About
Andrea Barajas (she/her) is a 2025 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned a BA in Criminology, a BA in Sociology, and an MS in Criminology through an accelerated dual-degree program. She will begin her PhD in Sociology and Public Policy at the University of Michigan in Fall 2025 as a Rackham Merit Fellow.
Her research explores the effectiveness of youth justice interventions, with particular focus on how neighborhood conditions—such as community disorganization and collective efficacy—shape program implementation, outcomes, and long-term development. She draws on experiences from her upbringing in Southeast Los Angeles, where early observations of systemic inequities informed her interest in the relationship between youth interventions and broader community dynamics.
She is interested in using mixed-methods approaches that combine quantitative analysis with qualitative insight to better understand both systemic patterns and individual experiences. Her work aims to inform youth justice strategies that address structural inequities and support long-term pathways to community resilience and positive development.
Andrea can be reached at abrjs@umich.edu.
