Appearance Bias and Crime

Relying on experts in criminology and sociology, Appearance Bias and Crime describes the role of bias against citizens based on their physical appearance. From the point of suspicion to the decisions to arrest, convict, sentence, and apply the death penalty, crime control agents are influenced by the appearance of offenders; moreover, victims of crime are held blameworthy depending on their physical appearance. The editor and contributing authors discuss timely topics such as Black Lives Matter, terrorism, LGBTQ appearance, human trafficking, Indigenous appearance, the disabled, and the attractive versus unattractive among us. Demographic traits such as race, gender, age, and social class influence physical appearance and, thus, judgments about criminal involvement and victimization. This volume describes the social movements relevant to appearance bias, recommends legislative and policy changes, offers practical advice to social control agencies on how to reduce appearance bias, and proposes a new sub-discipline of appearance criminology.

“'Appearance Bias and Crime fully and intricately analyzes a previously unexamined form of inequality that intersects with criminal involvement and criminal victimization. This path-breaking new book details the influence of physical appearance on all stages of the crime control process. In a comprehensive study of public and official judgements made about suspects, offenders, and victims, we find that physical appearance - overlapping with demographic traits, such as race, gender, age, social class and with socially denigrated features such LGBTQ status, unusual grooming, disability, and unattractiveness - impacts decisions made about ordinary street crime as well as human trafficking, terrorism, and other forms of criminality. Explanations and solutions for appearance bias are offered. A must-read for all students of criminology.' Joanne Belknap, University of Colorado, Boulder and author of The Invisible Woman: Gender, Crime, and Justice”

'A body of original and seminal scholarship comprise of fifteen erudite articles, Appearance Bias and Crime should be considered as an essential, core addition to college and university library Criminology collections and supplemental curriculum lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of judicial policy makers, students, academia, social activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that Appearance Bias and Crime is also available in a paperback edition and in a digital book format.' Wisconsin Bookwatch: Midwest Book Review

Bonnie Berry is the Director of the Social Problems Research Group and formerly university faculty. Her research interests include criminology, appearance bias, animal rights, academic misconduct and ethical violations, and all measures of social inequality. She is the author of several books and numerous scholarly journal articles. She has been awarded, among other prizes, the Inconvenient Woman of the Year Award from the American Society of Criminology's Women and Crime Division.

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