Scarlett Pucci

Scarlett Pucci is a Research Scientist at RTI International with expertise in criminal justice, behavioral health, and program evaluation. She brings extensive experience designing and implementing research studies that help government agencies better understand complex public safety and health challenges. Her work has supported agencies across the U.S. justice system and helped inform evidence-based decisions that improve programs and outcomes for affected individuals and communities.  

At RTI, Ms. Pucci serves in multiple leadership roles on large federal research projects, mainly for the Bureau of Justice Statistics at the U.S. Department of Justice, where she manages multidisciplinary teams, coordinates complex data collection efforts, oversees subcontractors and vendors, and ensures successful project execution from planning through delivery. She has led data collection activities for multimillion-dollar studies and managed large teams of internal and external partners working on justice-related research. Her methodological expertise spans qualitative and quantitative research, including survey design, interviews, site visits, data collection, statistical analysis, and evaluation of programs and policies.

Before joining RTI, Ms. Pucci held research and project management positions at Ipsos and Abt Associates, where she conducted research for federal clients on topics including corrections, policing, mental health, substance use disorders, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and intimate partner violence. She has gained practical experience in the field by working directly with various police departments as well as a county detention facility.

Ms. Pucci is particularly interested in the intersection of criminal justice and behavioral health, including approaches that improve responses to individuals experiencing mental illness and substance use challenges.