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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.
Time to Consider Immersive Vacations
/by Jeffrey Ian RossAs another summer draws to a close, many who were fortunate enough to take a vacation find themselves reflecting on their experiences. If you’re looking for something different next time, consider the idea of immersive or ‘slow’ vacationing What is Immersive Travel? Immersive travel involves spending a significant period of time—usually two or more weeks—in […]
Recognizing Canada’s Prisoners’ Justice Day & United States’ Black August
/by Jeffrey Ian RossCorrectional facilities have four main objectives: ensuring community safety, deterring crime, rehabilitating inmates, and punishing those sentenced to incarceration. Although jails and prisons are not intended to be comfortable, they must respect universally accepted standards of humane treatment. Incarceration should neither be life-threatening nor life-ending for inmates. Meanwhile, globally, prisons face numerous challenges, including overcrowding, […]
Bars with Character and Characters
/by Jeffrey Ian RossWhen I think of a bar with character, I imagine a venue that is more than just a place to grab a drink. It is usually a venue steeped in history, sometimes filled with eclectic décor, and buzzing with the energy of its clientele, servers, and occasional performers. But what does it really mean for […]