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Callie Burt

Graduate Student Excellence-in-Research Award 2010

Callie Burt, a recent doctoral graduate in sociology, investigated how the relationship between discrimination and criminal offending can be moderated by racial socialization practices and supportive parenting. She tested her hypotheses using structural equation modeling with three waves of data from a sample of approximately 700 African American youths and their primary caregivers. Her results demonstrated a correlation between adolescents’ exposure to racial discrimination and subsequent criminal offenses. Further, she found the association is moderated by the extent to which caregivers provide emotional support, preparation for bias, and an appreciation of African American culture. Her research suggests the powerful role of parenting in stemming delinquency and has important implications for delinquency prevention programs. Burt already has published seven papers in top peer-reviewed journals, with several more in the review process.