- Statistics
- Psychology and Law
- Criminal Psychopathology
- Social Psychology
Research Interests
- Juror decision-making and eligibility policies
- Credibility in the courtroom
- Public understanding of legal standards and procedures
- Media influence on perceptions of the legal system
- Attitudes toward policing and related policy reform
Research Experience
Dr. Smith earned her Ph.D. in Psychology, with a minor in Statistics, from the University of Wyoming in 2023. Her interdisciplinary research integrates psychology, law, and criminal justice, focusing on decision-making in the legal system. Specifically, Dr. Smith studies how jurors interpret evidence, apply legal instructions, and evaluate the credibility of expert witnesses. Her work also examines public attitudes toward policing and justice policies, including the influence of media framing on support for reform and public views of efforts to expand juror eligibility to individuals with felony convictions. The goal of her research is to generate objective, data-driven insights to inform policy and improve legal system outcomes. Dr. Smith’s research has been published in Psychology, Crime, & Law, The International Journal of Evidence & Proof, Race and Social Problems, Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, Frontiers in Psychology, and Applied Cognitive Psychology.
