Michelle S. Phelps
@michellesphelps.bsky.social
Professor at UMN, Sociologist, Mom | Books: Breaking the Pendulum on criminal justice & The Minneapolis Reckoning on the politics of policing | www.michellesphelps.com.
also of note -- crim/cj continues to dominate job ads (after open positions)
October 21, 2025 at 10:33 PM
also of note -- crim/cj continues to dominate job ads (after open positions)
Pls share w/ your students -- Univ. of Minnesota's Sociology department is hosting a "how to apply" event for PhD applicants. Visit cla.umn.edu/sociology/gr... for more info. The world of higher ed (and beyond) is in crisis, but sociology can help us better understand the problems + solutions.
September 29, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Pls share w/ your students -- Univ. of Minnesota's Sociology department is hosting a "how to apply" event for PhD applicants. Visit cla.umn.edu/sociology/gr... for more info. The world of higher ed (and beyond) is in crisis, but sociology can help us better understand the problems + solutions.
New paper out with @dacuetovilla.bsky.social today at
@socprobsjournal.bsky.social -- in it we build a model for understanding how competing movement orgs make racial demands, using the debates in Minneapolis over public safety in 2021.
@socprobsjournal.bsky.social -- in it we build a model for understanding how competing movement orgs make racial demands, using the debates in Minneapolis over public safety in 2021.
September 23, 2025 at 5:15 PM
New paper out with @dacuetovilla.bsky.social today at
@socprobsjournal.bsky.social -- in it we build a model for understanding how competing movement orgs make racial demands, using the debates in Minneapolis over public safety in 2021.
@socprobsjournal.bsky.social -- in it we build a model for understanding how competing movement orgs make racial demands, using the debates in Minneapolis over public safety in 2021.
This is not a drill, nerds. The google scholar recommended readings are back!! This is such a helpful tool to keep in touch w/ new lit in your area, esp. after the collapse of academic twitter.
September 10, 2025 at 5:26 PM
This is not a drill, nerds. The google scholar recommended readings are back!! This is such a helpful tool to keep in touch w/ new lit in your area, esp. after the collapse of academic twitter.
Someone needs to check in on Wendy.
(Spotted on my way to work!)
(Spotted on my way to work!)
August 25, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Someone needs to check in on Wendy.
(Spotted on my way to work!)
(Spotted on my way to work!)
Spent some time today trying to summarize the main categories of mandated reforms for the MPD's agreement with the state (Minnesota Dept of Human Rights) or the [now withdrawn] federal (Dept of Justice) consent decree. Specific terms diverged but mostly an overlap in key areas for reform.
May 28, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Spent some time today trying to summarize the main categories of mandated reforms for the MPD's agreement with the state (Minnesota Dept of Human Rights) or the [now withdrawn] federal (Dept of Justice) consent decree. Specific terms diverged but mostly an overlap in key areas for reform.
Why does this matter? Because when complaints take *years* to resolve, it fails to provide either justice for the victim or correction for the officer. Note though that these complaints still rarely lead to officer discipline even once resolved.
⬇️excerpt from The Minneapolis Reckoning on the OPCR
⬇️excerpt from The Minneapolis Reckoning on the OPCR
May 28, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Why does this matter? Because when complaints take *years* to resolve, it fails to provide either justice for the victim or correction for the officer. Note though that these complaints still rarely lead to officer discipline even once resolved.
⬇️excerpt from The Minneapolis Reckoning on the OPCR
⬇️excerpt from The Minneapolis Reckoning on the OPCR
That first graph shows historical misconduct complaints processed by Internal Affairs. Here's the same graph for the complaints at Office of Police Conduct Review.
May 28, 2025 at 6:42 PM
That first graph shows historical misconduct complaints processed by Internal Affairs. Here's the same graph for the complaints at Office of Police Conduct Review.
There's some casual language here... The MPD has at least started the investigation on all the backlogged misconduct cases, which is good. But many still await a decision.
ele4a.org/wp-content/u...
ele4a.org/wp-content/u...
May 28, 2025 at 6:40 PM
There's some casual language here... The MPD has at least started the investigation on all the backlogged misconduct cases, which is good. But many still await a decision.
ele4a.org/wp-content/u...
ele4a.org/wp-content/u...
George Floyd Square, ready for Rise & Remember.
May 24, 2025 at 5:26 PM
George Floyd Square, ready for Rise & Remember.
I was listening to MPR the other day and they were doing a story with Jeanelle Austin, caretaker at GFS, and her siblings. One of the things she said that is so important is that "Black people... have different ideas of liberation and you have to be able to hold space for that.”
May 23, 2025 at 2:56 PM
I was listening to MPR the other day and they were doing a story with Jeanelle Austin, caretaker at GFS, and her siblings. One of the things she said that is so important is that "Black people... have different ideas of liberation and you have to be able to hold space for that.”
Thanks for these graphs -- I looked at the urban/rural divide with MPV data in 2023 or 2024 but it's helpful to see the new results. Interesting too how the trends look diff across zip codes vs. county-level.
May 21, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Thanks for these graphs -- I looked at the urban/rural divide with MPV data in 2023 or 2024 but it's helpful to see the new results. Interesting too how the trends look diff across zip codes vs. county-level.
Look what made it to the airport bookstore shelf... Thanks, MN Open Book!
And while I hope people will shop local, reviews on that other site always appreciated if you found the book helpful!
And while I hope people will shop local, reviews on that other site always appreciated if you found the book helpful!
April 29, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Look what made it to the airport bookstore shelf... Thanks, MN Open Book!
And while I hope people will shop local, reviews on that other site always appreciated if you found the book helpful!
And while I hope people will shop local, reviews on that other site always appreciated if you found the book helpful!
I was delighted to win the Emilie Buchwald Award for Minnesota Nonfiction at the MN Book Awards last night. Being with book nerds for an evening was a balm. May all the nominated books bring us some truth and beauty.
April 23, 2025 at 1:02 PM
I was delighted to win the Emilie Buchwald Award for Minnesota Nonfiction at the MN Book Awards last night. Being with book nerds for an evening was a balm. May all the nominated books bring us some truth and beauty.
Minneapolis-Saint Paul!
April 5, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Minneapolis-Saint Paul!
Alright 10,000 word limit, I'm ready. 😂
March 3, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Alright 10,000 word limit, I'm ready. 😂
These fact checks are unreal.
February 28, 2025 at 6:42 PM
These fact checks are unreal.
Things are terrible, but this was a bright spot. Delighted to be in such good company as a finalist for the Emilie Buchwald Award for Minnesota Nonfiction over at the Minnesota Book Awards:
thefriends.org/minnesota-bo...
thefriends.org/minnesota-bo...
January 27, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Things are terrible, but this was a bright spot. Delighted to be in such good company as a finalist for the Emilie Buchwald Award for Minnesota Nonfiction over at the Minnesota Book Awards:
thefriends.org/minnesota-bo...
thefriends.org/minnesota-bo...
Weekend book sighting. In good company, at the MIA. 💜
January 19, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Weekend book sighting. In good company, at the MIA. 💜
Attaching the blurb screen shot here -- but you should go to Inquest and check out all of the other important new works.
December 19, 2024 at 7:08 PM
Attaching the blurb screen shot here -- but you should go to Inquest and check out all of the other important new works.
LGA airport has really had a glow up since I left NYC. No more birds in the Delta terminal and I get to eat this.
November 22, 2024 at 7:38 PM
LGA airport has really had a glow up since I left NYC. No more birds in the Delta terminal and I get to eat this.
The book version of this argument is much (MUCH) longer, as was even our 40 min conversation. But the quote they pulled sums it up pretty well. For more, see www.startribune.com/from-promise... & inquest.org/safety-witho...
November 15, 2024 at 11:28 PM
The book version of this argument is much (MUCH) longer, as was even our 40 min conversation. But the quote they pulled sums it up pretty well. For more, see www.startribune.com/from-promise... & inquest.org/safety-witho...
The last two days have felt like an entire year, but a bright spot has been seeing the first academic review of The Minneapolis Reckoning in Punishment & Society from Ryan Steel. He really beautifully captures the book.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
October 22, 2024 at 9:42 PM
The last two days have felt like an entire year, but a bright spot has been seeing the first academic review of The Minneapolis Reckoning in Punishment & Society from Ryan Steel. He really beautifully captures the book.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Had a fun time at the Twin Cities Book Festival today on the non-fiction panel. Book nerds are the best!
October 19, 2024 at 8:42 PM
Had a fun time at the Twin Cities Book Festival today on the non-fiction panel. Book nerds are the best!