On this episode, Bobby Boxerman and I discuss the role race and class play in shaping cannabis laws. What role did these forces play in making the plant illegal, in enforcing the laws, and in the current wave of legalization? We also talk about Bobby’s engineering background and the future of academia in the age of coronavirus. To help guide the discussion, Bobby requested I read a law journal article by Steven Bender ahead of time. Follow the link below for a free copy of the article.

On this episode, Professor Sierra-Arévalo and I discuss one of his most recent publications: “The Commemoration of Death, Organizational Memory, and Police Culture” — When a police officer is killed on duty, their fellow officers memorialize that person in a variety of ways. We talk about how these memorials influence police culture and why it matter for the rest of society. We also talk about what drew Professor Sierra-Arévalo to study policing and even chat a little bit about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

On this episode, Professor Richard Rosenfeld and I discuss his most recent publication: Are College-Educated Officers Different? — Many people assume hiring officers with college degrees will improve policing. Are they right? We also discuss the importance of public trust in policing and the implications of the coronavirus (Covid-19).

This week, I talk with returning guest Dr. Eryn O’Neal (episode 30) and her research team from the doctoral program in Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University about their combined scholarship in sexual assault case processing.

This week, I talk with Helana Darwin, an advanced doctoral student (ABD, on the market) in the Sociology Department at Stony Brook University. Her research broadly focuses on social inequality and gender inequality. She has studied issues pertaining to gender inequality within Body Positivity, craft beer culture, Jewish culture, and the transgender community.