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In the news
Education
Ph.D., Mississippi State University (Sociology with a concentration in Criminology)
M.A., Jackson State University (Criminology and Justice Services)
B.S., University of Mississippi (Criminal Justice with an emphasis in Law Enforcement)
About Me
Dr. Makeela J. Wells is an assistant professor of sociology in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work at Auburn University. She brings a rich background in sociology and criminology to her role.
Her research primarily focuses on how the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 has influenced federal sentencing decisions for crack and powder cocaine offenses. Additionally, her research examines risk and perceptions of risk among law enforcement and correctional officers, aiming to contribute to safer and more effective policing and correctional practices. This research is crucial in understanding the challenges faced by criminal justice practitioners and the potential solutions for a safer workplace. Her research in these areas has been published in the American Journal of Criminal Justice, Feminist Criminology, and The Police Journal. More recently, Dr. Wells has begun to explore the role of digital and visual literacy in sociological and criminological pedagogy.
Dr. Wells’ previous research has examined which peer-reviewed journal articles are cited more frequently in criminology and criminal justice journals and whether military service makes the experience of prison less painful. These two studies were published in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education and Criminal Justice Policy Review, respectively.
Regarding her teaching, she focuses on providing students with an opportunity to explore and understand complex social issues through an intersectional lens. Her approach to teaching also seeks to empower students to become critical thinkers, effective practitioners, and agents of positive change in diverse communities. Her teaching embraces diversity, illuminates sociology and criminology for practice purposes, and expands the borders of student thinking by putting research methods into practice.
Research Interests
federal sentencing policy, risk and perceptions of risk among criminal justice officers, scholarship of teaching and learning in sociological and criminological pedagogy
Courses Taught
Dr. Wells is passionate about educating the next generation of sociology and criminology professionals and advancing our understanding of complex policy impacts. Her teaching responsibilities here at Auburn have included:
- SOCY 1000: Sociology: Global Perspectives
- SOCY 2000: Social Issues
- SOCY 2050: Crime and Justice in America
- SOCY 3100: Police and Society
- SOCY 3200: Sports in America
- SOCY 3500: Social Inequalities
- SOCY 3700: Methods of Social Research