Samantha Luna

When are you graduating?

Spring 2023

Describe your dissertation, thesis, or capstone (if you completed one):

For guilty pleas to be considered valid, courts are tasked with ensuring that pleas are entered knowingly, intelligently, voluntarily, and with a factual basis of guilt (see Boykin v. Alabama, 1969; Brady v. United States, 1970). Despite voluntariness being an integral requirement for the acceptance of guilty pleas, what constitutes voluntariness, and its antithesis coercion, remains relatively unclear, largely subjective, and contested. This ambiguity in our understanding of coercion has consequences for the integrity of our criminal justice system. Most notably, without a clear understanding of coercion in plea negotiation settings, the legal requirements for voluntariness cannot be properly applied to guilty pleas. This is especially problematic, given that currently used “hard-bargaining tactics” (see, Alkon, 2017) to obtain guilty pleas (e.g., overcharging and threatening enhancements) have come under fire for being coercive and for contributing to wrongful convictions (e.g., see Dervan, 2012). My dissertation tested a theoretical definition of coercion during plea negotiations that was developed by synthesizing philosophical, legal, and psychological theory, and examined evaluators’ assessments of plea coercion claims. I conducted two studies to answer four main research questions. Study 1 was an experimental plea negotiation study that involved defendant participants (and confederate defense attorneys) negotiating with mock, confederate prosecutors in theoretically coercive and non-coercive situations. This study addressed two research questions: (RQ1) How do theoretically coercive situations impact the plea decision-making of guilty and innocent defendants? and (RQ2) Do perceptions of coercion, fairness, evidence strength, and probability of conviction at trial mediate relations between theoretical coercion, defendant guilt, and defendant plea decisions?

Study 2 involved participants listening to summarized oral arguments and half of the participants also watching a recorded plea negotiation in its entirety. Participants then evaluated a defendant’s post-sentencing request to withdraw their plea. This study addressed the last two research questions: (RQ3) How does the presence of theoretical coercion impact evaluators’ assessments of a defendant’s request to withdraw their plea post-sentencing? and (RQ4) Does the ability to view a recorded plea negotiation improve evaluators’ assessments of plea coercion?

How did you choose your specific area of study?

I chose to pursue a Ph.D. in Criminology after learning about wrongful convictions and false admissions of guilt during undergrad. Learning about the factors that can lead an innocent person to admit to a crime they did not commit really sparked my interest in the field and inspired me to pursue this area of research.

How did your academic experiences in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences impact you?

I have really enjoyed my time in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. I am leaving Mason feeling like I have grown into my own as a researcher because of everything I have been able to learn and experience.

Of which accomplishment(s) during your time at Mason are you most proud?

I'm most proud of receiving an NSF dissertation grant to fund my dissertation research.

Are there faculty or staff members who made a difference during your Mason career?

I have had so many positive experiences with the faculty and staff at Mason. My mentor, Dr. Allison Redlich, in particular, has been incredibly supportive and has provided me with so many opportunities while I've been at Mason.

What advice would you give to an incoming cohort of graduate students?

My advice to an incoming cohort would be to enjoy your time at Mason. Graduate school can be very stressful but don't forget to embrace the process and take advantage of everything you can gain from your program.

What are your current career plans following graduation? What are your long-term career goals?

I will be starting as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social and Cultural Sciences at the University of Houston-Clear Lake in the fall.