Biko Agozino
Encyclopedia
Biko Agozino is a Nigerian criminologist best known for his 1997 book Black Women and the Criminal Justice System.
, Enugu State, Nigeria. He attended the University of Calabar
where he gained a BSc in Sociology, the University of Cambridge
where he gained a Master of Philosophy in Criminology, and the University of Edinburgh
where he earned a PhD in Criminology.
. His 1997 Black Women and the Criminal Justice System: Towards the Decolonisation of Victimisation was the first of these. By 2008 over two dozen books had been published in the series.
He was appointed editor-in-chief of the African Journal of Criminology and Justice Studies
and a member of the editorial board
of Jenda: A Journal of West African Women's Studies and Culture.
Agozino is a founding member of the international governing council of the Lagos
-based think tank the Centre for Democracy and Development. In 2007, Agozino was appointed criminology unit coordinator and professor in sociology at the University of the West Indies
, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
His work develops a postcolonial perspective in African criminology.
Agozino challenges the criminology discipline to "decolonize" its theories and methods and to undo the harm that has been done.
In his introduction to Gabbidon's 2007 W.E.B. Du Bois on crime and justice, Agozino notes that "excessive punitiveness" in the criminal justice systems of the US, UK, South Africa and Russia has been increasing rather than reducing the problem of crime. He also noted the hyprocrisy of British and American leaders in calling Nelson Mandela
a terrorist as he was struggling with the terrorist apartheid regime in South Africa.
His work is theoretical in nature, discussing the development of criminology in western countries and their impact on non-western societies, particularly former colonies. It has rejuvenated the colonial perspective on race and crime.
In his 1997 Black women and the criminal justice system Agozino notes the roles of race and ethnicity in negotiation of power within prison, where colored people are greatly under-represented among prison officers and over-represented among inmates. He does not discuss the importance, at least in England, of the factors of class and geography.
His book also discusses fixed political positions on types of crime. He notes that when US Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders said the government should seriously look into the experience of countries that had decriminalized drug addiction she was dismissed from her job by President Bill Clinton
.
A review of Agozino's 2003 book Counter-Colonial Criminology: A Critique of Imperialist Reason concluded: ".., this is a book that deserves to be on all criminological reading lists, and it would be at home in any African centered studies course. It offers a generous amount of scholarly inquiry into an area that has paid scant attention to African and other “people of color’s” perspectives in the criminological discourse. It is therefore groundbreaking and a must read".
Another review of this book talked about the "complexity and creativity of this angry yet optimistic work".
A third review said "Henceforth, criminology will no longer concentrate in the study of crime and criminals, but will also include the study of justice".
Early life and education
Agozino was born on 27 July 1961 in AwguAwgu
Awgu is the Headquarters of Awgu Local Government Area in Enugu State, Nigeria and the Headquarters of Awgu Catholic Diocese. The Catholic Cathedral is said to resemble a space ship when viewed with Google Earth...
, Enugu State, Nigeria. He attended the University of Calabar
University of Calabar
The University of Calabar - also known as UNICAL - is a university situated in Calabar, Cross River State, southeastern Nigeria. It is one of Nigerian's second generation universities. The University of Calabar was a campus of the University of Nigeria until 1975...
where he gained a BSc in Sociology, the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
where he gained a Master of Philosophy in Criminology, and the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
where he earned a PhD in Criminology.
Career
Agozino has been editor of the Interdisciplinary Research Series in Ethnic, Gender and Class Relations series of books from Ashgate PublishingAshgate Publishing
Ashgate Publishing is an academic book and journal publisher based in Farnham, Surrey, United Kingdom. It was established in 1967 and specializes in the social sciences, arts, humanities, and professional practice...
. His 1997 Black Women and the Criminal Justice System: Towards the Decolonisation of Victimisation was the first of these. By 2008 over two dozen books had been published in the series.
He was appointed editor-in-chief of the African Journal of Criminology and Justice Studies
African Journal of Criminology and Justice Studies
The African Journal of Criminology and Justice Studies is a biannual peer-reviewed open-access academic journal covering issues relevant to criminology, social, and justice systems of interest to Africa...
and a member of the editorial board
Editorial board
The editorial board is a group of people, usually at a publication, who dictate the tone and direction the publication's editorial policy will take.- Board makeup :...
of Jenda: A Journal of West African Women's Studies and Culture.
Agozino is a founding member of the international governing council of the Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
-based think tank the Centre for Democracy and Development. In 2007, Agozino was appointed criminology unit coordinator and professor in sociology at the University of the West Indies
University of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies , is an autonomous regional institution supported by and serving 17 English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica,...
, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
Work
Agozino's work explores the past and present impact of colonization on the way in which racial and ethnic minorities are treated by justice systems worldwide.His work develops a postcolonial perspective in African criminology.
Agozino challenges the criminology discipline to "decolonize" its theories and methods and to undo the harm that has been done.
In his introduction to Gabbidon's 2007 W.E.B. Du Bois on crime and justice, Agozino notes that "excessive punitiveness" in the criminal justice systems of the US, UK, South Africa and Russia has been increasing rather than reducing the problem of crime. He also noted the hyprocrisy of British and American leaders in calling Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
a terrorist as he was struggling with the terrorist apartheid regime in South Africa.
His work is theoretical in nature, discussing the development of criminology in western countries and their impact on non-western societies, particularly former colonies. It has rejuvenated the colonial perspective on race and crime.
In his 1997 Black women and the criminal justice system Agozino notes the roles of race and ethnicity in negotiation of power within prison, where colored people are greatly under-represented among prison officers and over-represented among inmates. He does not discuss the importance, at least in England, of the factors of class and geography.
His book also discusses fixed political positions on types of crime. He notes that when US Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders said the government should seriously look into the experience of countries that had decriminalized drug addiction she was dismissed from her job by President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
A review of Agozino's 2003 book Counter-Colonial Criminology: A Critique of Imperialist Reason concluded: ".., this is a book that deserves to be on all criminological reading lists, and it would be at home in any African centered studies course. It offers a generous amount of scholarly inquiry into an area that has paid scant attention to African and other “people of color’s” perspectives in the criminological discourse. It is therefore groundbreaking and a must read".
Another review of this book talked about the "complexity and creativity of this angry yet optimistic work".
A third review said "Henceforth, criminology will no longer concentrate in the study of crime and criminals, but will also include the study of justice".