Eleven School of Public Affairs (SPA) students spent the past semester conducting original research on gun violence policy in the United States. Their projects examine issues ranging from victim services and policy implementation to state-level trends in firearm-related homicide and suicide. This spring, they will share their findings with the campus Research and Creative Activities Symposium (RaCAS) on April 24.

All 11 students are enrolled in CRJU 4700: Community Field Experience, a criminal justice course that challenges students to develop independent, applied research projects addressing real-world policy problems. Together, their work demonstrates how social science research plays a critical role in understanding and responding to complex public safety issues.

The SPA students presenting at RaCAS represent a range of academic backgrounds and career goals, united by a shared focus on gun violence policy and prevention.

• Kyah DaCosta – Victims and Victim Services and Criminal Justice
• Timea Dobrosi – Criminal Justice
• Kadence Hill – Criminal Justice
• Valerie Jones – Criminal Justice
• Stephanie Karr – Pre-Health and Psychology
• Payton Lamonica – Criminal Justice and Psychology
• Kenadee Matarazzo – Criminal Justice
• Kennedy Radcliffe – Criminal Justice
• Gabriella Ruyle – Criminal Justice
• Vania Villalobos-Gutierrez – Criminal Justice
• Laura Zabaleta Arias – Criminal Justice

Each student developed an original research project around the theme of gun violence policy, the laws and regulations designed to reduce injuries and deaths caused by firearms. By anchoring the course in an overarching topic, students were able to shape projects that aligned with their individual academic interests and career goals. Their work explored a range of perspectives, from victim services and policy implementation to quantitative analysis of gun violence trends across states.

RaCAS is CU Denver’s annual spring symposium that brings together students, faculty, and the broader campus community to celebrate inquiry, innovation, and creativity. More than 250 students from across disciplines present work developed throughout the academic year.

Building Research Skills Through Engagement

“By enrolling in the class, students are also enrolling in the opportunity to publicly present their work,” said Courtney M. Leapley, Instructor of Criminal Justice in the School of Public Affairs, who designed the course to mirror professional research expectations and real-world work situations.

Leapley noted that many students entered the course with little to no prior research experience. Despite this, each project required a clearly defined research question and the application of appropriate research methodology. Rather than following a single prescribed approach, students selected methods suited to their topics, including surveys, policy comparisons, and longitudinal data analysis.

“The most impressive aspect is their ability to problem-solve with processes they had never used before,” Leapley said. “Their level of independent thinking and ownership exceeded my expectations.”

One group conducted an ambitious quantitative study examining gun violence policies across all 50 states and comparing them to homicide and suicide rates over approximately ten years. Without prompting, the students developed a scale to measure the strength of each policy and expressed interest in moving beyond basic descriptive statistics, leading to more advanced data analysis.

Growth, Confidence, and Professional Identity

As their projects progressed, students demonstrated measurable academic and professional growth. Many began to view themselves not simply as students completing an assignment, but as emerging professionals contributing to public policy discussions.

RaCAS played a significant role in that transformation. “It raises the stakes, but not to an intimidating level,” Leapley said. “It helps students transition from seeing themselves solely as students to seeing themselves as professionals.”

While some students were initially hesitant about presenting, they grew more confident and increasingly excited to share their work with a broader audience.

Mentorship and Student Agency

Leapley’s role focused on mentorship and guidance rather than prescribing specific topics or approaches.

“My role is to guide students through best practices and help them think through how to achieve their vision,” Leapley explained. “That might involve identifying data sources, refining research design, brainstorming solutions, or providing structure for managing a complex project.”

The course is designed to cultivate both technical and transferable skills, including critical thinking, collaboration, project management, data analysis, perseverance, and professional confidence. This balance of independence and support allows students to take ownership of their learning while meeting program outcomes.

A Broader Impact on Campus and Community

RaCAS is frequently dominated by presentations from the hard sciences, making SPA’s participation particularly meaningful.

“Having the social sciences represented brings credibility to these areas,” Leapley said. “It reflects SPA’s commitment to student success and to rigorous, applied research.”

“RaCAS is one of my favorite days of the year,” Leapley said. “Seeing students proudly present work they have refined and taken ownership of is incredibly meaningful. Their engagement and excitement show how we can help students overcome presentation hesitancy, and they should all be immensely proud of the work and effort behind these projects.”

Through experiential learning opportunities like RaCAS, SPA students gain hands-on research experience while contributing thoughtfully to conversations about public service and public policy. Their work highlights SPA’s mission to prepare students to engage confidently and effectively with the complex challenges facing communities today.

About the Instructor

Leapley, who earned both her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice (BACJ) and Master of Criminal Justice (MCJ) from CU Denver, is currently a PhD student in the School of Public Affairs and a full-time instructor of Criminal Justice. Prior to joining SPA, she worked as a research analyst for the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice. She has taught a variety of courses, including Corrections, Research Methods, Criminological Theory, Statistics in Criminal Justice, Crime and Media, Journalism and Crime, Community Field Experience, and Neurocriminology. Her research interests focus on prevention and policy, including corrections, public safety, and innovative policy approaches.