Book review: Convict Criminology for the Future
| Published date | 01 September 2023 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/17488958231174985 |
| Author | Ed Schreeche-Powell |
| Date | 01 September 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Book reviews |
https://doi.org/10.1177/17488958231174985
Criminology & Criminal Justice
2023, Vol. 23(4) 669 –671
© The Author(s) 2023
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Book review
Jeffrey Ian Ross and Francesca Vianello, Convict Criminology for the Future, Routledge: London and
New York, 2021; 217 pp.: 9780367860172, £96 (hbk), 9780367860158, £31.99 (pbk)
Reviewed by: Ed Schreeche-Powell, University of Greenwich, UK
DOI: 10.1177/17488958231174985
The landscape of criminological inquiry is ever evolving – and the birth and growth of
differing perspectives have added depth to the development of criminology. Convict
Criminology (CC) is one such collective, a community of current and ex-convict aca-
demics and associated critical and radical scholars, able to develop critical perspectives
on crime and prison, and harness collective knowledge, experiences and expertise, with
the ability to influence policy.
This book is a welcome arrival at a critical juncture in the development of both CC and
how the perspectives of those among its number have responded to recent criminological
enquiry. CC is still in its infancy, having been founded in 1977 as an academic collective
in the United States by ex-convict criminology professors and graduate students follow-
ing a series of informal meetings at the American Society of Criminology annual meet-
ings. In 2011, the British Convict Criminology Group was started at the British Society of
Criminology (BSC) annual conference. Before the inception and formation of CC as a
collective, there were few ex-convict social scientists (Richards, 2018). Now it’s growing
membership and impact means that it is increasingly deserving of a prominent platform
within criminology and beyond. This new contribution from the collective delivers fresh
and insightful perspectives through the lens of lived experience.
The introductory chapter provides a contemporary outline of the principles underpin-
ning CC and Ross’ ensuing chapter complements this by grounding CC in its historical
context and charting its rise in popularity. The structure of the book is guided by the
exploration of seven primary themes that cover key debates in the field of CC including
prisoner adaptations, challenges for prisoners and formerly imprisoned people; higher
education from behind the prison walls; the expansion of CC in international contexts
and the future direction in CC.
Precarity is an issue of contemporary relevance, producing complex and dynamic
effects at multiple levels, and a staple of educational institutions. For Pembroke (2018),
‘precarious work leads to precarious lives where people are trapped in uncertainty,
1174985CRJ0010.1177/17488958231174985Criminology & Criminal JusticeBook review
book-review2023
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