Sociology & Criminology for a Changing World
Ronald L. Akers (1939–2020) was an American criminologist best known for developing the Social Learning Theory of crime, which expanded upon Edwin H. Sutherland’s Differential Association Theory. Drawing from behavioral psychology and symbolic interactionism, Akers integrated the principles of operant conditioning into criminology, explaining how deviant behavior is learned and reinforced. His extensive empirical research
Richard Rosenfeld (1948–2024) was an American criminologist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. He was best known for his collaboration with Steven F. Messner on the Institutional Anomie Theory, which explains variations in crime rates through the interplay of cultural values and social institutions. Rosenfeld’s research also addressed issues such as crime
Steven F. Messner was an American criminologist and sociologist best known for co-developing Institutional Anomie Theory (IAT) with Richard Rosenfeld. A long-time professor at the University at Albany, SUNY, Messner’s research explored the relationship between social institutions, cultural values, and crime rates, particularly in the context of the United States. His work bridged criminology and
Jack P. Gibbs was an American sociologist and criminologist known for his influential contributions to deterrence theory within the rational choice framework. A long-time professor at the University of Arizona and later at Vanderbilt University, Gibbs developed a formal and systematic approach to understanding how the certainty, severity, and celerity of punishment influence criminal behavior.
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