Sarah K.S. Shannon joined the UGA Sociology Department in 2013 after receiving her PhD (and MSW) from the University of Minnesota. Sarah's research focuses on systems of criminal punishment and their effects on social life. Her interdisciplinary research has been published in top journals in several fields including sociology, criminology, public health, social work, and geography.
Sarah is also an award-winning teacher, having received recognition for excellence in undergraduate instruction, research mentoring, creative teaching, and service-learning. She proudly facilitate UGA's first-ever Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program course in partnership with the Clarke County Jail (SOCI 4470S).
As a publicly engaged scholar, Sarah’s research has been cited in several high profile media outlets including The New York Times, The Economist, and the Washington Post. Prior to her graduate work, Sarah worked in the non-profit sector. As a result, she cares about doing research that matters for academics, policy makers, and ordinary citizens.
Education
- PhD, Sociology, University of Minnesota, 2013
- MSW, University of Minnesota, 2007
- BA, Sociology, University of Iowa
Research
Selected Publications
- Sarah Shannon. 2020. "Probation and Monetary Sanctions in Georgia: Evidence from a Multi-method Study." Georgia Law Review 54(4):1213-1233.
- Sarah Shannon, Beth Huebner, Alexes Harris, Karin Martin, Mary Pattillo, Becky Pettit, Bryan Sykes, and Christopher Uggen. 2020. “The Broad Scope and Variation of Monetary Sanctions: Evidence from Eight States.” UCLA Criminal Justice Law Review 4(1): 269-281.
- Martin, Brittany and Sarah K.S. Shannon. 2020. "State Variation in the Drug Felony Lifetime Ban On TANF: Why the Modified Ban Matters." Punishment & Society 22(4):439-460.
- Martin, Karin, Bryan Sykes, Sarah Shannon, Frank Edwards, and Alexes Harris. 2018. “Monetary Sanctions: Legal Financial Obligations in the Criminal Justice System.” Annual Review of Criminology 1(1):471-495.
- Shannon, Sarah K.S. 2017. "Punishment, Religion, and the Shrinking Welfare State for the Very Poor in the United States, 1970-2010." Socius 3:1-16.
- Sarah K.S. Shannon, Christopher Uggen, Jason Schnittker, Melissa Thompson, Sara Wakefield, and Michael Massoglia. 2017. "The Growth, Scope, and Spatial Distribution of People with Felony Records in the United States,1948 to 2010." Demography 54(5):1795-1818.
- Sarah K.S. Shannon and Mathew Hauer. 2017. “A Life Table Approach to Estimating Disproportionate Minority Contact in the Juvenile Justice System.” Justice Quarterly 35(2):330-355.
- Schnittker, Jason, Christopher Uggen, Sarah K.S. Shannon, and Suzy Maves McElrath. 2015. “The Institutional Effects of Incarceration: Spillovers from Criminal Justice to Health Care.” Millbank Quarterly 93:516-560.
- Sarah K.S. Shannon and Joshua Page. 2014. "Bureaucrats on the Cell Block: Prison Officers' Perceptions of Work Environment and Attitudes Toward Prisoners." Social Service Review 88:630-657.
- Uggen, Christopher and Sarah K.S. Shannon. 2014. "Productive Addicts and Harm Reduction: How Work Reduces Crime - But Not Drug Use." Social Problems 61:105-130.
- Shannon, Sarah K.S. 2010. "Dereliction of Duty: Training Schools for Delinquent Parents inthe 1940s." Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare 37:11-27.
- Abrams, Laura.S., Sarah K.S. Shannon, and Cindy Sangalang. 2008. "Transition Services for Incarcerated Youth: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation Study." Child and Youth Services Review 30:522-535.
- Shannon, Sarah K.S. & Laura Abrams. 2007. "Juvenile Offenders as Fathers: Perceptions of Fatherhood, Crime and Becoming and Adult." Families in Society 88:183-191.
Awards, Honors, and Recognition
Research Funding
- Co-Principal Investigator, Rural Jails Research Hub, 2020-2021. Funded by the Vera Institute of Justice. $235,000.
- Co-Principal Investigator, Multi-State Study of Monetary Sanctions. 2015-2020. Funded by the Laura and John Anold Foundation (via University of Washington, PI Alexes Harris). $237,646.
- Principal Investigator, RIDGE Center for Targeted Studies Grant. 2014-2015. "The Longitudinal Impact of SNAP Enrollment and Spending on Community Health and Well-being in Rural and Urban Georgia During the Great Recession." Purdue Center for Regional Development & the Southern Rural Development Center. $33,136.
Teaching Accomplishments
- Service-Learning Teaching Excellence Award. 2020. UGA Office of Service-Learning.
- Richard B. Russell Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award. 2019. UGA Office of Academic Programs.
- Creative Teaching Award. 2019. UGA Office of Instruction.
- Research Mentoring Award. 2018. UGA Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities.
- Outstanding Professor. 2018. UGA Student Government Association.
- Service-Learning Fellows Program. 2017-2018. UGA Office of Service-Learning.
- Sandy Beaver Excellence in Teaching Award, 2017. Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia.
- Lilly Teaching Fellow. 2014-2016. University of Georgia, Center for Teaching and Learning.