Prior to beginning an academic and research career, Dr. Bush-Baskette practiced law for several years, was elected to and served in the New Jersey State Legislature, and was a member of the Gubernatorial Cabinet and served as commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. While in the New Jersey State Legislature, she successfully sponsored laws that raised the minimum wage in New Jersey to $5.05 an hour (in 1990), and instituted the first Family Leave Law in the country (1988).  She was also the majority whip of the General Assembly, chair of the Assembly’s Senior Citizens Committee, vice chair of the Financial Institutions Committee, vice chair of the New Jersey Criminal Justice Commission, and chair of the Commission’s Alternatives to Incarceration Committee. As a legislator, Bush-Baskette also sat on other key committees.

Dr. Bush-Baskette resigned from the Legislature during her third term to join the New Jersey Governor’s Cabinet as the State Commissioner of Community Affairs.  As Commissioner, she was responsible for a $700 million budget and responsible for the Divisions on: Aging, Women, Community Resources, and Housing.  She also sat as the chairperson of the New Jersey Department of Housing and Mortgage Financing.

Upon leaving public life, Dr. Bush-Baskette earned her PhD in criminal justice.  She was recruited as a faculty member by Florida State University ’s School of Criminal Justice and Criminology and then recruited by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD).  Bush-Baskette was a senior researcher and director of government relations for NCCD. Dr. Bush-Baskette’s writing and research interests include investigating the development, application, and effects of public policy, with particular focus issues that impact the lives of people in urban areas, including: drug policies and their impact on black women; the effect on children of having a parent who is incarcerated; juvenile justice; gender; and race/ethnicity. She has led delegations in juvenile justice to mainland China , Australia , New Zealand , and Cuba . 

Bush-Baskette utilities her experiences as a legislator and gubernatorial cabinet member, to transfer tools to the participants by which they may empower themselves to understand and participate in policymaking at their state and local levels. As director of the Joseph C. Cornwall Center for Metropolitan Studies, at Rutgers University, she is in the optimal position to connect researchers and research with citizens, businesses and policymakers, in order to promote informed policy making on issues such as: urban development, health, housing, education, social justice, criminal justice, children and juveniles, and health.  She has been the project director for several center projects, including the Greater Newark Health Systems Survey, the Newark Disparity study, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Project, and the Essex County Child Welfare Collaboratives, to name a few.

Bush-Baskette also teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses at Rutgers University - Newark in the School of Criminal Justice and the Department of Public Administration, as well as the Political Science Department.  The courses have included: Morals and Administration; Diversity in Criminal Justice; Race and Crime; Urban Politics and Public Policy; and, Leadership. She is the author of several published articles and is currently completing manuscript regarding the war on drugs and the incarceration of Black women.

Bush-Baskette is has been invited to speak at many forums and has been the recipient of numerous awards. Her presentations have included many areas, including but not limited to: health disparities, social justice, self empowerment, politics, public policy, and housing.  She is a member of the board of trustees for the Association for Children of New Jersey and the Northern New Jersey Maternal Child Health Consortium.  She is a member of the New Jersey State Ethics Commission.

Bush-Baskette has a forthcoming book entitled:” The War on Drugs and the Incarceration of Black Women: Two Decades of Attack; A Policy Analysis of the Impact of the Anti Drug Abuse Laws of 1986 and 1988 on the Imprisonment of Black Women”, Lynn Reiner Publishers.

Dr Bush-Baskette has spoken internationally regarding such issues as: health, juvenile justice, women in the criminal justice system, drug policies, self-empowerment, public policies and politics, as well as other topics.