Kyle Roberson's international study aims to bridge gap between family sciences and criminal justice, advocating for support initiatives
Assistant Professor Kyle Roberson has been awarded the Phi Upsilon Omicron Alumni Research Grant from 2023 to 2025. The grant supports his study, "How are Home Economists and FCS Professionals Assisting the Incarcerated and Their Families - A Delphi Study." Aimed at uncovering global strategies to aid families affected by incarceration, the study hopes to foster international collaboration within Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) and Home Economics.
“My past experience has been working in corrections as a teacher/instructor and educational administrator,” Roberson said. “I've personally seen how incarceration has detrimental effects on families of the incarcerated and want my research to help develop solutions and changes in local, state and national policy.”
The study employs the Delphi methodology to conduct an international survey of FCS and Home Economics professionals, focusing on their efforts to support justice-involved families.
Additionally, Roberson is launching an empathy and literacy study in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Prisons. This initiative represents a step towards gathering preliminary data that could bolster larger research projects and encourage more FCS professionals to engage with the needs of incarcerated individuals and their families.
“My hope is to bring awareness to my discipline so that my colleagues can see the intersections between FCS and justice-involved families and include them as parts of other research, support, and policymaking through our shared resources in FCS and Home Economics,” Roberson said.
Roberson seeks to continue to draw attention to FCS and Home Economics' potential to positively impact the lives of those affected by incarceration.
“The marginalized community of the justice-involved is a population that is often ignored or forgotten when it comes to helping people improve and enhance their condition.” Roberson said. “I am hoping my research will bring to light and make more people aware of the good work we do in these areas, and that the work will reflect positively on Texas Tech and the College of Human Sciences as our university strives to make a difference through service and leadership in the community.”