'It is easier for a white person with a felony conviction to get a job than for a black person whose record is clean.' - Devah Pager

That's the result of research performed by this young sociologist, whose groundbreaking work has already caused major reforms and changes in the field of criminal justice.

Both of her graduate advisers at the University of Wisconsin tried to dissuade her from pursuing her idea, because they thought it was far too difficult for a grad student to carry out a such a potentially explosive study in such a rigorous way that its conclusions would be accepted as valid.

She did it anyway. Brooke Kroeger interviewed Pager; the story appeared in yesterday's New York Times. Highly recommended.

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  • 1 - kuros

    Mar 21, 2004 at 12:49 pm

    HA!
    how about being any color, HIV positive, gay and over 40?

  • 2 - Shark

    Mar 21, 2004 at 1:01 pm

    Sociology is about as scientific as Dowsing for water.

  • 3 - Sandra Smallson

    Mar 21, 2004 at 1:09 pm

    That could easily be an accurate comment. It does not need sociology or science for verification. Simple observation of the world around you will make it pretty difficult to dismiss.

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