Special Issue Released! Seeking Balance: Peace, Love, and Forgiveness in Studies of Crime, Deviance, and Control

Studies of crime, deviance and social control have been a cornerstone of social science research for well over a century. Historically, these studies focused on explaining the causes of state-sanctioned violent or property crime or other acts deemed culturally deviant by conventional standards. As scholars began problematizing the socio-political inequalities inherent in these approaches, conversations and inquiries about crime-related matters began to shift. By the end of the 20^th century, a small group of critical criminologists were calling for a nonviolent criminology—one that sought a humanist study of crime.

Although such a perspective has remained relatively marginal in academic circles, findings from contemporary research suggest a need to reconsider and reimagine the future of criminological and sociological thought. For instance, recent scholarship on victim-to-offender cycles, processes of desistance, and reentry and recovery highlights the import of instrumental and expressive acts of care and compassion. The evolution of certain theoretical perspectives, such as peacemaking criminology, convict criminology, and survivor criminology, also emphasize a trend towards holistic paradigms that seek to recognize the presence of harm and healing. Taken collectively, this work implies that studies of crime and punishment are incomplete if they overlook or dismiss the power of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation.