Black Males and the Criminal Justice System.

Recent events—including but by no means limited to the shootings of unarmed Black men by police in Ferguson, Missouri; Baltimore; Minneapolis; and Chicago—have highlighted the disproportionate likelihood of young Black males to encounter the criminal justice system. Black Males and the Criminal Justice System provides a comprehensive theoretical and empirical review of the need for an intersectional understanding of Black male experiences and outcomes within the criminal justice system. The intersectional approach, which posits that outcomes of societal experiences are determined by the way the interconnected identities of individuals are perceived and responded to by others, is key to recognizing the various forms of oppression that Black males experience, and the impact these experiences have on them and their families.

Relying on a multidisciplinary framework of inquiry and critical perspective, this edited volume addresses the variety of unique experiences of Black males within various stages of contact within the criminal justice system, including a comprehensive overview of the administration of justice, mental and physical health issues faced by Black males, and the reintegration into society after criminal justice system involvement. The book is intended for students and scholars in criminology, criminal justice, sociology, race/ethnic studies, legal studies, psychology, and African American Studies, and will serve as a reference for researchers who wish to utilize a progressive theoretical approach to study social control, policing, and the criminal justice system.

Jason Williams is a full-time assistant professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University in the School of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies. He also teaches part-time within the Department of Sociology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He received his B.S and M.S in Criminal Justice from New Jersey City University and a Ph.D. in Administration of Justice from Texas Southern University. Aside from doing research for the academic audience, he is also involved in many public research and information forums, such as The Hampton Institution where he serves as chair/editor of the criminal justice department. His areas of expertise are race, ethnicity and crime, criminological/criminal justice theory, critical criminology and sociology, social control, criminal justice policy, and the sociology of knowledge.

Steven Kniffley is assistant professor at Wright State University, School of Professional Psychology, which has shown a strong commitment to providing services and training the next generation of psychologists to work with underserved children and families from diverse backgrounds. He has written and presented on diversity training and Black masculinity, and has been awarded several grants, including one by the Wright State University Multicultural Center to develop student-led research initiatives related to diversity training with law enforcement departments.