Section Editor: Venezia Michalsen
Julie Yingling
South Dakota State University
Sociology and Rural Studies
How did you become interested in the field of women and/or gender and crime?
As a kid I always had an interest in why people engaged in crime and how they chose the types of crime they did. Once I started criminology and sociology courses and learned about theories, community contexts, and agency, I was hooked! But most of the knowledge seemed to cater to men’s experiences. I had awesome feminist mentors through my graduate programs who exposed me to feminist discourse, ideas, and research. That shapes my worldview and approach to research.
How do you define yourself as a scholar/activist/educator?
I would describe myself as a critical scholar. I’m fascinated by the (hopefully, but not always) unintended consequences of actions, policies, and laws. I like to explore how certain populations are harmed and ideally offer solutions to mitigate the harm. I enjoy getting my students engaged in that process in the classroom. We can examine a new law that might sound good on paper, such as the recent one to penalize website operators for facilitating online sex trafficking, and then discuss the dangers it creates for sex workers and free speech. I’ve found that my students grow at critical thinkers as they think about the news they hear and how it might impact disadvantaged or underrepresented groups. And, of course, this avenue of thinking leads me to activism.
What are your current projects or interests?
I have a few ongoing projects. The first is a content analysis of Introduction to Criminal Justice and Introduction to Sociology textbook images. I’m working on this with a former grad student, Ruthie Wienk, who is now faculty at Lee University.
Another project is an examination of botched lethal injection executions with two former undergraduate students.
I’m also in the early stages of a Marsy’s Law study looking at the impact of the law on professionals. South Dakota may be the first state to repeal it, so I will be following how the law changes how the jobs of prosecutors, victims coordinators, law enforcement, and others have changed to accommodate increased victims right in our unique state.
Who is your favorite person (or animal!) to spend time with, and what are your favorite things to do when you are with them?
I love spending time with my ten-year-old boxer, Ava. We join friends (both two and four-legged) for walks at my town’s nature park, various state parks, or other fun places. She’s definitely my motivation to get outside and explore.
I also like carving out time to see friends who are scattered across the country!
How do you wind down after a stressful day?
Outside of walking/hiking, I like to tackle home renovation projects and then rest my brain and/or muscles by watching tv.
What would you like to be remembered for?
In terms of teaching, I would like to just be remembered by my students and to have made some lasting impact on their lives and criminal justice related careers.