WASHINGTON – William Chambliss, professor of sociology at The George Washington University is the recipient of the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) Prevention for a Safer Society Award.

“The NCCD is honored to recognize William Chambliss’ excellence in communicating the complex problems about crime to the American people,” NCCD President Barry Krisberg said. “A panel of experts have found Power, Politics, and Crime to be worthy of recognition and deserving of special acclaim.” This award is presented to members of the media who have made an important contribution toward raising the public’s awareness and understanding of our criminal justice system.

“I am very honored to receive this award,” said Chambliss. “The book seeks to make the American people aware of the insanity behind the imprisonment binge that has taken place in the last twenty years and the role that the imprisonment of minor offenders has played in this process. Particular attention is paid to the discriminatory policies of law enforcement agencies that culminate in the imprisonment of most poor minorities for minor drug offenses.”

William Chambliss' areas of research are criminology and the sociology of law. He has served as president of the American Society of Criminology and the Society for the Study of Social Problems. He has received numerous awards for his work from professional associations including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the crime and deviance division of the American Society of Criminology and the Bruce Smith Award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.

“I very pleased to see Professor Chambliss get this award,” Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Dean William Frawley said. “He has had a long distinguished career in this area and he is getting the recognition he deserves.”

Throughout its history, NCCD has pointed to the linkages between crime control and the promotion of social justice. A key component centers upon stopping the intergenerational “cycle of violence.” Citizens need to understand that our present system is one in which a child’s well-being is too often compromised rather than protected.