Harvard sociologist Bruce Western has studied the US prison system for many years, examining how imprisonment exacerbates economic inequality in various ways. He’s used his sociological research to assist and develop programs for inmates, with an aim to reduce the alienating effects of incarceration such that prisoners will become productive members of society when released and less likely to commit new crime. Western & his research program exemplify a core element of sociological inquiry: sociology as a critique of the status quo.
“The Right Way to Handle Former Inmates.” New York Time November 29, 2007.
from the article: "Created in 1999 in Brooklyn, ComAlert was recently the subject of a state-funded study carried out by the district attorney’s office in collaboration with Bruce Western of Harvard, a sociologist and criminal justice expert. The program is still evolving and is far from perfect. But the study shows that former inmates are more likely to get jobs and keep jobs — and more likely to remain out of jail — if they undergo a rigorous regime of counseling and drug treatment while participating in a companion program that offers them immediate work experience and job training."
- Brian
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