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About
Criminologist, Scholar, & Consultant
Jeffrey Ian Ross, Ph.D., is a criminologist at the University of Baltimore and co-founder of Convict Criminology. He brings an insider’s perspective to his work, shaped by his experience as a former courier, taxi driver, corrections worker, and union shop steward. This approach has also benefited from numerous visits to correctional facilities across North America, Europe, and South America, and firsthand research on street culture, and graffiti and street art internationally. Ross has published 30+ books and shares his expertise on corrections, policing, political crime, street culture, and graffiti and street art through scholarship, public writing, speaking, media commentary, and consulting.











Why Paying Attention to the Streets Can Change How You See the City
/by Jeffrey Ian RossMost of us move through cities on autopilot. We commute, run errands, scroll our phones, and mentally prepare for the next task. It’s functional. But in the process, we miss more than the visual landscape of the city. We miss its soul. The streets aren’t just spaces we pass through. They are living classrooms, stages, […]
Sharpening my Chops in San Sebastián
/by Jeffrey Ian RossIt’s early afternoon, and I’ve just finished shopping for fresh fish and vegetables at Mercado San Martín. Now I’m standing at the bar of a small restaurant located deep in San Sebastián’s Old Town, eating txipirones en su tinta, a Basque dish of small squid cooked in its ink, and sipping a glass of house […]
How a Global Prison Education Database Could Improve Rehabilitation Outcomes
/by Jeffrey Ian RossGovernments and private foundations spend considerable resources each year on prison education (i.e., courses in literacy, vocational skills, and higher education), believing they reduce recidivism and improve reentry success. But outcomes vary widely. Some programs transform lives; others barely make a difference. The problem? We have little reliable evidence on which work, which fails, and […]