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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.
The constant tension between amateurs and experts
/by Jeffrey Ian RossIn our complex world, a subtle but persistent conflict often exists between amateurs and experts, each vying for recognition and authority. Understanding the Distinction Amateurs (sometimes called novices or dilettantes) and experts (occasionally mistakenly referred to as professionals) create things or offer and engage in services (e.g., advice, consulting, etc.). But they differ on several […]
What’s your theme song?
/by Jeffrey Ian RossMusic resonates with people on a visceral level, and one of its most powerful components is undoubtedly the song. Some of these compositions seem to get suck in our heads and effortlessly occupy our minds and mental space. Occasionally, we acknowledge the presence of an entire song, it’s most prominent melody or some of the […]
My Comida Vasca Adventure
/by Jeffrey Ian RossWhen I try to master a subject or a skill, I often find that learning a complementary body of knowledge or task, enhances my understanding of the original subject. This form of cross-training, akin to my earlier experiences with developing my core expertises, proved valuable in the late spring of 2023 when I decided to […]