Kristina Childs is an Assistant Professor in the Criminal Justice Department at the University of Central Florida. In 2002, she graduated from Michigan State University with a B.S. in Psychology and Criminal Justice. She earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in Criminology at USF. Dr. Childs' research interests include juvenile justice system policy, prevention and intervention strategies for juvenile offenders, and the causes, structure, and consequences of co-occurring risky behavior in adolescence. Recent publications have appeared in Youth Violence & Juvenile Justice, Criminal Justice & Behavior, and Criminal Justice Studies. Dr. Childs is currently the principal investigator of a project, funded by the National Institute of Justice, to improve school climate and safety in Brevard County, FL. For the past seven years, she has also been extensively involved in the Louisiana Models for Change Initiative funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. At UCF, she teaches research methods and data analysis and is looking forward to playing an active role in the doctoral program beginning in the Fall of 2015.