CCJS Faculty Member Honored with Prestigious Book Award

"In This Place Called Prison: Women's Religious Life in the Shadow of Punishment" (University of California Press, 2023) by Assistant Professor Rachel Ellis of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice was named as the winner of the 2024 American Society of Criminology's Michael J. Hindelang Outstanding Book Award.

The award is given for a book, originally published within three calendar years preceding the year in which the award is made, that makes the most outstanding contribution to research in the field of criminology.

Ellis conducted more than 500 hours of interviews to produce the book, which is a rare in-depth study of religious life in women’s prisons. For the first time, Ellis is showing what religion looks like on the ground, day-to-day in a women’s prison. She talked with incarcerated women, chaplains, volunteers, wardens, corrections officers and other members of a prison community on the East Coast to gain unique perspectives.

"I am so honored and humbled to receive this award. Most deserving of recognition are the women who shared their time and their insights with me," Ellis said. "Only through their tremendous generosity was this book possible. By sharing their stories, they have told us about the role religion plays in and around our prison system today."

Ellis interviewed Protestant, Catholic, Muslim and Jewish women, as well as those who identify as atheist or agnostic. For the most part, interviewees reported that their beliefs and their ability to congregate to practice their religion had an important impact on their experience in prison.

"Our department couldn't be prouder of Rachel’s innovative scholarship, and the far-reaching impact of her groundbreaking book on peoples' lives. This is well-deserved recognition," said CCJS Professor and Chair Rod Brunson.

Published on Tue, Sep 24, 2024 - 1:18PM