In the summer of 2026, St. Joseph’s University, New York’s Summer Research Fellowships (SURF) program officially turned five years old. The 100% donor-funded program offers $4,000 stipends to a select number of students each year to work on research projects of their choosing.
SURF was established to encourage students to engage in academic research opportunities while alleviating the financial pressures of doing so. Every year 10 students are selected across a range of disciplines — conducting research over 10 weeks which they will then present at the Student Research Symposium the following spring.
The Use of Force by Law Enforcement
For centuries, the use of force by law enforcement officers has been a highly debated topic in the United States. It has been the subject of numerous think pieces and analyses, which have led to changes in public policy throughout history. Currently, the topic has the attention of Criminal Justice major Reanna Noon, who used it as the basis of her summer research.
“The history of the use of force in the United States is very interesting to me, especially being from another country with a different criminal justice system,” Noon said.
Originally from Australia, Noon was intrigued by whether the force used by law enforcement officers — in this case the New York Police Department — is relevant to the situations they may encounter. Another component of her research involved the training of said officers and if it is adequate in dealing with the public, as well as the public’s perception in relation to uses of force.
Understanding Law and Order
Reanna Noon’s research explored use of force by law enforcement officers in the United States.
The goal of Noon’s research was to create a source that helps students and the public as a whole understand how use of force works, along with providing recommendations on how it may be used more proficiently. Reaching this conclusion is remote by design, with Noon spending most days on her computer.
Using Microsoft Excel to analyze data made available by the NYPD, Noon then translates it into graphs to offer a more visual reference. When she’s not breaking down data from the NYPD, she’s conducting literature reviews and annotated bibliographies. As for the people-facing aspect of her research, Noon created a survey to collect and analyze testimonies from civilians and law enforcements officers to further substantiate her findings.
“I have been wanting to conduct this research for a while and fortunately through SURF, I could dedicate my time to understand this topic and also teach others in the future” Noon said.
The Importance of Reassessment
According to Joseph Pascarella, Ph.D., Chairperson and Professor of Criminal Justice — as well as Noon’s faculty mentor — Noon’s research is pivotal is reassessing policies in contemporary urban policing in the U.S.
“This topic is always concerning for several reasons,” said Dr. Pascarella. “The utmost is the amount of power we afford police officers in the United States and the evolving view of using violence and force to maintain public safety. The legal and social framework has evolved significantly since use of force policies were placed under a legal framework and agencies adopted policies.”
Noon’s unique position as an international student lends a new perspective to a generational debate regarding the use of force, something Dr. Pascarella welcomes to the SURF program.
“I mostly enjoy the new perspectives that students bring to researching crime and violence. These issues are social pathologies and they change, emerge and reemerge with each generation, so new viewpoints on how to confront enduring and endemic crime and violence issues is very exhilarating for me to see new ideas and how they can work,” he continued.
Making the Most of One’s Summer
Aside from gaining 10 weeks’ worth of research experience, Noon is appreciative of the opportunity to be compensated for her hard work while remaining in America.
“SURF has meant the world to me. As an international student, I am not able to work over the summer unless I am employed by the school, so it has allowed me to stay in the U.S. over the summer and enjoy myself, rather than go home to Australia until school recommences,” Noon concluded.
This story is part of OnCampus’ “SURF Recipients 2026” series, centered on students conducting research at St. Joseph’s University, New York in anticipation of the University’s 2027 Student Research Symposium. To read more from this series, click here.
