Faculty Profile for Dr. Melanie Frances Palacios Soderstrom
Dr. Melanie Frances Palacios Soderstrom
Assistant Professor — School of Criminal Justice & Criminology
HINE 125
phone: (512) 245-3218
Biography Section
Biography and Education
Melanie F.P. Soderstrom, Ph.D., J.D., is an Assistant Professor in the School of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Texas State University. She joined the faculty in 2022 after earning her Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Florida. Prior to pursuing her Ph.D., Dr. Soderstrom was an Assistant Public Defender in southeastern Virginia specializing in representing youth in the juvenile courts. Dr. Soderstrom earned her J.D. from the College of William & Mary School of Law in 2010.Research Interests
School-to-prison pipeline; policing of youth; juvenile justice system; youth mental health; criminal and juvenile courts; policy and program evaluation; mixed methodsSelected Scholarly/Creative Work
- Soderstrom, M. F. P. (2025). A Qualitative Investigation of School Resource Officer Training Requirements in a Florida School District. Policing: An International Journal. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-06-2024-0092
- Soderstrom, M. F. P., & Bumgarner, J. B. (2024). Instructors’ Challenges Facilitating Mental Health First Aid Training with Law Enforcement. Police Practice & Research. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/15614263.2024.2406836
- Soderstrom, M. F. P., Childs, K. K., & Gryglewicz, K. (2024). An evaluation of Youth Mental Health First Aid training with law enforcement officers. Psychological Services. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000901
- Soderstrom, M. F. P. (2024). Formalizing and expanding school resource officer presence: Examining influences on student arrests. Journal of Criminal Justice, 94. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2024.102236
- Childs, K. K., Bryson, S. L., Soderstrom, M. F. P., & Reed, A. (2023). An Assessment of the Internal Structure of the CANS Using Two Samples of High-risk Adolescents. Children and Youth Services Review. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107365
Selected Awards
- Award / Honor Recipient: Outstanding Dissertation Award, American Society of Criminology Division of Policing. August 29, 2023
- Award / Honor Nominee: Outstanding Dissertation Award, College of Community Innovation and Education, University of Central Florida. January 5, 2023
- Award / Honor Recipient: Doctoral Research Support Award, College of Graduate Studies, University of Central Florida. 2020
- Award / Honor Recipient: Community Servant Award, The College of William & Mary School of Law. 2010
Selected Grants
- Soderstrom, Melanie Frances Palacios (Principal). Implementing YMHFA Training with Law Enforcement Officers: A Mixed Methods Study, National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Private / Foundation / Corporate, $5000. (Funded: August 2021 - August 2023). Grant.
- Gryglewicz, Kimberley (Principal), Childs, Kristina K (Co-Principal), Soderstrom, Melanie Frances Palacios (Co-Principal). Central Florida Pathways to Awareness, Support and Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Federal, $375000. (Funded: October 2018 - September 2021). Grant.