Sociology & Criminology for a Changing World
Franz von Liszt was a German jurist and criminologist who became one of the leading figures of the so-called “modern school” of criminal law at the turn of the 20th century. He rejected the purely retributive notion of punishment and argued for a criminology-informed legal system that would address the causes of crime and focus
John Howard was an English philanthropist and prison reformer whose groundbreaking inspections of prisons in Britain and across Europe in the late 18th century laid the foundation for modern penal reform. Deeply moved by the inhumane conditions he observed, Howard advocated for sanitary improvements, humane treatment of prisoners, and structured prison administration. His work inspired
Michael Tonry is an American criminologist and legal scholar, renowned for his critical analyses of penal policy, sentencing, and crime prevention. As a Professor of Law and Public Policy at the University of Minnesota, Tonry has authored influential works examining the social and political forces shaping criminal justice systems, particularly in the United States and
Michelle Alexander is an American civil rights lawyer, legal scholar, and author best known for her work on racial injustice in the U.S. criminal justice system. She has served as director of the Racial Justice Project at the ACLU of Northern California and has taught at several universities, including Ohio State University and Union Theological
Pat Carlen is a leading British criminologist whose work has significantly shaped feminist criminology, penal policy, and critical perspectives on women’s imprisonment. She has held academic positions at the University of Leicester, University of Bath, and the University of Edinburgh, and has served as editor-in-chief of the British Journal of Criminology. Carlen is known for
Lucia Zedner is a British criminologist and legal scholar, Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Oxford, and a Fellow of Corpus Christi College. Her work spans criminology, criminal law, and socio-legal studies, with a particular focus on security, punishment, policing, and the preventive turn in criminal justice. Zedner is known for her interdisciplinary