Michele Curiel, left, and Doris Schartmueller pictured at the beginning of their research project in 2024. Two years later the team continues to further their studies on long-term and life imprisonment sentences and the effect they have on families. Photo courtesy of Michele Curiel

BUTTE COUNTY, CA (MPG) - Live Oak resident Michele Curiel and California State University, Chico professor Doris Schartmueller recently presented preliminary findings at the Western Society of Criminology conference in Denver, Colorado.

Two years ago, Curiel, then an undergraduate student, and Schartmueller began a research project examining how life imprisonment sentences affect loved ones left behind. Their study, titled “Unbreakable Bond? Examining How Life Imprisonment Affects the Lives of Loved Ones on the Outside,” focuses on the emotional and social impact on families.

Curiel, a first-generation Latina single mother, earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and an associate degree in criminal justice from California State University, Chico. She is now pursuing a master’s degree in public administration with an emphasis in criminal justice.

Schartmueller has taught in Chico State’s Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice for more than a decade and regularly conducts research on prisons and comparative criminal justice.

Curiel met Schartmueller in class and approached her about collaborating after hearing her discuss research opportunities with other students. They worked together through Chico State’s Future Scholars Program, which provides paid research opportunities and mentorship for first-generation undergraduates.

Schartmueller and Curiel partnered with advocacy groups to recruit 26 participants from across the nation. Each shared experiences of having a loved one serving a life sentence. Including participants from different states allowed the study to reflect varied correctional systems, Schartmueller said.

Michele Curiel, left, and Professor Doris Schartmueller presented their current findings to colleagues and attendees of the Western Society of Criminology conference held in Colorado in early February. Photo courtesy of Michele Curiel

A native of Austria, Schartmueller said prison systems there are smaller than those in the United States. She added that her comparative work has shaped her interest in long-term incarceration.

Incarceration can be a sensitive subject, and Schartmueller and Curiel said their goal is to highlight the range of emotions and trauma families experience and to encourage development of additional resources.

“We really started this project from scratch,” Schartmueller said, noting she previously studied life sentences from the perspective of incarcerated individuals. “I’ve always been really interested in understanding more how even people outside of prison are affected by these really long prison sentences.”

Both researchers said empathy for families does not equate to condoning crimes.

“Having empathy for these families doesn’t mean you condone the crime,” Curiel said.

According to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation data, more than 40% of people incarcerated in California prisons are serving life sentences. As of January 2026, 5,170 individuals were serving life without the possibility of parole and 25,173 were serving life sentences.

“We knew that there were going to be many family members and loved ones affected in our state alone,” Schartmueller said.

Curiel said she was surprised by the level of hope many participants expressed despite difficult circumstances.

“Giving families a platform, a safe space, to just talk about it and say, ‘this is really hard,’ is important,” Curiel said. “At the end of the day, these are human beings. There are real tears behind these words and these interviews.”

Schartmueller and Curiel continue to collect and review data. They hope to reach 30 participants before closing the study and publishing their final analysis.

“By doing this study, we became very protective of these families,” Curiel said. “We realized we are not just researchers; we are keepers of these stories. These families trust us with their pain and to narrate their stories. They are counting on us to do something about this. Make it matter.”