The Criminal Justice Research Center’s Director, Dr. Dana Haynie, was recently contacted by the American Sociological Association to learn that her research project, along with graduate student and co-investigator Scott Duxbury, has been selected by the American Sociological Association to represent them at the Annual Coalition for National Science Funding Exhibition and Reception.  This event will be held on Capitol Hill (May 9^th) and is a research symposium for politicians including senators and members of the house and their staff.  It is designed to highlight the importance of the federal funding of science research.   Additionally, they will also have scheduled meetings with Ohio's representatives to discuss the research in the afternoon prior to the symposium. 

The research project, which is funded by the Coalition for National Science Funding, examines the use of the dark web as it relates to drug trafficking.  The study is using network analytical techniques to evaluate what intervention strategies can be used to inhibit dark net drug trade and what internal market dynamics sustain and facilitate the growth of dark net markets.  The project involves modeling the entire market using cutting edge network analytic techniques, examining (1) how markets respond to law-enforcement through arrest, (2) how the market reacts to sustained cyber-attacks, and (3) what vendor and buyer characteristics facilitate market growth.

The American Sociological Association can only select one project each year to represent them at the exhibition.  Congratulations to Dr. Haynie and Mr. Duxbury for being this year’s ASA selection.