PhD in Criminology, Law and Society
Mary Catlin, 2025
What was your specific area of study and how did you choose it?
My research centers around legal decision-making, with a focus on confessions/interrogations, guilty pleas, and wrongful convictions. I ended up in this area partly through serendipity, partly as a natural extension of my skeptical worldview, but mostly through the guidance of the professors who saw me through each stage of my education.
If you completed a dissertation, thesis, or capstone, please tell us about it.
My dissertation focuses on the role of communication in plea bargaining. Specifically, what impact does the motivation of the defense attorney and the method in which the plea offer is communicated have on the process and outcome of plea bargaining. My dissertation was comprised of two experimental studies, made possible by funding from the National Science Foundation (among other funders) and dozens of undergraduate research assistants.
How did your academic experiences in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences impact you?
During my time at George Mason, I expanded my research interests to include guilty pleas—which ultimately became the focus of my dissertation—and learned several new methodological techniques that helped me publish as a graduate student. Faculty and classes at George Mason also pushed me to think deeper about theory than I had in my previous research.
Are there faculty or staff members who made a difference during your George Mason career? If so, how?
I would not be the scholar I am today, nor would I have been successful on the job market, without the guidance and support of Professor Allison Redlich. Not only was Allison my dissertation chair, providing all of the assistance such a huge project requires, but she provided opportunities I had not dreamed possible for a graduate student. Allison pushed me to write grants, publish papers, build collaborations, gain experience as a reviewer, mentor students, and develop so many other skills big and small that I now use daily as an Assistant Professor.
Why did you choose George Mason for your graduate studies?
I choose George Mason specifically to work with Professor Allison Redlich.
Which accomplishments during your time at George Mason are you most proud of?
I am most proud of being selected as one winners of the 2025 OSCAR Excellence in Mentoring Award. Mentoring is a passion of mine and one of the main reasons I sought employment as a professor at a department with a graduate program. So to be nominated by one of my research assistants and recognized for the work I have done with my students means a lot.
What advice would you give to an incoming cohort of graduate students?
Three things. First, make friends. Graduate school is difficult, but much easier when you have a cohort to rely on for support. Plus, friends in graduate school become collaborators post-graduation. Second, find an aspirational CV. Once you know what you want after graduation, find someone who already has that job and get ahold of their CV. Then work towards making your own CV match. Third, find what motivates you. Graduate school requires a lot of independent motivation. So figure out what drives you and will get you to open your computer.
What are your current career plans following graduation? What are your long-term career goals?
I graduated in August 2025 and started working at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in the Criminal Justice and Legal Studies program as an Assistant Professor. My long-term goal is to produce an impactful line(s) of research, mentor graduate students, and earn tenure.