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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.
No Country for Old Politicians
/by Jeffrey Ian RossAfter Thursday’s presidential debate, not only are Democratic-friendly political analysts and pundits seriously questioning Biden’s run for the presidency, but there’s also increased handwringing among the Democratic Party faithful. Understandably, no election, regardless of jurisdiction or importance, is won or lost solely based on a political debate between the leading candidates. And it’s unrealistic to […]
Whose Version of “The Sky is Crying” is the Best?
/by Jeffrey Ian RossIn 1959, blues musician Elmore James wrote and released the song “The Sky is Crying.” This piece quickly became a blues standard, celebrated for James’s soulful slide guitar and heartfelt vocals. The song’s melancholic message, conveyed through a deeply engaging tune, captures the essence of the blues and resonated with many listeners. “The Sky is […]
Enabling graffiti and street art in these crazy times?
/by Jeffrey Ian RossOver the past fifty years, graffiti and street art have emerged as significant movements in public art and street culture, visible on all manner of surfaces throughout urban environments worldwide. Predictably, this activity has elicited diverse responses from individuals and groups, ranging from admiration to condemnation. Undoubtedly attention from different stakeholders influences the prevalence of […]