Dr Melissa de Vel-Palumbo

My research expertise lies at the intersection of criminology and psychology. I draw on psychological theory and research to improve the understanding, prevention, and management of criminal behaviour. Ultimately, my research aims to improve outcomes for people who have committed crime, in order to reduce the burden of crime in the community. I have expertise in quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including experimental design, program evaluation, cross-sectional surveys, scale development and validation, and qualitative interviews. I have also trained as a clinical (forensic) psychologist.

My principal area of research is the rehabilitation and reintegration of people who have committed crime. I explore this topic from both a basic basis (how people process wrongdoing and how/when these psychological processes lead to positive attitudinal and behavioural change) as well as an applied basis (the effects of particular criminal justice interventions or procedures on crime). I am particularly interested in in the role of identity changes in promoting desistance from crime. This body of work has contributed to knowledge about the processes underlying behavioural change and effective strategies to facilitate the rehabilitation of people convicted of crime.

A second research stream investigates the beliefs people have about crime and justice. I am particularly interested in psychological biases that influence people’s moral judgments, punitive attitudes, and justice-related cognitions. These beliefs have major impacts on the decisions and practices of people who work in the criminal justice system (e.g., police officers, judges, correctional officers) as well as feeding into broader societal attitudes and discourses about crime and criminal justice policy. My work in this space has contributed to understanding and challenging common beliefs and attitudes that impede the effective reintegration of people who have been convicted of crime.