John Carl

Criminology,  Labeling, Criminal Justice, U.S. Prison system, Sociological Theory, Teaching Sociology, and Inside-Out

John D. Carl holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and a Ph.D. in Sociology, both from the University of Oklahoma. He lives in Norman, Oklahoma, with his wife and family. He is currently is an Assistant Professor at the University of Oklahoma where he regularly teaches Criminology, Sociology of Law, Introduction to Sociology, Social Theory and Inside-Out Prison exchange classes.

He is the author of Think Sociology (Pearson), Think Social Problems (Pearson)and A Short Introduction to the U.S. Census (Pearson). He has collaborated with Mary Looman on A Country Called Prison (Oxford U. Press).

John has spent most of his life in Oklahoma, living for brief periods of time in Texas, Indiana, and Mexico. His social work practice experiences include mental health, prisons, disabilities, hospital and hospice related work. He has worked at Rose State College where he taught classes and was co-facilitator of institutional assessment and held the position of Associate Dean of Social Sciences.  Recently he worked at East Central University where he was the Program Director of the Social Work program.

John continues to enjoy his life as it unfolds, striving always to continually be curious. This leads him to diverse research interests and a hope for life-long learning.   Currently he is interested in looking for creative ways to improve outcomes in Prisons, while at the same time considering social responses to the Pandemic.   He finds support with family and friends who enrich his life. In his free time, he gardens, throws pottery, plays his guitar, and occasionally finds a golf course on which he loses a few balls.