Political Science and Criminal Justice

Darin Haerle, PhD

Department Associate Chair
MA in Social Science Program Coordinator
Darin Haerle received Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Kinesiology from the University of Colorado, Boulder. After graduation, she worked in Aurora, CO as a Group Living Counselor at Excelsior Youth Center, a non-profit residential treatment facility for female juvenile offenders. Working in direct care with those youth was the catalyst for her to start graduate school in criminal justice. After receiving her Master’s degree at the University of North Texas, she completed her Ph.D. in Criminology, Law & Society at the University of California, Irvine.

Darin’s dissertation uses a mixed methodological approach to explore the carceral experiences of youth committed to California state juvenile correctional facilities. This project focuses on the institutional misconduct and experiences of juvenile offenders waived to adult court compared to that of their juvenile court counterparts. Darin is also a member of the Eurogang Program of Research, which facilitates her other areas of study that include delinquency and crime among gang youth, comparative criminal justice, and juvenile sentencing reform.

Outside of work, Darin can be found checking out local live music, hiking, swimming, or playing with her two pups, Lenny and Miles.
Portrait of Darin Haerle, PhD