"Case Study 7.2 Data to Bring Justice: Addressing Disparities in the Criminal Justice System"
Pamela Oliver "Case Study 7.2 Data to Bring Justice: Addressing Disparities in the Criminal Justice System" Preprint of chapter in Philip Nyden. Leslie Hossfelt, and Gwen Nyden (eds.) 2011 Public Sociology: Research Action and Change. Pine Forge Press. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/public-sociology/book234763 This is a case study of my racial disparities work that overlaps somewhat with other presentations I have made of the same material. My work has involved doing descriptive statistical analyses of racial patterns of imprisonment and making public presentations on these patterns, as participating in many meetings of boards and committees working on these issues. Part 1 of this article describes the background of my work and how I got involved, partly through connections with community groups and partly through luck. Part 2 describes my public engagement, including giving talks and participating in many meetings as well as doing analyses at the request of community groups. Part 3 is reflections on the differences and tensions between public and professional sociology.