UW News

Robert Crutchfield


December 3, 2020

How a police contact by middle school leads to different outcomes for Black, white youth

A new University of Washington study finds that Black youth are more likely than white youth to be treated as “usual suspects” after a first encounter with police, leading to subsequent arrests over time. Even as white young adults report engaging in significantly more illegal behavior, Black young adults face more criminal penalties.


May 22, 2014

Sociologist Robert Crutchfield examines the relationship between work and crime in ‘Get a Job’

Front cover of Robert Crutchfield's book "Get a Job" shows the reflection of a man in puddle on the street.

In his new book, “Get a Job: Labor Markets, Economic Opportunity, and Crime,” University of Washington sociologist Robert Crutchfield explains the nuanced links between work, unemployment and crime.