American Society of Criminology Awards
EDWIN H. SUTHERLAND AWARD
(Established 1960)
There is some inconsistency in the surviving records with respect to the genesis of the Sutherland Award. Some documents suggest that the award was created in 1952, shortly after Edwin Sutherland's death. Other material suggests that the Award was created in 1960, and still other documents speak to its creation in 1963.
There is general consistency in the historical record beginning in 1966, but things are somewhat unclear prior to that time. It is clear that Walter Reckless received the Sutherland Award at ASC's 1963 Annual Meeting, held in Cleveland, Ohio. It is not certain that Herbert Wecheler also received the Sutherland Award in 1963. There is some reference in the archived materials to Walter Reckless being the "first receipient" of the Sutherland Award in 1963, and that Thorsten Sellin received the Sutherland Award not in 1960, but in 1965. There are no references to Herbert Wecheler, Orlando W. Wilson, Negley Teeters nor Hon. J. C. McRuer ever receiving the Sutherland Award in any surviving historical documents, other than Albert Morris' published history of ASC. Since Albert Morris did list them as receipients, they are duly noted above.
AUGUST VOLLMER AWARD
(Established 1959)
The first award officially given by the American Society of Criminology was bestowed on Robert H. Gault, the long-time Editor of the Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology and Police Science, on December 28, 1958 . The award ceremony was held at a joint meeting of AAAS and ASC, held in Washington, D.C on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Journal. The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology and Police Science was the official journal of ASC for many years.
At ASC's February 1959 Annual Meeting (two months later), Dr. Gault was again recognized by the Society. It was at this February 1959 meeting in Tucson, that the ASC Board established its first official organizational award, and named it after August Vollmer. The award was to be given for "an outstanding report or research in the field of criminology." The first recipient was Marvin Wolfgang, who received the Vollmer Award at ASC's 1960 Annual Meetings held in New York City.
Existing lists of Vollmer Award recipients are uniformly consistent, as reproduced above There is but one dangling item; there is some reference to Paul Bohannon receving the Vollmer Award, perhaps in 1965. There is not sufficient evidence to officially credit him with receving the Vollmer Award at this time however.
SELLIN-GLUECK AWARD
(Established 1974)
HERBERT BLOCH AWARD
(Established 1961)
RUTH SHONLE CAVAN YOUNG SCHOLAR AWARD
(established 1997)
MICHAEL J. HINDELANG AWARD
(Established 1991)
PRESIDENT'S AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED CONTRIBUTIONS TO
JUSTICE
(Established 2001)
Then President Simon Dinitz gave Helen Silver, Santos Amadeo, and Pedro Velez Presidential Citations during the November 1971 meetings held in Puerto Rico. This appears to have been an ad-hoc arrangement, as there are no other Presidential Citations mentioned in any known records or archived correspondence.
OUTSTANDING ARTICLE AWARD
(Established 2006)
