Rogers State University student Katie Renfro of Collinsville recently presented her original research during Oklahoma’s Research Day at the Capitol.
Renfro, who was RSU’s sole representative, was one of 23 students from 16 colleges and universities selected to participate in the March 27 event that spotlighted the top research conducted at Oklahoma colleges and universities. The competitive event, held at the state capitol building in Oklahoma City, was organized by the Oklahoma Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (ESPSCoR), which develops and manages the state’s experimental research improvement program and builds the research competitiveness of the state’s universities.
Renfro presented her research on the cultural transmission of crime among Oklahoma families, specifically among the state’s female inmate population. She surveyed inmates at the Turley Correctional Facility about their family histories regarding educational attainment, family criminal history and more. Her research revealed that crime can be culturally transmitted between female offenders and their parents.
A senior completing her bachelor’s degree in social and behavioral sciences with an emphasis in sociology and psychology, Renfro was mentored during the research project by Dr. Monica Varner, assistant professor in RSU’s Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences.
Varner said that the research project was well-received by the day’s observers, which included state legislative officials and representatives from various state agencies, including the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.