Education

2012 Longwood University, B.S.
2015 Lynchburg College, M.Ed.
2020 University of South Florida, Ph.D.

View CV

Courses Taught

Introduction to Criminal Justice
Research Methods
Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System

Career Specialties

Rachel Severson's academic interests focus on the needs and experiences of marginalized groups in justice-involved populations; specifically, issues surrounding mental illness and gender in incarcerated populations.

Professional and Community Activities

Severson is currently involved in research examining the impact of mental health diagnoses and mental health treatment on the prison experience and the role of gender in contextualizing these experiences. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice snd Behavior, Crime and Delinquency and the Journal of Interpersonal Violence.

She is an active member of the American Society of Criminology (ASC) and the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS).

Honors and Awards

2021 - Outstanding Ambassador, University of South Florida Department of Criminology's Wall of Fame
2019 - Outstanding Doctoral Student, Southern Criminal Justice Association
2017 - Doctoral Student Summit Fellow, Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
2016 - Community Sustainability Partnership Program, University of South Florida and the City of Palmetto, Florida