Contact: Abby Barber
Studying crime is paying off--literally--for a senior psychology major at Mississippi State University.
A study of jury verdicts by T. Robert Turner of Starkville has been selected for the $300 first prize in the minority issues category of the Southeastern Psychological Association's Student Research Competition.
Affiliated with the American Psychological Association, SEPA includes members in Alabama, Arkansas, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Turner's project examined the effects of a defendant's economic and social background on guilt and sentencing in homicide cases. He will present his findings and receive his award later this month at the group's annual convention in New Orleans, La.
"This award brings recognition from the Southeastern psychological community both to Robert and to Mississippi State," said assistant professor Kristine M. Jacquin, Turner's faculty adviser. "His work demonstrates the fine quality of research being conducted by undergraduates in the psychology department."
A four-person review committee judged projects on excellence in experimental design, relevance, importance, style, and innovation.
Turner, a Starkville Academy graduate originally from Dallas, Texas, is the son of Timothy Turner and Patricia Lowery.