Category Archives: crime

Journey Through Crime, Justice & Literature, Part III

Continued… (If you missed the second installment, then click here: Journey Through Crime, Justice & Literature, Part II) The modern War on Crime, as we know it, was inaugurated with Richard Nixon’s campaign for the presidency in 1968. Nixon declared … Continue reading

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Journey Through Crime, Justice & Literature, Part II

…Continued (If you missed the first installment, then click here: Journey Through Crime and Punishment, Part I.) Crime and Punishment was first published in The Russian Messenger, a literary journal, in twelve monthly installments in 1866. I reread passages of … Continue reading

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Journey Through Crime, Justice & Literature

I first became interested in the story of crime and punishment, how we tell those stories, at 16 years of age. Then, three childhood friends were arrested for two homicides. Two were immediately arrested, one was on the run for … Continue reading

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I Know Why the Caged Poet Sings

Some of my favorite poets happen to be named William – William Shakespeare, William Blake, William Wordsworth, and William Carlos Williams. When I meet most people, I often ask them what their names mean or the backstory of their names. … Continue reading

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Cancel Culture Redux

Revisiting “The Cancel-Culture Conundrum.” Continue reading

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“Teaching” Alice Walker

In preparation for a lecture in the course I teach, African American Literature in the 20th Century, I am re-reading excerpts from Alice Walker’s In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens: Womanist Prose. In her prose, Walker makes nearly perfect sense. … Continue reading

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Strategies for Effective Advocacy in Criminal Justice Reform

The four-part series on a successful advocacy campaign led by formerly incarcerated people, and the accompanying research blogs, in one place. Continue reading

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Leadership Mini-Series: Joseph, Ethics, and Leading with Conviction – The Leadership Challenge of Remembering

Joseph exemplifies leadership through integrity and resilience, even in his imprisonment. Kouzes and Posner emphasize the importance of modeling and inspiring vision. Joseph’s story serves as a reminder that leadership involves community memory and recognition of others’ strengths, prompting reflection on how leaders ensure their followers are acknowledged. Continue reading

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Participatory Research: A How‑To Blueprint

A practical guide to co‑designing, conducting, and deploying participatory research in criminal legal system advocacy—grounded in the 2025 white paper on incorporating lived expertise. Continue reading

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Research as Resistance: Building Knowledge Together in the Fight for Parole Justice

A personal teaser for our participatory research installment—from early John Jay studies to peer‑reviewed scholarship and today’s lived‑expertise framework. Continue reading

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