Centering Race in the Study of Crime and Criminal Justice
Author | María B. Vélez,Rod K. Brunson |
DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/00224278221120586 |
Published date | 01 February 2023 |
Date | 01 February 2023 |
Subject Matter | Articles |
Centering Race in the
Study of Crime and
Criminal Justice
María B. Vélez
1
and Rod K. Brunson
1
Keywords
race/ethnicity, crime, criminal justice
A compelling body of work documents the role of race and racism in
shaping crime and legal system outcomes (Braga, Brunson and Drakulich
2019; Du Bois 1899; Muhammed 2010; Peterson and Krivo 2005, 2010;
Petersen and Ward 2015; Sampson and Wilson 1995). Though a significant
and longstanding interest in criminology since its American beginning, this
scholarship is often relegated to the margins (but see the scholarly agenda of
the Racial Democracy Crime and Justice Network).
1
Recent high profile
events of ghastly police brutality such as the murders of George Floyd,
Breonna Taylor, Michael Brown, and many other unarmed civilians bring
into sharp focus how Blacks (and other racialized groups) repeatedly bear
the brunt of systemic racism. These horrific incidents and the attendant
public outcry, especially in initial support for Black Lives Matter (BLM),
have also served as a catalyst for mainstream criminology to reckon with
the role historic and modern day racism plays in shaping crime and social
control outcomes. Contemporary, high-profile tragedies along with robust
1
Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Maryland, College, MD, USA
Corresponding Author:
María B. Vélez, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Maryland, 2145
Samuel LeFrak Hall, College, MD, 20742, USA.
Email: velezmb@umd.edu
Thematic Issue: Centering Race in the Study of Crime and Criminal Justice
Journal of Research in Crime and
Delinquency
2023, Vol. 60(1) 3–13
© The Author(s) 2022
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DOI: 10.1177/00224278221120586
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