My work focuses on the value of research and practice evidence and lived experiences to improving outcomes for historically marginalized and resilient populations, including crime survivors, older adults, and Latinx people.
Jennifer Yahner is a senior research fellow in the Justice Policy Center at the Urban Institute, where she coleads the Victim Safety and Justice portfolio. She is also cofounder of the Center for Victim Research, a former long-term care ombudsman for older adults, and a third-generation Mexican American mom caring for older parents at home.
Yahner has conducted justice research for more than 20 years on the needs and experiences of historically marginalized and resilient populations, including crime survivors, older adults, and Latinx people. She directs research on labor trafficking intervention in Mexico, US task forces aimed at reducing hate crimes, and US programs using evidence to improve service delivery and referrals to diverse crime survivors. Yahner recently completed research to inform federal grantmaking to American Latino museums across the US and remains committed to elevating social justice issues important to Latinx populations. She holds simultaneous BA and BS degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MA in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Maryland.