The UGA Sociology department is excited to introduce Dr. Amairini Sanchez after she successfully defended her dissertation: “Disentangling the Crimmigration Structure: System Hybridity in Criminal Justice Punishment”, supported by Dr. Sarah Shannon. Her dissertation discusses how a system of hybridity between the functions of the immigration system and criminal justice system have become enmeshed. This has led to an overcriminalization effect that has disproportionately affected noncitizens due to the risk of facing both criminal justice sanctions and immigration penalties. Dr. Sanchez has investigated how states outline their relationship with federal immigration law in their state statute and how these distinctions relate to presentence detainment differences between citizens and noncitizens. In particular that noncitizens tend to have longer lengths of presentence detainment and harsher penalties and/or punishments. Learn more about Dr. Sanchez and her work here.
