Convict Criminology: The Value of Experiential Evidence in Prison Reform Policy Decisions

• In Event: Corrections Reform in Partnership with those Directly Impacted

Abstract

Convict Criminology is a recent form of critical criminology, which focuses on the contributions offered by the experiences of former convicts, now practising as academic scholars, to the fields of criminology, criminal justice, and corrections. Convict criminologists argue that the absence of insight from individuals who have experienced incarceration life, is a major limitation in contemporary research and ultimately, a barrier to the implementation of informed policy decisions. Despite contributing a unique and insightful approach to prison life through an academic medium, convict criminologists are often criticized for their subjective approach, and greater focus on political activism than substantiating themselves in the valued academic world. Consequently, convict criminologists are not accepted as academics, rendering these individuals and their research, less credible. This paper examines the advantages of the inclusion of convict criminology in policy decisions regarding the increasing incarceration rates in the United States of America, and prison life and conditions. In order to adequately explore the contributions of convict criminology, a qualitative content analysis of the existent scholarship offered by convict criminologists in the area of corrections and prison reform, will be conducted. The benefits of including experiential evidence in policy considerations, will also be discussed.

Author

• Karthiha Raskumar, University of Guelph