Research & Scholarship
Two decades of scholarship at the intersection of constitutional law, voting rights, eviction procedure, and legislative advocacy — grounded in lived experience and rigorous academic inquiry.
About the Research
Joseph Baker's research agenda is shaped by a simple conviction: that the law is not neutral. From the mechanics of voter suppression to the procedural traps embedded in eviction law, his work exposes the structural inequities that disproportionately harm Black and low-income communities — and proposes concrete remedies.
Affiliated with the National Civil Rights Research and Reform Institute (NCRRRI) and drawing on four Purdue University Global degrees, Joseph brings both academic rigor and practitioner insight to every research project he undertakes.
Institutional Affiliation
The National Civil Rights Research and Reform Institute (NCRRRI) is a leading organization dedicated to advancing civil rights through rigorous research, policy advocacy, and community engagement. Joseph Baker serves as an affiliated researcher, contributing scholarship on voting rights, housing justice, and criminal justice reform.
Through NCRRRI, Joseph's research reaches policymakers, advocates, and communities across the country — translating academic findings into real-world impact.
Research Areas
An examination of the historical and contemporary mechanisms of voter disenfranchisement — from literacy tests and poll taxes to modern voter ID laws, purge campaigns, and gerrymandering. Joseph's analysis connects Reconstruction-era suppression tactics to their 21st-century equivalents and documents their disparate racial impact.
Eviction is one of the most consequential legal proceedings a low-income family can face — and one of the least understood. Joseph's research maps the procedural asymmetries that favor landlords over tenants, the downstream consequences of eviction records on housing, employment, and public benefits, and the policy reforms that can close the gap.
Research without application is incomplete. Joseph translates his scholarship into actionable policy recommendations, working with legislative bodies and advocacy organizations to advance reforms in criminal justice, housing, education, and civic participation. His advocacy is informed by data and driven by community.
The relationship between educational attainment and recidivism is among the most well-documented in criminal justice research — yet policy consistently underinvests in prison education. Joseph's work quantifies this relationship, documents the cost of inaction, and advocates for evidence-based educational programming inside correctional facilities.
Featured Research
The right to vote is the foundation of every other right. When it is suppressed, all other rights become negotiable.
Joseph's voting rights research traces the arc from the 15th Amendment through the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to the present day — documenting how each legislative advance has been met with new suppression tactics, and how communities have organized to resist them. His analysis is both historical and urgently contemporary.
Key Research Findings
Research Briefs
An analysis of voting rights enforcement gaps following the Supreme Court's 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder and its impact on minority voter participation.
A procedural analysis of eviction court practices across Indiana counties, documenting racial disparities in outcomes and identifying structural reform opportunities.
A data-driven case for expanding educational programming in correctional facilities, with cost-benefit analysis and legislative recommendations.
An audit of Indiana school discipline policies and their relationship to juvenile justice involvement, with targeted reform recommendations.
Joseph welcomes collaboration with researchers, policymakers, advocacy organizations, and academic institutions. For research inquiries, speaking requests related to civil rights topics, or media requests, please reach out.