Students take on justice reform in new criminology design challenge

In a first-of-its-kind competition, UB students recently showcased their creativity, collaboration and compassion during the Innovate for Impact Criminology Design Challenge — a two-week innovation sprint focused on reimagining justice, safety and community well-being.

Hosted by UB’s Startup & Innovation Collaboratory (CoLab) and in partnership with the Department of Sociology and Criminology and the Office of Student Engagement and the School of Law, the contest invited student teams to design new programs, technologies or interventions to address some of society’s most pressing criminal justice and public safety issues. Topics ranged from youth violence and reentry to restorative justice, community-police relations and digital crime.

“This challenge gave students the chance to develop tangible solutions with real-world impact while thinking critically about justice, equity and community engagement,” said Hadar Borden, CoLab director. “It’s inspiring to see how students combine data, empathy and creativity to tackle complex social problems.”

Students gained guidance from professionals across the region, including representatives from the law school, as well as from Peaceprints of WNY (an organization offering comprehensive reentry services to men and women involved in the criminal justice system), before presenting their projects at the Oct. 9 finale held in the CoLab office in 340 Student Union. There, students pitched to a panel of community and campus partners and demonstrated their understanding of criminological theory, ethical practice and practical innovation. The judging criteria included viability, social entrepreneurship, equity and empathy, and ingenuity.

“The Criminology Design Challenge gives students a powerful opportunity to learn about how to turn their classroom learning into real-world solutions,” added Yunmei “Iris” Lu, assistant professor and director of the criminology MS program. “Particularly, students in the challenge engage with scholars and community leaders who provide valuable guidance and feedback on their ideas, helping them refine their plans into clear, actionable proposals.”

Students said the experience gave them new insight into how data, community partnerships and social innovation intersect in the field of criminology.

“Success is not where you’ll find your ultimate passion,” said Iesha Aughtry, a graduate student in criminology. “It’s in failure that you’ll see the path that was written for you.”

The challenge awarded cash prizes to the top three teams — $1,000 for first place, $750 for second and $500 for third — and provided all participants with valuable experience in social impact design and collaborative problem-solving.

The first-place team, Operation K.O.P.S (Kids & Officers Partnering Safely), designed a community initiative to strengthen relationships between youth and law enforcement through mentorship and shared activities that foster trust and understanding. Team members were Nour Jaber and Chris Bragg, both students in the MS in criminology program.

Second place went to Rise Above, which focused its project on reducing youth violence through early intervention and restorative justice education. Team members are Iesha Aughtry and Adam Carlson, both in the MS in criminology program.

Team What Are You Doing? earned third place for developing a reusable, portable police car mock-up to deter speeders. Team members are Wonwook Lee and Jeonghoon Shin, both students in the BS program in business administration, and MBA student Ethan Choi.

The Criminology Design Challenge was led by Andrew Lavoie, design challenge coordinator for the CoLab, and supported by faculty and staff collaborators including Yunmei Lu, Ashley Barr, Christine Bartholomew, Cindi McEachon, Austin Waters, Rebecca Chapman and Rachel Di Domizio.

“Our students showed that innovation and justice are deeply connected,” Lavoie said. “This is exactly what the Startup & Innovation Collaboratory was built for — giving students the opportunity to turn ideas into meaningful action. By also connecting our students to community experts, it has expanded their networks and allowed them to have a better understanding of these real-world issues.

“When they’re invited to design for impact, they don’t just meet the moment — they redefine it.”