Why Criminology Is Irrelevant

timely article reflects what I perceive as a growing feeling of depression among criminologists relative to their influence in shaping criminal justice policy.Despite the annual publication of hundreds of peer-reviewed articles and textbooks proudly displayed at our annual conventions, policy makers are paying little if any attention to us.When Congress or state legislatures debate new crime bill legislation or the effectiveness of past actions, their first question is not, "What do the criminologists think?"I would venture that one would be hard pressed to cite another discipline that has been so ignored for such a long time.Manski's specific lament that criminology has been unable to evaluate the relative effects of various law enforcement strategies on illegal drug consumption use is another example of how impotent criminology is in shaping and improving criminal justice policy.I say this, in part, due to my own experiences in making a career on sponsored or applied research.I have succeeded in terms of acquiring a large number of grants over a 30-year career, some of which were expected to have some impact on criminal justice policy.This work has led to regular appearances before a variety of legislative committees, professional organizations, numerous "blue ribbon commissions" and "task forces," and occasional TV and radio talk shows where I am able to showcase my research.Similar to Manski, I have had my turn in the National Research Council barrel where we grappled with the elusive topic of the impact of sentencing reform.Early on in this work, I had naively expected my executive summaries, charts, and cross tabs to result in some kind of correctional regime change.But over the years I learned, as my good friend and partner in crime John Irwin often warned me, such efforts amounted to nothing more than spitting in the wind.This is not to say that I have not personally enjoyed nor benefited from criminology.Indeed, I believe that I have had a very stimulating and worthwhile experience.But in terms of having any effect on criminal justice policy, there is little evidence that any criminologist's career has made much of a difference.Why this is so is the subject of this reaction essay.