Forensic &
Legal Psychology

Advancing social justice and fairness.

Psychology and the Law

Dr. Monnica Williams conducts research on the topics of incarcerated populations, criminal behaviors, law enforcement, jury selection, bias in legal systems, stigma, and social justice. Dr. Williams served on the Mental Health Diversion Board in Louisville, Kentucky.

She is a key member of the University of Ottawa Centre for Health Law, Policy and Ethics.

Research Articles

Racial Justice

Williams, M. T., Cabral, V., & Faber, S. C. (in press). Psychedelics and racial justice. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-023-01160-5

Faber, S., Khanna Roy, A., Michaels, T. I., & Williams, M. T. (2023). The weaponization of medicine: Early psychosis in the Black community and the need for racially informed mental health care. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1098292

Williams, M. T., Faber, S. C., Nepton, A., & Ching, T. (2023). Racial justice allyship requires civil courage: Behavioral prescription for moral growth and change. American Psychologist, 78(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000940

Faber, S. C., Strauss, D., Gran-Ruaz, S., La Torre, J., Bartlett, A., Faber, I., Levinson, A., & Williams, M. T. (2022). A call to use psychology for anti-racist jury selection. Practice Innovations, 7(3), 203–222. https://doi.org/10.1037/pri0000172

Levinson, A., Williams, M. T., Faber, S. C., Strauss, D., Gran-Ruaz, S, La Torre, J., & Bartlett, A. (2022). Challenging jurors' racism. Gonzaga Law Review, 57(3), 365-424.

Criminal Behaviors & Delinquency

Davis, A. K., Arterberry, B. J., Xina, Y., Agin-Liebese, G., Schwarting, C., & Williams, M. T. (2022). Race, ethnic, and sex differences in prevalence of and trends in hallucinogen consumption among lifetime users in the United States between 2015-2019. Frontiers in Epidemiology, 2, 876706. https://doi.org/10.3389/fepid.2022.876706

Jahn, Z. W., Lopez, J., de la Salle, S., Faber, S., & Williams, M. T. (2021). Racial/Ethnic differences in prevalence for hallucinogen use by age cohort: Findings from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Journal of Psychedelic Studies, 5(2), 69-82. https://doi.org/10.1556/2054.2021.00166 [focused on criminalization]

DeLapp, R. C. T., Chasson, G., Swerbilow, J., Gibby, B., Tellawi, G., & Williams, M. T. (2018). The normative nature of aggressive intrusive thinking among an underserved incarcerated population compared to a student sample. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 62(13), 4142-4157. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X18758534

Sawyer, B., DeLapp, R. C. T., & Williams, M. T. (2016). Community Violence Exposure, Racial Discrimination, and Barriers to Treatment: Implications for African American Males in Counseling. In W. Ross (Ed.), Counseling African American Males: Effective Therapeutic Interventions and Approaches (pp. 33-60). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Williams, M., Bruce, S. L., Combs, J., & Alvey, H. (2014, November). Satisfaction with a Six-Week Intervention for At-Risk Juveniles: The Gentleman's Academy Program. Report for the Louisville Metro Police Department and Greater Louisville Inc., Center for Mental Health Disparities, University of Louisville. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.2375.3845

Law Enforcement

Dr. Williams has been a leader in conducting research on issues of stress, trauma, and law enforcement. At the University of Connecticut she collaborates with the Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace to help better understand issues affecting the mental health of correctional officers. She most recently conducted an evaluation and report for the Office of the Auditor General of Canada, with a focus on six key departments: the RCMP, Correctional Services, Border Services Agency, Public Safety, Public Prosecution Service, and the Department of Justice. She has also been a leading voice surrounding the mental health impact of police aggression on people in marginalized groups.

Law Enforcement Papers

Williams, M., Bartlett, A., Zare, M., Custer, N. & Osman, M. (in press). Sexual harassment and abuse in law enforcement: Best practices for creating safety for female officers. The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles.

Williams, M., Osman, M., Gran-Ruaz, S., Strauss, D., & Zare, M. (2023). Performative shooting exercises do not predict real-world racial bias in police officers. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 55(2), 142–152. [invited]

Williams, M. T. & Kanter, J. W. (2020). The trauma of violent police videos. In L. J. Siegel & M. C. McCormick, Criminology in Canada: Theories, Patterns and Typologies, 7ce (pp. 62-63). Nelson Education. ISBN: 9780176724443

All Publications

Featured Articles

Strauss, D. & Williams, M. T. (2021, July 19). CIA Exploited Incarcerated Black Americans in Race for "Mind-Control" Agent. Journal of Medical Ethics.

Chen, X., Bullard, M., Duan, C., George, J. R., Ching, T., Kilpatrick, S., Sloshower, J., & Williams, M. (2020, November 6). The cost of exclusion in psychedelic research. Bill of Health, Petrie-Flom Center, Harvard Law School.

Williams, M. (2017, April). Unfriendly Skies: United Airlines and Police Violence. Culturally Speaking. Psychology Today.

Williams, M. (2016, June). When Clients Confess to Crimes They Did Not Commit. Culturally Speaking. Psychology Today.

All Articles