Abbi Edgington '27

Abbi Edgington '27 | Criminal Justice and English major

Abbi Edgington ’27 dreams of becoming a defense attorney or prosecutor after she graduates from Saint Anselm College. With big aspirations and deep passion for her studies, she hopes to embark on a career journey that will save wrongfully incarcerated individuals from unjust sentences.

As someone interested in the justice system, how did you know that Saint Anselm College was the right fit for you?

I believed Saint Anselm would be a good fit for me because of the master’s program for Criminology and Criminal Justice. When I was applying to colleges, I was unsure whether my career would lead me more towards a master’s degree or law school. I chose Saint Anselm because I knew if I decided a master’s degree it would be very beneficial. At this point, I am leaning more towards pursing a law degree after graduation, but it was nice to have the option to purse a graduate degree at Saint Anselm and complete the program in an expedited time frame. 

Can you tell us about your undergraduate research? 

My research looks to understand the role that sexual violence has on incarcerated women’s criminal pathway. I am actively seeking approval to access a women's facility in Framingham, Mass. where I hope to hand out questionnaires to inmates. 

What have you learned during the process?

In the past, studies on criminal behaviors have only been conducted on men, so most of the research that exists is androcentric. It tells us the pattern of male criminal behaviors, but that cannot always be applied to the female pathway to incarceration. From the limited research that has begun on women's incarceration, we know that a significant percentage have histories of sexual violence, either in childhood or in adulthood. 

Why is this research important? 

My research is important because the time in which women endure sexual violence can play a role in the type of crime they engage in. It can also teach us more about sexual violence and the potential gateway it is to substance abuse and PTSD. These additional factors often make it easier for women to partake in criminal behaviors. 

Are you involved in any clubs or organizations on campus?

I became involved on campus towards the end of my freshmen year when my professors recommended me for a job at the Academic Resource Center (ARC.) Today, I am a lead writing consultant and a peer tutor at the ARC. My professors’ encouragement helped me discover other things that I enjoyed doing, leading to even more opportunities I have now. As part of the Community Resilience and Social Equity Lab, I work as an editorial assistant for Professor Loretta Brady in the Psychology Department. I am also a member of two clubs on campus: Active Minds and Women in Business. Additionally, I am a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society and worked as an Honors Summer Research Fellow this past summer. 

In your opinion, what’s the best way to spend time on campus?

One of the best ways to spend time on campus is to enjoy some time outside, either by yourself or with friends. There are nice places around campus to either study or to just relax — both of which are important to do.

What are you hoping to do after college?

After Saint Anselm, I intend to head to law school. I'd like to work either as a prosecutor or defense attorney for some of my career. Then at some point, I hope to work for the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI.) The EJI provides dedicated legal representation to death row inmates who were wrongfully convicted on the basis of racial discrimination. My goal is to work with this organization to provide assistance to death row inmates and help overturn wrongful convictions.