Baylee is an Assistant Professor of Criminology at DePaul University. Broadly, Baylee studies corrections, with a specific focus on risk-needs assessments, correctional policy, and incarcerated individual behavior.
Her dissertation, titled "What About Those We Left Behind? The Unintended Consequences of Decarceration for Those Who Remain Incarcerated” examined changes to misconduct rates during and after decarceration efforts in Washington state.
In 2024, her study “Risk Contamination and Dilution: Advancing the RNR Model in Prison Settings” was published in Crime and Delinquency, finding that an individual’s risk of misconduct can be reduced or increased based on where an individual is housed inside the prison. Her work with Risk-Needs assessments have helped shape the use of actuarial tools in correctional facilities to manage populations safely. She has also received independent funding to study Women in Criminal Justice Research and assist with designing a gender-responsive, trauma-informed approach to specialized courts.
Before graduate school, Baylee was employed with the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. She worked as a case worker and case manager at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women, Career Preparedness Instructor at the Omaha Correctional Center, and was the Quality Assurance Specialist at the central office. These experiences have solidified her commitment to research and education that improves the safety and quality of life for those who live and work in prisons.