Dr. Jacob

Dr. Jacob is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice and the Institute for Social Science Research at The University of Alabama. His research applies causal inference and computational methods to understand the how citizens’ interactions with the state shape political participation and other socioeconomic outcomes. Dr. Jacob also studies understaffing among correctional officers and how prison conditions shape outcomes for both correctional officers and incarcerated individuals.

Dr. Jacob’s research has been published in Electoral Studies, Punishment & Society, the British Journal of Criminology, the Journal of Criminal Justice, and other outlets. Jacob has acquired over $800,000 in grant funding from multiple sources including Arnold Ventures, the National Science Foundation, the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, and the American Political Science Association.

Dr. Jacob is also passionate about helping students achieve their professional and educational goals. He has co-authored multiple studies with undergraduate students and guided them through the graduate school application process. He currently serves on graduate admissions committee in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at The University of Alabama and has experience teaching in correctional settings as an instructor for the Cornell Prison Education Program.