Why do juveniles carry weapons?
Cheryl Laura Johnson examines why juveniles carry weapons, especially within schools, considering gender differences between weapon carriers. Specifically, she looks at how low self-control, anxiety, depression, fear of crime, and personality traits impact weapon carrying behavior and use.
She mentors undergraduate students to develop their ideas, bringing them to national conferences like the American Criminal Justice Society. She loves providing experiential opportunities for students to present, meet professionals for career exploration, and network with researchers.
A new research interest of Cheryl’s is third culture, being born into one culture and raised in another. As a Peruvian-American adoptee, she knows how hard it is to figure out where you fit within those cultures. Cheryl is open to speaking engagements about third culture, firearms, and mental health.
Research Interests
Firearms Research
Cheryl is most interested in carrying behavior as well as use of firearms. She mostly researches juveniles and carrying use within schools.
Mental Health
Anxiety, depression, fear of crime, and personality traits may impact weapon carrying, behavior, and use. When we start to account for things like access to guns and whether friends or family use guns, mental health as a statistical significance goes away. Rather, low self-control is a driving factor.
Juvenile Delinquency
Cheryl L. Johnson is collaborating with a student to research rage levels in juveniles and how it relates to the crimes they commit.
Third Culture
Were you born into one culture, then raised in another culture? Cheryl was. It can be hard to figure out where you fit in within those two cultures. She researches navigating those spaces and figuring out where you belong.
Cheryl L. Johnson, PhD 