As director of the ASU Psychology and Law Lab, Laura Smalarz guides a research program that investigates the legal system from a psychological perspective. Through her research, Smalarz aims to prevent wrongful convictions by establishing evidence-based practices for collecting eyewitness identification evidence. She conducts research on social influences in eyewitness identification, eyewitness confidence, and eyewitness testimony. She also has interests in police interrogations, criminal stereotypes, and perceptions of the wrongfully convicted. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Justice.

Smalarz is an editorial board member for Law and Human Behavior and Psychology, Public Policy, and Law and serves on the Research Advisory Board at the Innocence Project.