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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. His approach is shaped by nearly a decade of work before entering academia, as a courier, cab driver, corrections worker, and union shop steward. It is further grounded in three decades of visiting correctional facilities across North America, Europe, and South America, researching the conditions inside them, and having conversations with convicts and correctional officers and administrators. It also draws on interviews with formerly incarcerated people outside those facilities, and on ethnographic fieldwork on street culture and on graffiti and street art internationally. Ross has published more than thirty 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.
Rank Ordering to Clarify What Matters Most
/by Jeffrey Ian RossPeriodically, I try to identify my “top ten” books, food, movies, music, travel destinations, etc. In general, this exercise forces me to learn about my preferences by prompting me to consider not just what I like, but why I like it. In doing so, I engage more deeply with genres, styles, and categories I might […]
Distinguishing Among Voyeurism, Street Ethnography, and Urban Exploration
/by Jeffrey Ian RossIndividuals engage with urban spaces in a variety of ways. These approaches usually depend on their intentions, levels of involvement, and methods of observation. Three distinct modes of engagement — voyeurism, street ethnography, and urban exploration — offer useful points of comparison. Voyeurism typically entails observing others without their consent, often for personal gratification and […]
Social Media’s Never-Ending Replacement of Substance with Spectacle
/by Jeffrey Ian RossA bare-chested man with dreadlocks skateboards through Adams Morgan (Washington, DC), an iguana perched on his shoulder, and a selfie stick extending from his hand. A young woman rides the New York City subway with a large snake draped around her neck, and numerous riders crowd around taking videos with their smartphones. What are We […]