About the Author and Acknowledgments
About the Author

Matthew P. West, Ph.D.
Matthew P. West is a senior research analyst at the Institute for Justice, where he develops and conducts original social science and policy research to advance IJ’s mission. Prior to joining IJ, he was an assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice at Southern Illinois University. There, he taught courses on research methods, statistics, and the justice system, mentored graduate students, and performed and published empirical research on topics like legal decision-making.
Matthew earned a B.S. in psychology from Aquinas College, an M.A. in criminal justice from the University of Nevada-Reno, and a Ph.D. in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
Acknowledgments
Numerous people made this project and report possible (then probable, then actual!). I’m grateful to Kathy Sanchez, Hannah So, Kyle Sweetland, Amy Hunter, Zachary Popovich, Harrison Weeks, Tony Laudadio, Dave Warren, and Jason Tiezzi who did the critical but unenviable tasks in the project’s infancy, like taking inspection forms and turning them into usable data. It was a privilege to build upon (i.e., take advantage of) that hard work. In a similar vein, Dick Carpenter gave me something to stand on but also remained an essential guide along the way. I am especially thankful for his guidance on the study’s design and analysis. Lisa Knepper and Mindy Menjou dredged through seemingly endless drafts and provided transformative feedback, edits, and insights. The small details that matter the most are Lisa’s handiwork, and any text considered good writing is Mindy’s. Mindy was also a steadfast manager of the report from beginning to end.
Dave Warren, Allan Hegedus, and Rose Quinlan brought keen eyes to data checks. I am thankful for colleagues who are committed to getting it right. Jason Tiezzi provided critical support on the charts for this report; Dick Carpenter, Lisa Knepper, and Mindy Menjou also provided advice on visualization. In addition, Elyse Smith Pohl was there to lend a helping hand, answering legal questions and tracking down things like municipal codes and committee hearing videos.
Craig Hunt and Kristin House generously gave their time to share their perspectives and educate me. Their experience and insights were critical and tell the human story—a lot of people just want to develop and hone a craft and contribute to their communities; unfortunately, law gets in the way. J. Edward Swain expertly captured Craig’s and Kristin’s charm and spirit in the photographs featured throughout the report. And I would not have had the opportunity to connect with Craig and Kristin without Jordan Banegas, Rachel Gonzalez, and Tom Solomon. Advocating for justice requires more action than rest, and I’m thankful for a relentless activism team.
A small army of people reviewed versions of the report and provided critical feedback along the way—Scott Bullock, Dana Berliner, Paul Avelar, Renee Flaherty, Meagan Forbes, Christina Walsh, and Dan Alban. This feedback was usually followed by my saying, “I did not think about it like that,” and wondering how I could have been so blind. Evan Lisull checked legal citations and proofread, and Megan Passon also proofread, making sure the i’s were dotted and t’s were crossed—the trench warfare of report production. Finally, Rima Gerhard and Erin Nogle brought the report to life on the web and in print. And “brought to life” is a fair characterization—I’m grateful to witness masters of their craft.