Housed in the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the Behavioral Sciences and Justice Systems (BSJS) lab examines research topics at the intersection of psychology and the criminal justice system. Grounded in empirical and applied research, the lab focuses on topics such as mental health, legal decision making (criminal/civil), eyewitness and expert testimony, juvenile justice, policing, and AI legal implications.
Director, Dr. Haley Moon
Dr. Haley Moon was raised in Iowa/Kansas, earning her B.S. in psychology (2019) and M.S. in clinical psychology (2022) from Fort Hays State University. She went on to receive her Ph.D. in experimental psychology with a concentration in psychology-law and minor in statistics from the University of Wyoming in December 2024. During her doctoral training, Dr. Moon was the project manager on an National Institute of Justice-funded grant evaluating a metropolitical police department’s mental health response team. She was later promoted to postdoctoral research fellow and project director following her graduation in December 2024. She joined the faculty at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in fall 2025. Her research program sits at the intersection of psychology and the legal system, with her primary line of research examining how cognitive mechanisms, such as attention, learning, and attributional processing, influence legal decision-making and contribute to biases in the evaluation of vulnerable defendants. Outside of the courtroom, her secondary line of research focuses on advancing evidence-based policing practices, working alongside local law enforcement and public health systems to evaluate alternative crisis response models. In her free time, Dr. Moon enjoys quality time with her husband, daughter, and dog as well as tackling home renovation projects (whether necessary or not) and cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs!
Current Graduate Students
Meher Mujtehdi Syeda was born and raised in Hyderabad, India. She earned her MPA from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock after completing her B.A. and LL.B. in India. She is currently a second-year Ph.D. student in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Her research interests include artificial intelligence, mental health, and victimization. Her current research examines the community conditions associated with law enforcement agencies’ use of specialized mental health response models. Outside of academia, she enjoys cooking, painting, drawing, and spending time with her family.
Zorain Nizamani was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan. He graduated with a law degree from the University of London in 2019, after completing his M.S. in criminology and criminal justice from Northeastern University in 2024. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in criminology and criminal Justice at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and is in his second year. His research interests include policing and AI, online radicalization, counterterrorism policies, and insurgent groups. His hobbies include watching and playing soccer, reading philosophy, working out, and listening to heavy metal.
Zulkar Nine is a doctoral student and graduate assistant in the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He earned his LL.B. and LL.M .from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and his M.A. in Criminology from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Zulkar also completed training in new media and journalism at the University of Washington, Seattle. He was awarded the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (Gold Standard) by the United Kingdom for his contributions to social causes and youth activism. His research focuses on officer-involved shootings, with particular interests in police use of force, law enforcement decision-making, and the factors that shape outcomes in these encounters.
Current Undergraduate Research Assistants
Aidan MacDonald was born in Anchorage, Alaska and moved all over the U.S. in his youth. He served honorably in the U.S. military then pursued a career path in the studies of criminal justice afterwards. With plans to take his education further into law school, his research interests include legal decision making in capital punishment cases, Uniform Code of Military Justice legal practices, and environmental/natural resource laws. In his free time, he enjoys waterfowl hunting with his grandfather and brother as well as reading and writing.
Rory Martin is an undergraduate student at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. They are studying psychology as their major with a focus on criminal justice as a minor. They intend to pursue further education in forensic psychology, hoping to gain a better understanding of how psychology interacts within the legal system.
Holly Rude is a criminal justice major at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a minor in psychology. She earned her associate degree in law enforcement in May 2026 and is excited to participate in this lab while gaining research experience. She hopes to build a career working with children and adolescents, focusing on the impacts of crime on youth and using evidence-based research to improve outcomes for the communities and youth involved.
Ja’Nyia Burks is currently a criminal justice student at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She was born and raised in North Little Rock, Ark. by a single parent in a family of six. Her primary criminal justice interests include juvenile justice and criminological theories surrounding deviant behavior. Upon graduation, she plans to explore graduate school options to pursue a master’s degree in public administration. Her ultimate goal is to become a criminal defense attorney specializing in juvenile cases while also working with nonprofit organizations that support at-risk youth and communities.
Mailys Thimothee is an international student from France currently working on a B. A. in criminal justice. After graduation, she plans to start the M.A. in criminal justice program at UA Little Rock, eventually transitioning to the Ph.D. program. Her research interests include feminicide, stalking, and the impact of society on violent crime and deviant behavior. When she is not studying, she enjoys hiking, reading, ice skating, embroidery, and crochet.
Emmalee Andrews is originally from Old Potter, Ark. They earned their associate of arts degree in psychology from the University of Arkansas Rich Mountain. They are currently an undergraduate student in the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Their research interests include cognitive biases in legal decision‑making, victimology and trauma‑informed justice practices, and public perceptions of forensic science. After completing their degree at UA Little Rock, they plan to pursue a postbaccalaureate degree at Sam Houston State University. Outside of school, Emmalee works full‑time and volunteers regularly. In their free time, they enjoy wandering through the woods studying plants and insects or tucked away with a notebook drafting ideas for their next book.
Peyton Perks – Peyton is from North Little Rock, Ark. and is currently majoring in criminal justice. After he graduates, he intends to pursue a J.D. and practice law as a criminal defense attorney. Peyton’s pursuit of these goals follows a lifelong interest in the criminal justice system. In his free time, Peyton enjoys baking, reading, and playing Mahjong. He also enjoys learning about history, law, and current events.