Dr. Eran Itskovich
Post - doctoral fellowI am a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge. I hold a B.A. in Sociology & Anthropology and Philosophy from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2016), where I later earned an M.A. in Criminology with a specialization in forensic science (2020) and a Ph.D. in Criminology (2024).
My research primarily explores the sociology of crime, with a particular focus on how social constructs and contexts shape the behavior of both individuals and institutions. This includes investigations into the role of societal and environmental factors, such as inequality and discrimination, in shaping deviant behavior and the response to it. For example, in my PhD dissertation, I investigated the relationship between economic inequality and crime, as well as the mechanisms underlying it, while adopting an individual-level perspective. In another study, I examined racial and ethnic disparities in wrongful convictions and how they are shaped by state-level political orientation.
Another central aspect of my scientific work is the application of advanced quantitative research methods. Over the years, I have investigated criminological phenomena using sophisticated designs and analyzing complex datasets. This pursuit has provided me with invaluable knowledge regarding various research designs, such as laboratory and field experiments and surveys. I have also honed my proficiency in advanced statistical techniques, including multilevel modeling, survival analysis, and structural equation modeling, applied to both longitudinal and cross-sectional data.
Beyond the core areas of my research, I am also interested in other domains, particularly “ordinary” and political violence and forensic science. I have directed research projects on these subjects, notably a government project that addresses violence within the Arab community in Israel, and a project funded by the Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence, USA, focused on shoeprint evidence.