Huge Honor

Dear Dr. Onwubiko (Biko) Agozino,

On behalf of the membership of the American Society of Criminology (ASC) Division on Critical Criminology & Social Justice (DCCSJ), it is my great pleasure to extend our warmest congratulations to you! We are thrilled to inform you that you have been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Division on Critical Criminology & Social Justice Lifetime Achievement Award! This award, our highest honor, is reserved for those who have demonstrated sustained and distinguished scholarship, teaching, and service in the field of Critical Criminology. The selection committee has provided a detailed narrative highlighting your remarkable achievements and contributions to the field, which will be shared in full during the DCCSJ Awards Ceremony. The ceremony will take place at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology in San Francisco, CA. We would be honored to have you join us on Thursday, November 14, 2024, at the DCCSJ Social, which will be held at The Woodbury (685 3rd Street) starting at 7:00 pm. Your accomplishments will be formally recognized at this event, and we hope you can attend to celebrate with us. Please let us know if you plan to attend the ceremony and social. We look forward to honoring you in person! We are deeply grateful for your dedication and all the contributions you have made to the field of critical criminology and social justice. The selection committee shared the following comment about your work, and I hope it reflects how significant your contributions are to both our field and the DCCSJ membership. From the selection committee: Dr. Agozino was born in Awgu, Enugu State, Nigeria, where he witnessed the genocide in Biafra (1967-1970), about which he writes in his 2019 book “Humanifesto of the Decolonization of Criminology and Justice.” In 2003, Dr. Agozino produced perhaps his most acclaimed work, “Counter-Colonial Criminology: A Critique of Imperialist Reason,” in which he addressed the Global North’s domination of criminology, leading, in part, to the discipline's theoretical and methodological underdevelopment. As a group of his nominators commented, Dr. Agozino’s “body of work is nothing less than extraordinary with his impact immeasurable. Biko has worked tirelessly to challenge the Global North’s dominance of the discipline, exposing its colonial roots while always confronting structural inequality and oppression.” In recognition of this tireless commitment to the values and principles of our division, which includes his many years of mentorship and pedagogy to scores of students, the panel is honored to select Dr. Agozino with the most prestigious award of our division. Indeed, this award is a testament to your remarkable commitment and the impact of your work in advancing the values we hold at the core of our division. Your scholarship continues to inspire the community, and we are honored to recognize you for your outstanding achievements. Once again, congratulations on this well-deserved honor !