Consulting

As a criminologist, historian, and sociologist with nearly two decades of research experience, I consult on issues ranging from prison history to contemporary criminal justice policy. I also serve as an expert witness in legal cases requiring expertise in penal history, criminology, or qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Expertise & Services

I am available for consulting/contract work that draws on my expertise and/or ability to conduct research in areas related to my training, teaching, and research, including:

Examples of past consultations include:

• serving as an expert witness or rebuttal witness (reviewing evidence, producing a report, providing testimony)
• analyzing statistical data, conducting archival research, conducting other original research, or conducting a literature review
• consulting on prison museum design and art installations relating to prisons and prison history
• providing historical background for prison and criminal justice documentaries

For jobs for which I am not qualified, not locationally convenient, too busy, or would have a conflict of interest, I can provide recommendations for other scholars.

Rates, Retainers, and Contact

Please inquire for current rates.

Given recent demand, for new projects that involve lengthy contracts or future testimony, a retainer is recommended.

For some smaller projects, and pending availability, I am able to provide rapid turnaround for an additional fee.

For inquiries, please email me at ashleytrubin@gmail.com.

Time Restrictions and Scheduling

Per University regulations, from roughly August 20 to May 20 each year, I am limited to no more than 8 hours/week total in all of my non-University paid work, except while on sabbatical (January 2026 to May 2026). Thus, for larger projects during the academic year, it may be preferable to work with my university to buy out my time using university-determined rates. Likewise, some projects, particularly those involving extensive data entry, should go through my university so I can hire student research assistants. (Please provide at least six months’ notice for university-involved projects to allow for teaching schedules and contract processing.)

Limits

While I work with both government and advocacy organizations, I limit my work to providing factual background, answering clear empirical questions with data, or providing analyses based on social science insights. While I can advise on what policies are most likely to achieve specific (client-supplied) goals based on available evidence, I do not take advocacy positions for particular policies or actions; instead, in my work, I seek to separate data and science from morality and politics to provide unbiased and neutral information that others can use to inform their own opinions and plans. An ideal contract asks me to answer clear questions (or to design a project that will enable data collection and analysis to answer those questions), but does not specify a preferred answer; as a social scientist, my work must be guided by questions rather than by preferred answers.

I am happy to work with universities and academic departments to give workshops or a series of one-on-one or small-group consultations with students, but I do not accept contracts from individual academics to provide paid advice on their research and writing (pending availability, I do that for free over Zoom and email).