Education

Ph.D., North Carolina State University

Current Research

My research projects are varied but draw from my interests in criminology and medical sociology. In one line of research, I examine the intersection of physical, mental, and behavioral healths. Ongoing projects focus on people’s experiences with stress, coping, physical well-being, mental health, substance use, and law violation. In a second line of research, I focus on the role of the media in making meaning about crime, justice, and related issues. My work on media and social/historical contexts also extends to public opinion and attitudes about crime and justice. Current projects examine how people make sense of social uncertainty, fear, and crime. A third line of research explores biomedicalization, particularly how it is visualized and framed in mediated forms, and how people think about their health.

Student Opportunities

Much of my research relies on primary data collection, through both surveys and qualitative analysis. I frequently incorporate students into my work. Both undergraduate and graduate students have contributed to several data collection projects. I have presented and published articles with undergraduate and graduate students.

Current Teaching

At the undergraduate level, I teach courses in sociology of crime (SOCI 209), public opinion research (SOCI 333), and deviance (SOCI 474).  At the graduate level, I teach courses at the intersection of health and justice. In 2026, I received the Babchuk Mentorship Award from the Nebraska Association of Sociology Graduate Students.

Recent Publications

Health and Well-Being

Kort-Butler, Lisa A., Trenton Haltom, and Jessica Phelps. 2024. “Head Injury and Aggressive Behavior: Examining Sex Differences and the Role of Related Risk Factors.” Journal of Criminal Justice 95: 102317.

Media Representations of Crime

Kort-Butler, Lisa A.  2023. “Tweeting about Crime in Pandemic Times: U.S. Legacy News Media and Crime Reporting During the Covid-19 Pandemic.”  Pp. 123-139 in Crime and Social Control in Pandemic Times, Sociology of Crime, Law and Deviance, 28, Mathieu Deflam (ed.). Emerald Publishing.

Bosch, Brandon, and Lisa A. Kort-Butler. 2023. “The Joker Controversy: An Origin Story.” Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture 23: 1-28. 

Public Opinion about Crime

Kort-Butler, Lisa A., Kimberly A. Tyler, and Cindy Mays. 2025. “Drug Use Stigma and Public Preferences for Public Health versus Legal System Responses.” Journal of Drug Issues, 55: 611-624.

Kort-Butler, Lisa A. 2024. “Pandemic, Politics, Public Health, and Public Opinion about Crime.” Criminal Justice Review 49: 43-63.