CONTACT
ruespinoza@fullerton.edu
Voice: 657-278-7566
Fax:657-278-7134
Dept: 657-278-3514
OFFICE
Humanities 725H
Russ Espinoza, Ph. D
Professor of Psychology
I earned my Ph.D. at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln (#1 Psychology and Law program in the U.S.A.) in Forensic Social Psychology specializing in Prejudice in the Legal System. In addition, I earned a minor in Quantitative Methodology. I joined the Psychology Department at CSUF in the Fall of 2007 where I have taught many courses in Forensic (Legal) Psychology, Prejudice and Discrimination, Research Methods, and more mainstream classes like Social and Personality Psychology. I am also a trial consultant and expert witness in criminal court trials. In addition to Psychology, I am a wicked rock and roll guitar player and songwriter!
VITA 2022
Degrees
Ph.D., University of Nebraska, Lincoln, 2005 (Psychology and Law; Minor - Quantitative Methods) -
M.S., California State University, Northridge, 2000 (Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, M.F.T.)
B.A., California State University, Northridge, 1998 (Psychology)
Research Areas
Prejudice in the Legal System, Juror Decision Making, Cognition and Stereotyping. My primary line of research examines prejudice in the legal system that exists based on socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity and how jurors are influenced by these extra-legal factors. Low SES, minority defendants are found more culpable, found guilty more often, and given lengthier sentences in comparison to other status majority defendants for similar crime commissions. My second line of research examines the underlying cognitive associations to stereotypes and prejudice towards specific groups and their treatment in media, healthcare, education, business, etc.
Books
Espinoza, R. K. E., Coleman, J. C., & Coons. J. V. (2022). Educating Jurors on Instructions and Legal-Ease Objectivity in the California Legal System. In S. Bag (Ed.) Research Developments in Arts and Social Studies (Vol. 3, pp. 82-93). West Bengal, India: BP International Publishers. ISBN: 978-93-5547-438-4.
Espinoza, R. K. E (2018). Forensic and Legal Psychology: Instructor Manual. In M. Costanzo & D. Krauss (Eds.), Forensic and legal psychology: Psychological science applied to law. New York, NY: Macmillan Education
Espinoza, R. K. E. (2010). Juror bias in the U.S. legal system: Examining problems and solutions. Saarbrücken, Germany: Lambert Academic Publishing.
JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS
Phan, D. K., Espinoza, R.K.E., & Sy, S. R. (2022). An Aversive Racism Explanation for the Influence of Race, SES, and Race-Stereotypical Crimes on Jury Decision Biases Against Asian American Defendants. Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice, 20 (1), 73-95. doi: 10.1080/15377938.2022.2054890
Coons, J. V. & Espinoza, R. K. E. (2018). An examination of aversive heterosexism in the courtroom? Effects of defendants’ sexual orientation and attractiveness, and juror gender on legal decision making. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 5(1), 36-43. doi: http://dx.doi.org.lib-proxy.fullerton.edu/10.1037/sgd0000253
Coleman, J.C., Espinoza, R. K. E. & Coons. J. V. (2017). An Empirical Comparison of the Old and Revised Jury Instructions of California: Do Jurors Comprehend Legal Ease Better or Does Bias Still Exist? OAL Journal of Law, 4, 1-15.
Minero, L. P. & Espinoza, R. K. E. (2016) The Influence of Defendant Immigration Status, Country of Origin, and Ethnicity on Juror Decisions: An Aversive Racism Explanation for Juror Bias. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 38, 55-74. doi: 10.1177/0739986315620374
Espinoza, R. K. E., Willis-Esqueda, C., Toscano, S. & Coons, J. V. (2015). The Impact of Ethnicity, Immigration Status and SES on Juror Decision Making. Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice, 13 (3), 197-216.
Espinoza, R. K. E. & Willis-Esqueda, C. (2014). The Influence of Defendant's Mitigating Information, Race and SES on Death Penalty Decisions by European American and Hispanic Venire Persons. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology.
Espinoza, R. K. E. , Willis-Esqueda, C., Toscano. S. & Coons, J. V. (2014). The Impact of Ethnicity, Immigration Status and SES on Juror Decision Making. Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice.
Espinoza, R. K. E. , Ek, B. J. & Espinoza, H. A. (2012). An Examination of Juveniles Being Tried As Adults: Influences of Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Status, and Age of Defendant. The National Social Science Journal, 37 (1), 30-37.
Rangoonwala, F. I., Sy, S. R. & Espinoza, R. K. E. (2011). Muslim Identity, Islamic Dress Adherence, and College Adjustment among Muslim American Women. Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 31 (2), 231-241.
Espinoza, R. K. E. (2009). Juror bias and the death penalty: Deleterious effects of ethnicity and SES. The American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences Journal, Fall, 33- 41.
Espinoza, R. K. E. & Willis Esqueda, C. (2008). Defendant and defense attorney characteristics and their effects on juror decision making and prejudice against Mexican-Americans. The Journal of Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. The Journal of Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 14, 364-371. Publications/Espinoza2008_CDEMP.pdf
Willis Esqueda, C., Espinoza, R. K. E., & Culhane, S. (2008). The effects of ethnicity, SES and crime status on juror decision making: A cross-cultural examination of European-American and Mexican American mock jurors. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 30, 181-199. Publications/2008HJBS_Manuscript.pdf
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Espinoza, R.K.E., Aikenhead, A., Andrak, S., Contreras, K., Rios, A. & Saporsantos, B. (2023). Does Defendant Psychopathy Diagnosis Influence Juror Decisions When Race/Ethnicity is Salient? Aversive Racism and Juror Views of Mental Illness. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Riverside, CA.
Espinoza, R.K.E., Hernandez, M, Kataoka, A., Landazurri, T., Rabadan, K., Salgado, A., & Smith, G. (2023). Juror Bias for Police Officers Accused of Excessive Force and Manslaughter: Impact of Defendant and Victim Race and Prior Police Abuse Charges. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Riverside, CA.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Avalos, S., Freeman, B., Hernandez, M, Nehme, C., & Skidmore, T. (2022). Do Black Lives Matter if the Black Defendant Suffers from Mental Illness? An Aversive Racism Explanation for Juror Bias. Poster presented at the Western PSychological Association Conference, Portland, OR.
Espinoza, R. K. E. (2021). Defendant Immigration Status: Does Aversive Racism Explain Juror Bias? Paper presented at the National Social Science Association Conference, San Diego, CA. September 26-28.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Bingham, M., Cespedes, A., Ly, J., Mireless, D., & Thayer, V. (2020). The Influence of Defendant Race and Mental Illness Diagnosis on Juror Decisions: Biasing Affects of Jurors’ Legal Attitudes. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, San Francisco, CA. April 30-May 3.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Alvarez, M., Bejarano, A., Gomez, D., Huynh, H., Riscotto, G. & Singh, C. (2020). An Examination of Immigrant Defendants and Juror Level of RWA: Does Aversive Racism Explain Juror Bias. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, San Francisco, CA. April 30-May 3.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Meza, G., Cazares, J., Bejarano, A., & Yadollahi, D. (2019). The Death Penalty and Juror Decisions: The Biasing Impact of Type of Evidence, Defendant Race and SES. Poster presented at the American Association of Behavioral and Social Science Conference, Las Vegas, NV. Feb. 25-26.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Mallipudi, V., Nguyen, T., Alexander, J., Chang, M. and Scarcella, T. (2019). Police Brutality and Defendant Race and SES: Does Aversive Racism Explain Juror Bias? Poster presented at the American Association of Behavioral and Social Science Conference, Las Vegas, NV. Feb. 25-26.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Chang, M., Scarcella, T., Cazares, J., Nguyen, T., & Mallipudi, V. (2019). The Death Penalty and Defendant Race: Do Juror Views of Criminality and the Legal System Seal a Defendants’ Fate? Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Pasadena, CA. April 25-28.
Espinoza, R.K.E., Bejarano, A., Bingham, M., Yadollahi, D., Meza, G., & Alexander, J. (2019). Police Officer Charged with Manslaughter: Does Race of Officer and Victim, and Juror Views of the Legal System Predict Bias? Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Pasadena, CA. April 25-28.
Espinoza, R.K.E., & Harter, D. (2018). Does Juror Authoritarianism and Defendant Race and Attractiveness Bias Decisions for Mothers Accused of Infanticide? A Mock Juror Study. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Sacramento, CA. April 26-29.
Espinoza, R.K.E., Young, J., Campoy, V., Grisham, T. & Nguyen, H. (2018). Mass Shootings, Race, and Mental Illness: Do Jurors Views of Mental Illness Bias Decisions for Racially Diverse Defendants? Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Sacramento, CA. April 26-29.
Espinoza, R.K.E., De La Rosa, S., Gonzalez, A., Morales-Torres, E. & Muniz, K. (2018). Does Race of Police Officer, Prior Incidents of Excessive Force, and Juror Police Cynicism Contribute to Juror Bias? A Mock Juror Study. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Sacramento, CA. April 26-29.
Espinoza, R.K.E., Castillo, T., Kalaw, J., Bliss, K. & Pauley, S. (2018). Influences of Juror Levels of Right-Wing Authoritarianism and Social Dominance Orientation on Capital Cases for Racially Diverse Defendants. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Sacramento, CA. April 26-29.
Espinoza, R.K.E., Morales-Torres, E., De La Rosa, S., Gonzalez, A. & Muniz, K. (2018). Does Juror Social Dominance and Level of Political Correctness Influence Decisions for Police Officers Who Vary By Race? A Mock Juror Study. Poster presented at the American Association of Behavioral and Social Science Conference, Las Vegas, NV. Feb. 26-27.
Espinoza, R. K. E. Sanchez, P., Aguinaldo, E., Lazaro, M. & Morrison, C. (2017). Juror Political Correctness and Level of SDO for Cases Involving Police Brutality: Does Race of Officer and Victim Matter? Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Sacramento, CA. April 27-30.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Acosta, R., Tran, D., Fernandez, Y. & Jasmin, M. (2017). Police Officers Charged with Murder: Does Juror Level of RWA and Police Cynicism Influence Decisions When Race is Salient? Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Sacramento, CA. April 27-30.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Hayes, S. & Acevedo, C. (2017). Does DNA Evidence Influence Juror Decisions for Capital Cases Involving Defendant Race and SES? Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Sacramento, CA. April 27-30.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Acosta, R., Beitzel, M., Hyde, L. & Xavier, J. (2017). Influences of Race and SES for Police Brutality Cases: A Mock Juror Study for Police Officers with Prior Incidences of Excessive Force. Poster presented at the American Association of Behavioral and Social Science Conference, Las Vegas, NV. Jan. 30-31.
Espinoza, R.K.E., Ariana Vargas, Renee Acosta & Maria Beitzel (2016). Do jurors’ views on gun control contribute to juror bias for mentally ill defendants when defendant and victim race are varied? An empirical examination. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Long Beach, CA.
Espinoza, R.K.E., Brooke Hunter, Dominic Villanueva & Sarah Martinez (2016). Police brutality and juror decisions: Influence of officer race, victim race and SES, and jurors level of right-wing authoritarianism. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Long Beach, CA.
Espinoza, R.K.E., Sarah Kilcullen, Alexis Drain & Briana Zafranovich (2016). Why do cases involving officers accused of police brutality rarely go to trial? An aversive racism explanation for grand jury bias. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Long Beach, CA.
Espinoza, R.K.E., Hailey Harris, Lyndsey Hyde & Crysta Godinez (2016). Does social dominance orientation of jurors affect cases for racially diverse, mentally ill defendants? A mock jury study. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Long Beach, CA.
Espinoza, R.K.E., Harris, H. & Kilcullen, S. (2016). Influence of Victim and Officer Race and Victim Socioeconomic Status for Cases of Police Brutality: A Mock Juror Study. Poster presented at the Society for Personality and Social psychology Conference, San Diego, CA.
Espinoza, R.K.E. (2015) M’Naghten and Defendant/Victim Race in California: Do Jurors Views of Mental Illness Factor into Defendant Culpability for Racially Diverse Mentally Ill Defendants? Poster presented at the American Psychological Society Conference, New York, NY.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Sambrano, D., Hunter, B. & Peterson, H. (2015). Influence of Juror Views of Mentally Ill Defendants and Level of RWA for Racially Diverse Defendants. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Defriese, G., Csiszer, A. & Sanchez, J. (2015). An Empirical Examination of the M’Naughten Rule: Influences of Defendant/Victim Race and Victim Age. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Bohorquez, L., Flores, M. & Smith, L. (2015). Influence of Juror SES and Views of Mental Illness for Racially Diverse Mentally Ill Defendants . Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Almeida, M., Ranker, B. & Upchurch, S. (2015). The Influence of Juror SES on Culpability Assignment When Defendant and Victim Race Are Varied. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
Ryks, M., Sanders, J. & Espinoza, R. K. E. (2015). Combined Effects of Juror Gender and Right-Wing Authoritarianism on Culpability Assignment. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
Pham, D. & Espinoza, R. K. E. (2015). Influence of Juror Gender and Victim Race on Culpability Assignment for Mentally Ill Defendants. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
Espinoza, R. K. E. (2014). Prejudice Toward Undocumented, low SES, Latino Defendants in Juror Decision Making: An Empirical Examination. Poster presented at the American Psychological Society Conference, San Francisco, CA.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Lam, P., Jeffers, S. & Kurkoske, M. (2014). Right-Wing Authoritarianism and gun control: An empirical mock-juror study. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Portland, OR.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Adkins, A., Popoff, J., Bleich, S. & Sy, A. (2014). A mock-juror study of race/age and the Sandyhook tragedy. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Portland, OR.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Chumpitaz, M., Gallardo, J. & Orbegoso, S. (2014). Aversive racism, gun control, defendant/victim race and juror decision making. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Conference, Portland, OR.
Espinoza, R. K. E., (2014). Influence of Gun Control, Race, and Age of Victim for Mentally Ill Defendants Accused of Murder: A Mock Juror Examination. Poster presented at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology Conference, Austin, TX.
Espinoza, R. K. E., Ek, B. J. & Espinoza, H. A. (2010). An Examination of Juveniles Being Tried As Adults: Influences of Race and SES. Paper presented at the National Social Science Association Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
Pictures
Hawaii Shots1, Hawaii Shots2, Hawaii Shots3, Hawaii Shots4, Hawaii Shots5, Hawaii Shots6, Hawaii Shots7, Hawaii Shots8, Wife & I_3rd_Anniversary, Wife & I, Hot Wife, Dr. Es._Running with the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain1, Dr. Es._Running with the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain2, Lovely Wife, Dr. Es. Trevi Fountain Rome, Italy, Dr. Es. Running with the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain3 (Bullring),
