Abstract
Criminologists around the globe are writing about the disproportionate criminalization of minority groups and – in the US in particular – about racial disproportionality in all aspects of the criminal justice system. This wealth of knowledge in progressive criminology rarely animates reform efforts: it has had little impact on formal policymaking, and has failed to animate the work of grassroots activists engaged in the fight for justice system reform. Yet given the increased criminalization of young people in poor communities – and the possibilities for change at this very moment – progressive criminological ideas have never been more important. We need to think about ways to make them public. Toward this end, this paper discusses possible partnerships between progressive criminology and social justice organizations struggling to transform the criminal justice system. While describing nine such groups, we detail a set of recommendations for bridging the gap between progressive criminology and social justice organizations.
Highlights
US criminal justice system and reintroducing calls to eradicate various social inequalities and upend institutionalized racism
In her 2014 Presidential Address to the American Society of Criminology, Joanne Belknap spoke to the consequences of our sitting on the sidelines: If criminologists are unwilling to become more committed to activism and dedicated to changing these practices and policies, we can expect continuing and alarming ineffectiveness in deterring offending and incarceration
As Michelle Alexander (2010) argues, it will take a social movement composed of different races, classes and political orientations to upend mass incarceration. We believe that these social justice organizations will be vital in harnessing the current energies towards that end and that progressive criminology can play a role in these efforts and others
Summary
Tim; Myers, Randolph; and Robinson, Kaitlyn J., "Potential Partnerships: Progressive Criminology, Grassroots Organizations and Social Justice" (2015). Tim Goddard Florida International University, USA Randolph R Myers Old Dominion University, USA Kaitlyn J Robison Old Dominion University, USA
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
