She joined the Cornell faculty in 2007 after receiving her Ph.D. in economics at the University of Maryland, College Park. Her primary area of research focuses on government regulation of criminal activity. This includes studying how government policies affect the prevalence of criminal activity as well as the structure of criminal justice systems. In addition to studying how police affect crime and punishment, Dr. Owens’ research also explores the role of officer experience and training on daily policing activities. In addition to her work on police, current research activities include estimating the impact of local economic development on criminal behavior, examining the relationship between immigration policies and crime, exploring the impact of alcohol regulation on violence.