Alexandra Cox, a graduate from the Class of 1997, has recently published a book. Her first, Trapped in a Vice: the Consequences of Confinement for Young People, explores the consequences of a juvenile justice system that is aimed at promoting change in the lives of young people, yet ultimately relies upon tools and strategies that enmesh them in a system that they struggle to move beyond. The system rather than the crimes themselves, is the vice.
Alexandra is currently a lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of Essex. Before her work there, she served as an Assistant Professor at the State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz in their Department of Sociology. For a number of years, Alexandra worked in the fields of criminal justice and drug policy reform, American Civil Liberties Union's Drug Law Reform Project, the Drug Policy Alliance's Office of Legal Affairs (in CA) and then at the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem.
Alexandra received her B.A. from Yale University in 2001, M.Phil, Criminological Research, University of Cambridge, 2007 and Ph.D., Criminology, University of Cambridge, 2012.
In an SAS magazine article from Summer 2009, Alexandra credits her path of service and advocacy work to the education she received at St. Andrew's. "My experience at St. Andrew's was instrumental in moving me towards this work. I was able to receive incredible guidance, mentorship, and support from the wonderful faculty members there, some of whom I remain in touch with today." Alexandra, graduated Magna cum laude, and was the recipient of the Malcolm Ford Award, the English Prize and a writer for the student published literary and arts magazine, The Andrean.
Congratulations, Alexandra!