Laura Dykstra

Laura Dykstra

Associate Professor
AU Leader, Justice & Security
Phone: (603) 535-3324
Office: Justice & Security, Mary Lyon Hall Rm 034E, MSC 59, Plymouth, NH 03264

Spring Office Hours

Tuesday   8:30am – 11:30am
Or by appointment

Education

BA, University of Richmond; MA, Ph.D., University of Maryland

Laura Dykstra is an Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Plymouth State University.  She received her BA in Criminal Justice and Psychology at the University of Richmond and her MA and Ph.D. in Criminology/Criminal Justice at the University of Maryland, College Park.  Her teaching and scholarship draw on her background with interdisciplinary work across the fields of criminology and criminal justice, public health, psychology, and sociology. Her research spans areas of decision making, sex crimes and victimization, drug-related crime, and mental health, especially among young adults. In 2023, Dr. Dykstra was recognized with the Theo Kalikow Award for her outstanding work promoting the advancement of women and girls on campus and in the community. 

Selected publications/presentations/exhibitions

Garnier-Dykstra, L.M. & Wilson, T. (2021). Behavioral economics and framing effects in guilty pleas: A defendant decision making experiment. Justice Quarterly, 38(2), 224-248. https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2019.1614208

Williams, F. & Dykstra, L.M. (2019). Introduction to Criminal Justice. Cengage Publishing.

Arria, A.M., Garnier-Dykstra, L.M., Cook, E.T., Caldeira, K.M., Vincent, K.B., Baron, R.A. & O’Grady, K.E. (2013). Drug use patterns in young adulthood and post-college employment. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 127, 23-30.

Garnier-Dykstra, L.M., Caldeira, K.M., Vincent, K.B., O’Grady, K.E. & Arria, A.M. (2012). Examining the relationships between nonmedical use of prescription drugs and victimization. Presented at the American Society of Criminology Conference, Chicago, IL.

Arria, A.M., Garnier-Dykstra, L.M., Caldeira, K.M., Vincent, K.B., Winick, E.R. & O’Grady, K.E. (2013). Drug use patterns and continuous enrollment in college: Results from a longitudinal study. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 74(1), 71-83.

Garnier L.M., Arria A.M., Caldeira K.M., Vincent K.B., O’Grady K.E. & Wish E.D. (2010). Sharing and selling of prescription medications in a college student sample. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 71(3), 262-269.

Garnier L.M., Arria, A.M., Caldeira K.M., Vincent K.B., O’Grady K.E. & Wish E.D. (2009).  Nonmedical prescription analgesic use and concurrent alcohol consumption among college students.  American Journal for Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 35(5), 334-338.

Courses Taught

CJ 1020     Criminal Justice in Action
CJ 1500     Profiling Criminal Behavior
CJ 3260     Data Analysis for Criminal Justice
CJ 2080     Crime and Criminals
CJ 3270     Explaining Crime
CJ 3515     Women and Crime
CJ 3401     Research Methods for Criminal Justice
CJ 4805     Criminal Justice Seminar