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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.
Not All Black Knitted Longshoreman’s Hats Are Created Equal
/by Jeffrey Ian RossFor as long as I can remember, when the winter months arrive, I wear a black leather jacket and a black knitted longshoreman’s hat. The hat is basically a simple knit cap beanie; snug-fitting, brimless or minimally brimmed, made from wool or acrylic, originally worn by dock workers, fishermen, laborers, sailors, and stevedores. I’m a […]
This Month’s Song on Heavy Rotation
/by Jeffrey Ian RossFor the past month, and even longer, Maurice “Mobetta” Brown’s “Stand Up,” released on his 2017 album, THE MOOD, has dominated my playlist. The song, much like his title track “The Mood,” is an infectious piece of music that has burrowed into my consciousness like few songs in recent memory. Brown, a New Orleans-based jazz […]
How a Monthly Meet-Up of Scholars of Graffiti and Street Art Builds Community
/by Jeffrey Ian RossThe academic study of graffiti and street art is interdisciplinary. Although two scholarly journals (i.e., Nuart Journal and Street Art & Urban Creativity) specialize in this subject, university-level classes are rare and scattered across different departments. No post-secondary institution has a dedicated program or department for this field. What’s more, none of the major learned societies […]