
Rod Martinez is a research associate in the Justice Policy Center and a core member of the Community Engaged Methods Resource Center at the Urban Institute. For nearly a decade and spanning several professional roles, Martinez has worked with persons in the criminal legal system. His current research examines the experiences of criminalized Black and Latino men and boys, community-led approaches to harm, and the political participation of formerly imprisoned people. With a critical eye toward racial and gender equity, his work primarily uses community-engaged methods and methodologies. Martinez regularly leads, facilitates, and consults on these topics. Before joining Urban, Martinez was an inaugural Perez Research Fellow with Bright Research Group, a community and equity-centered research organization in Oakland, California. As an experienced teacher, he also teaches classes in sociology and research methods.