She earned her Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Her primary research interests include the intersection of race, crime, and criminal justice as well as corrections, prisoner reentry, collateral consequences of criminal justice contact, and families and communities of offenders. Dr. Gaston’s recent research has examined racial disparities in drug law enforcement and the potential long-term mental health consequences of parental incarceration for children.