Victim Researcher Profile

BIO

Janine Zweig is Associate Vice President and a Senior Research Fellow in the Justice Policy Center at Urban. She conducts both basic research and evaluations related to sexual violence and victimization, intimate partner and dating violence, substance use, criminal justice policies, and adolescent and young adult development. She has examined several provisions of the Violence Against Women Act and the Prison Rape Elimination Act. Evaluation work has examined issues around bridging the gap between research and practice in victim services; payment mechanisms for sexual assault medical forensic exams; the effectiveness of community-based domestic violence and sexual assault services; the effectiveness of community collaboration among law enforcement, prosecution, victim services, and healthcare providers in addressing domestic violence and sexual assault; and services for victims of sexual violence during incarceration in jails, prisons, and juvenile facilities. Dr. Zweig has participated in the development of measures of teen dating violence (particularly cyber dating abuse), the spectrum of sexually victimizing experiences, and coercive sexual environments (a place-based approach to understanding sexual harassment and violence). Finally, Dr. Zweig has conducted several basic research studies and has examined the role of sexual assault kit evidence and case characteristics in case processing and outcomes; longitudinally examined the risk factors for and consequences of sexual victimization experiences for rural young adult women; longitudinally tested general strain theory and role of sexual and physical victimization in the development and persistence of substance use and offending behaviors for a sample of people on community supervision; longitudinally tested general strain theory and role of physical victimization during incarceration for a reentering population in the development and persistence of substance use and offending behaviors; and compared differences in rates of sexual victimization for college and non-college individuals. Prior to joining Urban, Dr. Zweig served as a volunteer/intern for a Women-In-Crisis program. This shelter for battered women serves five rural counties and she participated in legal and child advocacy, case management, and hotline operation.

VICTIMIZATION FOCUS

Bullying, Campus Sexual Assault, Dating Violence (Teen), Domestic and Family Violence, Elder Abuse/Mistreatment, Physical Assault (other than domestic violence or elder abuse), Sexual Abuse or Violence (other than campus sexual assault), Trafficking in Persons

SPECIAL POPULATIONS

Formerly incarcerated victims, LGBTQ victims, Limited English proficiency victims, Rural victims

RESEARCH EXPERTISE

Action research, Data collection, Qualitative studies, Quantitative studies, Training and/or technical assistance

VICTIM RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Data collection, Descriptive studies, Program evaluation, Qualitative studies, Quantitative studies, Training and/or technical assistance