Dr. Ashley Yinger

Director of Behavioral Justice Research & Mitigation Analysis

Dr. Ashley Yinger is a criminal justice scholar and practitioner specializing in diversion, reentry, and the intersection of behavioral health and the justice system. With more than 17 years of experience working with justice-involved individuals, her expertise focuses on the complex relationship between mental health, substance use disorders, trauma, and the systemic barriers that impact successful reintegration.

Dr. Yinger holds a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and currently serves as an Assistant Teaching Professor of Criminal Justice at Elizabethtown College’s School of Public Service, where she teaches and develops curriculum in areas including community corrections, mental health and the justice system, victimization, trauma-informed care, and evidence-based practices.

At Mitigation Works, Dr. Yinger brings a research-driven lens to mitigation development, ensuring that life-history narratives, behavioral assessments, and environmental factors are supported by scientific understanding and individualized analysis. Her work bridges academic research with real-world application, helping legal teams present mitigation strategies that are grounded in data, criminogenic risk assessment, and behavioral health insight.

Throughout her career, Dr. Yinger has contributed to training and program initiatives involving crisis intervention, co-responder models, diversion programming, trauma-informed systems, and structured reentry planning. She is particularly passionate about constructing mitigation narratives that humanize individuals, contextualize behavior within psychological and environmental influences, and illuminate pathways toward rehabilitation and long-term stability.

Her approach blends academic rigor, behavioral health awareness, and practical correctional system knowledge, strengthening mitigation strategies through data-driven assessment, individualized planning, and a deep commitment to second chances.