Books
Negro Politics: The Search for Leadership
– James Q. Wilson, Negro Politics: The Search for Leadership (The Free Press, 1960, 1965, 1967; Octagon Books, 1980).“In his 1960 book, Negro Politics, [Wilson] compared two diverse styles of politics of the most prominent black congressmen of the day, William Dawson and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Mr.… More
The Amateur Democrat: Club Politics in Three Cities
– James Q. Wilson, The Amateur Democrat: Club Politics in Three Cities (University of Chicago Press, 1962; paperback edition, 1966, 1970, 1972, 1974).“In 1962, Wilson wrote The Amateur Democrat: Club Politics in Three Cities. In certain respects, The Amateur Democrat is Wilson’s most prophetic work. Political party regulars,… More
City Politics
– Edward C. Banfield and James Q. Wilson, City Politics (Harvard University Press and MIT Press, 1963, 1965; Vintage paperback edition, 1966, 1967).“On the very first page of City Politics, published in 1963, the reader is told that the day-to-day workings of city government are best understood ‘by looking at the… More
Urban Renewal: The Record and the Controversy
– James Q. Wilson, editor, Urban Renewal: The Record and the Controversy (MIT Press, 1966; paperback edition, 1967, 1968).This volume, organized under the auspices of the Harvard-MIT Joint Center for Urban Studies, was published in 1966 at the height of the Great Society. Among the authors are influential… More
The Metropolitan Enigma: Inquiries into the Nature and Dimensions of America’s “Urban Crisis”
– James Q. Wilson, editor, The Metropolitan Enigma: Inquiries into the Nature and Dimensions of America's "Urban Crisis" (Harvard University Press, 1967, 1968; revised edition,1970).In January 1966, the Task Force on Economic Growth and Opportunity of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce asked the Harvard-MIT Joint Center for Urban Studies to assemble a series of background… More
City Politics and Public Policy
– James Q. Wilson, editor, City Politics and Public Policy (John Wiley & Sons, 1968; paperback edition, 1968).“In his introduction of City Politics and Public Policy (1968), Wilson noted that research on urban politics taught us ‘a great deal about who governs but surprising little… More
Varieties of Police Behavior: The Management of Law and Order in Eight Communities
– James Q. Wilson, Varieties of Police Behavior: The Management of Law and Order in Eight Communities (Harvard University Press, 1968, 1978).“Varieties of Police Behavior encapsulates a central feature of James Q Wilson’s political science. He was interested in identifying key problems of governing — in this case,… More
Political Organizations
– James Q. Wilson, Political Organizations (Basic Books, 1974, 1977; Princeton University Press paperback edition, 1995).The core of Political Organizations “is a ‘theory of incentives’ that Wilson and a friend of his from graduate school, Peter Clark, co-developed under [Edward]… More
Thinking About Crime
– James Q. Wilson, Thinking About Crime (Basic Books, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1983, Vintage revised paperback edition, 1985).“If George Orwell was right — that all great writers have one title that captures the theme of the all their works – that title for Wilson was Thinking About Crime, which first… More
The Investigators: Managing FBI and Narcotics Agents
– James Q. Wilson, The Investigators: Managing FBI and Narcotics Agents (Basic Books, 1978).In the early 1970s, Wilson served as a consultant to the Drug Enforcement Agency and as an informal adviser to Clarence M. Kelley, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation from… More
The Politics of Regulation
– James Q. Wilson, editor, The Politics of Regulation (Basic Books, 1980, 1982).In the late 1970s, Wilson sent some of his students out to explore the politics of regulation — “how goals were determined, conflict resolved or managed, standards set, and policy… More
Crime and Public Policy
– James Q. Wilson, editor, Crime and Public Policy (ICS Press, 1983).“By the time Jim published his Crime and Public Policy book in 1983, his critique of academic criminologists had softened. In fact, he chose to compile that book precisely because he… More
Crime and Human Nature: The Definitive Study of the Causes of Crime
– James Q. Wilson and Richard J. Herrnstein, Crime and Human Nature: The Definitive Study of the Causes of Crime (The Free Press, 1985, 1986, 1998).“In the early 1970s, Wilson began to teach a core curriculum course for Harvard undergraduates with the psychologist Richard Herrnstein. Their collaboration eventually led to one of… More
Understanding and Controlling Crime: Toward a New Research Strategy
– David P. Farrington, Lloyd E. Ohlin, and James Q. Wilson, Understanding and Controlling Crime: Toward a New Research Strategy (Springer, 1986, reprinted 2012).Wilson “played a major role in persuading the MacArthur Foundation of the need for longitudinal research in criminology, and he coauthored the MacArthur-sponsored book Understanding… More
Bureaucracy: What Government Agencies Do and Why They Do It
– James Q. Wilson, Bureaucracy: What Government Agencies Do and Why They Do It (Basic Books, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2006).“Many of us consider Bureaucracy to be Wilson’s most important book. It is without doubt the greatest book on bureaucracy written by an American, and the greatest book on… More
Drugs and Crime
– Michael Tonry and James Q. Wilson, editors, Drugs and Crime (University of Chicago Press, 1990, 1991).On Character: Essays by James Q. Wilson
– James Q. Wilson, On Character: Essays by James Q. Wilson (AEI Press, 1991, expanded edition, 1995).Watching Fishes: Understanding Coral Reef Fish Behavior
– Roberta Wilson and James Q. Wilson, Watching Fishes: Understanding Coral Reef Fish Behavior (Pisces Press, 1992).Crime
– James Q. Wilson and Joan Petersilia, editors, Crime (ICS Press, 1995).Moral Judgment: Does the Abuse Excuse Threaten Our Legal System?
– James Q. Wilson, Moral Judgment: Does the Abuse Excuse Threaten Our Legal System? (Basic Books, 1997, 1998).The Moral Sense
– James Q. Wilson, The Moral Sense (The Free Press, 1993, 1995; paperback edition 1997, 1998).“The Moral Sense towers tall and apart on the Wilson skyline. It seems not to be about politics or policy at all. Its subject is benevolence: how self-interested human beings come to… More
The Ethics of Human Cloning
– Leon R. Kass and James Q. Wilson, The Ethics of Human Cloning (AEI Press, 1998).Moral Intuitions
– James Q. Wilson, Moral Intuitions (New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction, 2000).Crime: Public Policies for Crime Control
– James Q. Wilson and Joan Petersilia, Crime: Public Policies for Crime Control (ICS Press, 2002).The Marriage Problem: How Culture Has Weakened Families
– James Q. Wilson, The Marriage Problem: How Culture Has Weakened Families (Harper Collins, 2002, 2003).In The Marriage Problem, Wilson “attributes the troubling decline of marriage we see around us not to ‘the ’60s’–the all-purpose nemesis of the right–but… More
Understanding America: The Anatomy of American Exceptionalism
– Peter H. Schuck and James Q. Wilson, editors, Understanding America: The Anatomy of American Exceptionalism (Public Affairs, 2008).American Politics Then and Now and Other Essays
– James Q. Wilson, American Politics Then and Now and Other Essays (AEI Press, 2010).This book “collects 15 essays, most of which appeared initially in The Public Interest, Commentary, and City Journal. They are written for a general audience, not in the sense of… More
Crime and Public Policy
– James Q. Wilson and Joan Petersilia, editors, Crime and Public Policy (Oxford University Press, 2011).American Government: Institutions and Policies
– James Q. Wilson, John J. DiIulio, Jr., and Meena Bose, American Government: Institutions and Policies, various publishers, thirteen editions.Essays
How the Northern Negro Uses His Vote
– James Q. Wilson, "How the Northern Negro Uses His Vote," Reporter, March 31, 1960, pp. 20-21.How Will the Negroes Vote?
– James Q. Wilson, "How Will the Negroes Vote?" Reporter, October 13, 1960, pp. 34-36.Two Negro Politicians: An Interpretation
– James Q. Wilson, "Two Negro Politicians: An Interpretation," Midwest Journal of Political Science, Vol. 4, No. 4 (November 1960), pp. 346-369.The Economy of Patronage
– James Q. Wilson, "The Economy of Patronage," Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 69, No. 4 (August 1961), pp. 369-380.Incentive Systems: A Theory of Organizations
– Peter B. Clark and James Q. Wilson, "Incentive Systems: A Theory of Organizations," Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 6, No. 2 (September 1961), pp. 129-166.The Strategy of Protest: Problems of Negro Civic Action
– James Q. Wilson, "The Strategy of Protest: Problems of Negro Civic Action," Journal of Conflict Revolution, Volume 5, Number 3 (September 1961), pp. 291-303.The Amateur Democrat in American Politics
– James Q. Wilson, "The Amateur Democrat in American Politics," Parliamentary Affairs, Vol. 16, Is. 1 (1962), pp. 73-86.Politics and Reform in American Cities
– James Q. Wilson, "Politics and Reform in American Cities," in Ivan Hinderaker, editor, American Government Annual, 1962-1963 (Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1962), pp. 37-52.The Citizen in the Renewal Process
– James Q. Wilson, "The Citizen in the Renewal Process," Journal of Housing, Vol. 20. No. 2 (1963), pp. 622-627.Police and Their Problems
– James Q. Wilson, "The Police and Their Problems: A Theory," Public Policy, Number 12 (1963), pp. 189-216.Planning and Politics: Citizen Participation in Urban Renewal
– James Q. Wilson, "Planning and Politics: Citizen Participation in Urban Renewal," Journal of the American Institute of Planners, Vol. 29, Issue 4 (November 1963), pp. 242-249.The Changing Political Position of the Negro
– James Q. Wilson, "The Changing Political Position of the Negro," in Arnold M. Rose, editor, Assuring Freedom to the Free (Wayne State University Press, 1964), pp. 163-184.An Overview of Theories of Planned Change
– James Q. Wilson, "An Overview of Theories of Planned Change," in Robert Morris, editor, Centrally Planned Change (National Association of Social Workers, 1964).Generational and Ethnic Differences Among Career Police Officers
– James Q. Wilson, "Generational and Ethnic Differences Among Career Police Officers," American Journal of Sociology," Vol. 69, No. 5 (March 1964), pp. 522-528.Patronage in New York State, 1955-1959
– Daniel Patrick Moynihan and James Q. Wilson, "Patronage in New York State, 1955-1959," American Political Science Review, Vol. 58, No. 2 (June 1964), pp. 286-301.Public-Regardingness as a Value Premise in Voting Behavior
– James Q. Wilson and Edward C. Banfield, "Public-Regardingness as a Value Premise in Voting Behavior," American Political Science Review, Vol. 58, No. 4 (December 1964), pp. 876-887.Voting Behavior on Municipal Public Expenditures
– James Q. Wilson and Edward C. Banfield, "Voting Behavior on Municipal Public Expenditures: A Study of Rationality and Self-Interest," in Julius Margolis, editor, The Public Economy of Urban Communities (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1965).Necessity versus the Devil
– James Q. Wilson, "Necessity versus the Devil," Society, January-February 1965.Urban Renewal Does Not Always Renew
– James Q. Wilson, "Urban Renewal Does Not Always Renew," Harvard Today, January, 1965.The Negro in American Politics: The Present
– James Q. Wilson, "The Negro in American Politics: The Present," in John P. Davis, editor, The American Negro Reference Book (Prentice-Hall, 1965), pp. 431-457.The Negro in Politics
– James Q. Wilson, "The Negro in Politics," Daedalus, Vol. 94, No. 4 (Fall 1965), pp. 949-973. Reprinted in Talcott Parsons and Kenneth B. Clark, editors, The Negro American (Houghton Mifflin, 1965).The Negro in City Politics
– Edward C. Banfield and James Q. Wilson, "The Negro in City Politics," in Raymond J. Murphy and Howard Elinson, editors, Problems and Prospects of the Negro Movement (Wadsworth, 1966), pp. 376-394.Innovation in Organizations: Notes Toward a Theory
– James Q. Wilson, "Innovation in Organizations: Notes Toward a Theory," in James D. Thompson, editor, Approaches to Organizational Design (University of Pittsburgh Press, 1966), pp. 193-218.Problems in the Study of Urban Politics
– James Q. Wilson, "Problems in the Study of Urban Politics," in Edward H. Buehrig, editor, Essays in Political Science (Indiana University Press, 1966), pp. 131-150.“The Flamboyant Mr. Powell”
– James Q. Wilson, "'The Flamboyant Mr. Powell'," Commentary January 1966.The War on Cities
– James Q. Wilson, "The War on Cities," The Public Interest, Number 3, Spring 1966.Crime in the Streets
– James Q. Wilson, "Crime in the Streets," The Public Interest, Number 5, Fall 1966.Corruption: The Shame of the States
– James Q. Wilson, "Corruption: The Shame of the States," The Public Interest, Number 2, Winter 1996.Violence
– James Q. Wilson, "Violence," in Daniel Bell and Stephen R. Graubard, editors, Toward the Year 2000: Work in Progress (American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1967, 1968, 1997), pp. 277-296.Urban Problems in Perspective
– James Q. Wilson, "Urban Problems in Perspective," in James Q. Wilson, editor, The Metropolitan Enigma (Harvard University Press, 1967, 1968, 1970).A Crime-Control Pill?
– James Q. Wilson, "A Crime-Control Pill?," Harper's Magazine, February 1967.A Guide to Reagan Country
– James Q. Wilson, "A Guide to Reagan Country: The Political Culture of Southern California," Commentary, May 1967.A Reader’s Guide to the Crime Commission Reports
– James Q. Wilson, "A Reader's Guide to the Crime Commission Reports," The Public Interest, Number 9, Fall 1967.Black and White Tragedy
– James Q. Wilson, "Black and White Tragedy," Encounter, October 1967, pp. 63-67.The Bureaucracy Problem
– James Q. Wilson, "The Bureaucracy Problem," The Public Interest, Number 6, Winter 1967.The Police and the Delinquent in Two Cities
– James Q. Wilson, "The Police and the Delinquent in Two Cities," in James Q. Wilson, editor, City Politics and Public Policy (Wiley, 1968), pp. 173-195.Corruption is Not Always Scandalous
– James Q. Wilson, "Corruption is Not Always Scandalous," New York Times Magazine, April 28, 1968, pp. 54-62.Why We Are Having a Wave of Violence
– James Q. Wilson, "Why We Are Having a Wave of Violence," New York Times Magazine, May 19, 1968, pp. 23-24. This essay also appeared in Nathan Glazer, editor, Cities in Trouble (Quadrangle, 1970), pp. 55-66.The Urban Unease: Community vs. City
– James Q. Wilson, "The Urban Unease: Community vs. City," The Public Interest, Number 12, Summer 1968.Movie Cops: Romantic vs. Real
– James Q. Wilson, "Movie Cops: Romantic vs. Real," New York Magazine, August 19, 1968, pp. 39-41.Dilemmas of Police Administration
– James Q. Wilson, "Dilemmas of Police Administration," Public Administration Review, Vol. 28, No. 5 (September-October 1968), pp. 407-417.Crime and Law Enforcement
– James Q. Wilson, "Crime and Law Enforcement," in Kermit Gordon, editor, Agenda for the Nation (Brookings Institution, 1969).What Makes a Better Policeman
– James Q. Wilson, "What Makes a Better Policeman," Atlantic Monthly, (March 1969), pp. 129-134. This essay also appeared in Stephen M. David and Paul E. Peterson, editors, Urban Politics and Public Policy: The City in Crisis (Praeger, 1976).Is the Court Handcuffing the Cops?
– James Vorenberg and James Q. Wilson, "Is the Court Handcuffing the Cops?" New York Times Magazine, May 11, 1969.The Mayors vs. the Cities
– James Q. Wilson, "The Mayors vs. the Cities," The Public Interest, Number 16, Summer 1969.The Urban Mood
– James Q. Wilson, "The Urban Mood," Commentary, October 1969.The Young People of North Long Beach
– James Q. Wilson, "The Young People of North Long Beach," Harper's Magazine, December 1969.Crime
– James Q. Wilson, "Crime," in Daniel P. Moynihan, Toward a National Urban Policy (Basic Books, 1970), pp. 140-151.Crime and the Liberal Audience
– James Q. Wilson, "Crime and the Liberal Audience," Commentary, January 1971.The Moralist
– James Q. Wilson, "The Moralist," Commentary, March 1971.The Dead Hand of Regulation
– James Q. Wilson, "The Dead Hand of Regulation," The Public Interest, Number 25, Fall 1971.Political Ethos Revisited
– James Q. Wilson and Edward C. Banfield, "Political Ethos Revisisted," American Political Science Review, Vol. 65, No. 4 (December 1971), pp. 1048-1062.Violence, Pornography, and Social Science
– James Q. Wilson, "Violence, Pornography, and Social Science," The Public Interest, Number 22, Winter 1971.Ultimate Politics
– James Q. Wilson, "Ultimate Politics," Commentary, January 1972.The Police and the Ghetto
– James Q. Wilson, "The Police and the Ghetto," in Robert F. Steadman, editor, The Police and the Community (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1972), pp. 51-90.Power Structure and Civic Leadership
– Edward C. Banfield and James Q. Wilson, "Power Structure and Civic Leadership," in Fred M. Cox, John L. Erlich, Jack Rothman, and John Tropman, editors, Strategies of Community Organization (Peacock, 1972), pp. 112-122.Market Control of Public Services
– James Q. Wilson, "Market Control of Public Services," Reason, April 1972, pp. 14-16.Liberalism and Purpose
– James Q. Wilson, "Liberalism and Purpose,"Commentary, May 1972.Liberalism versus Liberal Education
– James Q. Wilson, "Liberalism versus Liberal Education," Commentary, June 1972.The Problem of Heroin
– James Q. Wilson, Mark H. Moore, and I. David Wheat, Jr., "The Problem of Heroin," The Public Interest, Number 29, Fall 1972.Social Theorist
– James Q. Wilson, "Social Theorist," Commentary, January 1973.If Every Criminal Knew He Would Be Punished If Caught
– James Q. Wilson, "If Every Criminal Knew He Would Be Punished If Caught," New York Times Magazine, January 28, 1973, pp. 52-56.Emerging Patterns in American Police Administration
– James Q. Wilson, "Emerging Patterns in American Police Administration," Police Journal 46 (April 1973).Rhetoric and Reality
– James Q. Wilson, "Rhetoric and Reality," Commentary, June 1973.A Radical Life
– James Q. Wilson, "A Radical Life," Commentary, July 1973.Politics and the Parties
– James Q. Wilson, "Politics and the Parties," Commentary, October 1973.The Sick Sixties
– James Q. Wilson and Robert L. DuPont, "The Sick Sixties," Atlantic Monthly, October 1973, pp. 91-98.On Pettigrew and Armor: An Afterword
– James Q. Wilson, "On Pettigrew and Armor: An Afterword," The Public Interest, Number 30, Winter 1973.The Politics of Regulation
– James Q. Wilson, "The Politics of Regulation," in James W. McKie, editor, Social Responsibility and the Business Predicament (Brookings Institution, 1974).The Rhetoric of Community
– James Q. Wilson, "The Rhetoric of Community," Commentary, May 1974.Crime and the Criminologists
– James Q. Wilson, "Crime and the Criminologists," Commentary, July 1974.Do the Police Prevent Crime?
– James Q. Wilson, "Do the Police Prevent Crime?" New York Times Magazine, October 6, 1974, pp. 18-19.The Riddle of the Middle Class
– James Q. Wilson, "The Riddle of the Middle Class," The Public Interest, Number 39, Spring 1975.The Return of Heroin
– James Q. Wilson, "The Return of Heroin," Commentary, April 1975.Abolish “Reform”
– James Q. Wilson, "Abolish 'Reform'," American Spectator, May 1975, p. 9-10.Checking Our Premises on Crime
– James Q. Wilson, "Checking Our Premises on Crime," American Spectator, June 1975, pp. 13-15.The Rise of the Bureaucratic State
– James Q. Wilson, "The Rise of the Bureaucratic State," The Public Interest, Number 41, Fall 1975.Can America Win the Next War?
– James Q. Wilson, "Can America Win the Next War?" Commentary, February 1976.Crime and Punishment in England
– James Q. Wilson, "Crime and Punishment in England," The Public Interest, Number 43, Spring 1976.Crime and Punishment, 1776-1976
– James Q. Wilson, "Crime and Punishment, 1776-1976," Time, April 26, 1976.Crime in Society and Schools
– James Q. Wilson, "Crime in Society and Schools," Educational Researcher, Vol. 5, No. 5 (May 1976), pp. 3-6Who is in Prison?
– James Q. Wilson, "Who is in Prison?" Commentary, November 1976.Police Discretion
– James Q. Wilson, "Police Discretion," in Leon Radzinowicz and Marvin E. Wolfgang, editors, Crime and Justice: Volume II: The Criminal in the Arms of the Law (Basic Books, 1977).The Greasy Pole
– James Q. Wilson, "The Greasy Pole," Commentary, February 1977.Zero-Based Budgeting Comes to Washington
– James Q. Wilson, "Zero-Based Budgeting Comes to Washington," American Spectator, February 1977, p. 5.Changing Criminal Sentences
– James Q. Wilson, "Changing Criminal Sentences," Harper's Magazine, November 1977, pp. 16-20.Can the Government Regulate Itself?
– James Q. Wilson and Patricia Rachal, "Can the Government Regulate Itself?" The Public Interest, Number 46, Winter 1977.Social Science and Public Policy
– James Q. Wilson, "Social Science and Public Policy: A Personal Note," in Lawrence E. Lynn, Jr., editor, Knowledge and Policy: The Uncertain Connection (National Academy of Sciences, 1978).The War Against the Automobile
– James Q. Wilson, "The War Against the Automobile," American Spectator, February 1978, p. 30.Age, Crime, and Punishment
– Barbara Boland and James Q. Wilson, "Age, Crime, and Punishment," The Public Interest, Number 51, Spring 1978.Buggings, Break-Ins, and the FBI
– James Q. Wilson, "Buggings, Break-Ins, and the FBI," Commentary, June 1978.Harvard’s Core Curriculum: A View from the Inside
– James Q. Wilson, "Harvard's Core Curriculum: A View from the Inside," Change, Vol. 10, No. 10 (November 1978), pp. 40-43.Buying the Vote
– James Q. Wilson, "Buying the Vote," Commentary, December 1978.Does the Separation of Powers Still Work?
– James Q. Wilson, "Does the Separation of Powers Still Work?" The Public Interest, Number 86, Winter 1978.Double Standard
– James Q. Wilson, "Double Standard," Commentary, January 1979.American Politics, Then and Now
– James Q. Wilson, "American Politics, Then and Now," Commentary, February 1979.In California
– James Q. Wilson, "In California," Commentary, September 1979.Police Research and Experimentation
– James Q. Wilson, "Police Research and Experimentation," in Richard A. Staufenberger, editor, Progress in Policing: Essays on Change (Ballinger, 1980).The Politics of Regulation
– James Q. Wilson, "The Politics of Regulation," in James Q. Wilson, editor, The Politics of Regulation (Basic Books, 1980), pp. 357-394.The Changing FBI: The Road to Abscam
– James Q. Wilson, "The Changing FBI: The Road to Abscam," The Public Interest, Number 59, Spring 1980.“What Works?” Revisited: New Findings on Criminal Rehabilitation
– James Q. Wilson, "'What Works?' Revisited: New Findings on Criminal Rehabilitation," The Public Interest, Number 61, Fall 1980.Reagan and the Republican Revival
– James Q. Wilson, "Reagan and the Republican Revival," Commentary, October 1980.What Can the Police Do About Violence?
– James Q. Wilson, "What Can the Police Do About Violence?" Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 452 (November 1980), pp. 13-21.Neoconservatism: Pro and Con
– James Q. Wilson, "Neoconservatism: Pro and Con," Partisan Review, Vol. 47, No. 4 (1980).The Effects of the Police on Crime
– James Q. Wilson and Barbara Boland, "The Effects of the Police on Crime: A Response to Jacob and Rich," Law and Society Review, Vol. 16, No. 1 (1981-1982), pp. 136-170.“Policy Intellectuals” and Public Policy
– James Q. Wilson, "'Policy Intellectuals' and Public Policy," The Public Interest, Number 64, Summer 1981.Thinking About Terrorism
– James Q. Wilson, "Thinking About Terrorism," Commentary, July 1981.Broken Windows
– George L. Kelling and James Q. Wilson, "Broken Windows: The Police and Neighborhood Safety," Atlantic Monthly, March 1982.The Dilemmas of Conservatism II
– James Q. Wilson, "The Dilemmas of Conservatism II: Reagan the Politician," American Spectator, March 1982, pp. 13-16.The City of Angels and Autos
– James Q. Wilson, "The City of Angels and Autos," New York Times, April 18, 1982.Raising Kids
– James Q. Wilson, "Raising Kids," Atlantic Monthly (1983), pp. 45-56.Dealing with the High-rate Offender
– James Q. Wilson, "Dealing with the High-rate Offender," The Public Interest, Number 72, Summer 1983.Thinking About Crime
– James Q. Wilson, "Thinking About Crime," Atlantic Monthly, September 1983.A Longitudinal Study of the Effect of Race on Sentencing
– Charles R. Pruitt and James Q. Wilson, "A Longitudinal Study of the Effect of Race on Sentencing," Law and Society Review, Vol. 17, No. 4 (1983), pp. 613-636.Crime and American Culture
– James Q. Wilson, "Crime and American Culture," The Public Interest, Number 70, Winter 1983.Neglected Areas of Research on Regulation
– James Q. Wilson, "Neglected Areas of Research on Regulation," in Roger G. Noll, editor, Regulatory Policy and the Social Sciences (University of California Press, 1985 ), pp. 357-363.Unemployment and Crime: What’s the Connection?
– James Q. Wilson and Philip J. Cook, "Unemployment and Crime: What's the Connection?" The Public Interest, Number 79, Spring 1985.Are Criminals Made or Born?
– Richard J. Herrnstein and James Q. Wilson, "Are Criminals Made or Born?" New York Times Magazine, August 4, 1985, pp 30-32, 43, 46.Public Ownership vs. Energy Conservation
– James Q. Wilson and Louise Richardson, "Public Ownership vs. Energy Conservation: A Paradox of Utility Regulation," Regulation, Vol. 9, No. 13 (September-October 1985), pp. 13-17, 36-38.The Rediscovery of Character: Private Virtue and Public Policy
– James Q. Wilson, "The Rediscovery of Character: Private Virtue and Public Policy," The Public Interest, Number 81, Fall 1985.The Judge and the Schools
– James Q. Wilson, "The Judge and the Schools," Commentary, January 1986.Political Parties and the Separation of Powers
– James Q. Wilson, "Political Parties and the Separation of Powers," in Robert A. Goldwin and Art Kaufman, editors, Separation of Powers: Does It Still Work? (AEI Press, 1986), pp. 18-37.Why Reagan Won and Stockman Lost
– James Q. Wilson, "Why Reagan Won and Stockman Lost," Commentary, August 1986.Police Performance and Case Attrition
– Joan Petersilia, Allan Abrahamse, and James Q. Wilson, Police Performance and Case Attrition (RAND Corporation, 1987).Strategic Opportunities for Delinquency Prevention
– James Q. Wilson, "Strategic Opportunities for Delinquency Prevention," in James Q. Wilson and Glenn C. Loury, editors, From Children to Citizens: Vol. 3: Families, Schools, and Delinquency Prevention (Springer-Verlag, 1987), pp. 291-311.Libel and the Media
– James Q. Wilson, "Libel and the Media," Commentary, March 1987.Some Elites are More Equal Than Others
– James Q. Wilson, "Some Elites are More Equal Than Others," The Public Interest, Number 91, Spring 1988.Into the Abyss
– James Q. Wilson, "Into the Abyss," Commentary, July 1988.Entering Criminology Through the Back Door
– James Q. Wilson, "Entering Criminology Through the Back Door," The Criminologist: Official Newsletter of the American Society of Criminology, Volume 13, Number 6, November-December 1988.Making Neighborhoods Safe
– James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling, "Making Neighborhoods Safe," Atlantic Monthly, Vol. 263, Issue 2 (February 1989), pp. 46-52.Crackdown: Treating the Symptoms of the Drug Problem
– James Q. Wilson and John DiIulio, "Crackdown: Treating the Symptoms of the Drug Problem," New Republic, Jul 10, 1989.Drugs and Crime
– James Q. Wilson, "Drugs and Crime," Crime and Justice, Vol. 13 (1990), pp. 521-545.The Relationship Between Police Practice, Community Characteristics, and Case Attrition
– Joan Petersilia, Allan Abrahamse, and James Q. Wilson, "The Relationship Between Police Practice, Community Characteristics, and Case Attrition," Policing and Society, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1990, pp. 23-38.Against the Legalization of Drugs
– James Q. Wilson, "Against the Legalization of Drugs," Commentary, February 1990.The Politics of Rich and Poor
– James Q. Wilson, "The Politics of Rich and Poor," Commentary, October 1990.Beyond 911: A New Era for Policing
– James Q. Wilson, "Beyond 911: A New Era for Policing," Washington Monthly, October 1990, pp. 58-62.Multiple Choice Test
– James Q. Wilson, "Multiple Choice Test," The New Republic, October 8, 1990.A review essay of John Chubb and Terry Moe’s Politics, Markets, and America’s Schools.
Juridical Democracy versus American Democracy
– James Q. Wilson, "Juridical Democracy versus American Democracy," PS: Political Science and Politics, Vol. 23, No. 4, (December 1990), pp. 570-572.Interest and Deliberation in the American Republic
– James Q. Wilson, "Interest and Deliberation in the American Republic, or, Why James Madison Would Never Have Received the James Madison Award," PS: Political Science and Politics, Volume 23, Number 4 (December 1990), pp. 558-562.The Government Gap
– James Q. Wilson, "The Government Gap," The New Republic, June 3, 1991.A review essay of E.J. Dionne’s Why Americans Hate Politics and Alan Ehrenhalt’s The United States of Ambition.
Reforming the Schools
– James Q. Wilson, "Reforming the Schools," Commentary, December 1991.Incivility and Crime
– James Q. Wilson, "Incivility and Crime," in Edward C. Banfield, editor, Civility and Citizenship (Paragon House, 1992).Edward Banfield, American Skeptic
– James Q. Wilson, "Edward Banfield, American Skeptic," The Public Interest Number 107, Spring 1992.To Prevent Riots, Reduce Black Crime
– James Q. Wilson, "To Prevent Riots, Reduce Black Crime," Wall Street Journal, May 6, 1992, p. A16.How to Teach Better Values in Inner Cities
– James Q. Wilson, "How to Teach Better Values in Inner Cities," Wall Street Journal, May 18, 1992, p. A14.Scholars Must Expand Our Understanding of Criminal Behavior
– James Q. Wilson, "Scholars Must Expand Our Understanding of Criminal Behavior," Chronicle of Higher Education, June 10, 1992.The Contradictions of an Advanced Capitalist State
– James Q. Wilson, "The Contradictions of an Advanced Capitalist State," Forbes, September 14, 1992, pp. 111-116.Redefining Equality: The Liberalism of Mickey Kaus
– James Q. Wilson, "Redefining Equality: The Liberalism of Mickey Kaus," The Public Interest, Number 109, Fall 1992.Crime, Race, and Values
– James Q. Wilson, "Crime, Race, and Values," Society, Vol. 30, No. 1 (November-December 1992), pp. 90-93.The Moral Sense
– James Q. Wilson, "The Moral Sense," American Political Science Review, Volume 87, Number 1, March 1993, pp. 1-11.Presidential Address, American Political Science Association, 1992.
The Family-Values Debate
– James Q. Wilson, "The Family-Values Debate," Commentary, April 1993.What Is Moral, and How Do We Know It?
– James Q. Wilson, "What Is Moral, and How Do We Know It?" Commentary, June 1993.Stagestruck
– James Q. Wilson, "Stagestruck," The New Republic, June 21, 1993.A review essay of Kiku Adatto’s Picture Perfect.
On Gender
– James Q. Wilson, "On Gender," The Public Interest, Number 112, Summer 1993.A Rhythm to the Madness
– James Q. Wilson, "Crime: A Rhythm to the Madness," Time, August 23, 1993.In Loco Parentis: Helping Children When Families Fail Them
– James Q. Wilson, "In Loco Parentis: Helping Children When Families Fail Them," Brookings Review, Fall 1993, pp. 12-15.Calvin and Hobbes and John Paul
– James Q. Wilson, "Calvin and Hobbes and John Paul," New York Times, November 26, 1993.Culture, Incentives, and the Underclass
– James Q. Wilson, "Culture, Incentives, and the Underclass," in Henry J. Aaron, Thomas E. Mann, and Timothy Taylor, editors, Values and Public Policy (Brookings Institution, 1994), pp. 54-80. This essay also appears in Don E. Eberly, editor, The Essential Civil Society Reader: The Classic Essays (Rowman and Littlefield, 2000), pp. 195-216.Can the Bureaucracy be Deregulated?
– James Q. Wilson, "Can the Bureaucracy be Deregulated? Lessons from Government Agencies," in John J. DiIulio, Jr., editor, Deregulating the Public Service: Can Government Be Improved? (Brookings Institution, 1994), pp. 37-61.On Abortion
– James Q. Wilson, "On Abortion," Commentary, January 1994.Tales of Virtue
– James Q. Wilson, "Tales of Virtue," Commentary, April 1994.What To Do About Crime
– James Q. Wilson, "What To Do About Crime," Commentary, September 1994.Bring Back the Orphanage
– James Q. Wilson, "Bring Back the Orphanage," Wall Street Journal, August 22, 1994.Prisons in a Free Society
– James Q. Wilson, "Prisons in a Free Society," The Public Interest, Number 117, Fall 1994.Reinventing Public Administration
– James Q. Wilson, "Reinventing Public Administration," PS: Political Science and Politics, Vol. 27, No. 4 (December 1994), pp. 667-673.A New Approach to Welfare Reform: Humility
– James Q. Wilson, "A New Approach to Welfare Reform: Humility," Wall Street Journal, December 29, 1994.Liberalism, Modernism, and the Good Life
– James Q. Wilson, "Liberalism, Modernism, and the Good Life," in Mary Ann Glendon and David Blankenhorn, editors, Seedbeds of Virtue: Sources of Character and Citizenship in American Society (Madison Books, 1995).Thinking About Reorganization
– James Q. Wilson, "Thinking About Reorganization," in Roy Godson, Ernest R, May, and Gary Schmitt, editors, US Intelligence at the Crossroads: Agendas for Reform (Brasseys, 1995).Justice versus Humanity in the Family
– James Q. Wilson, "Justice versus Humanity in the Family," in The Neoconservative Imagination: Essays in Honor of Irving Kristol (AEI Press, 1995), pp. 147-164.New Politics, New Elites, Old Publics
– James Q. Wilson, "New Politics, New Elites, Old Publics," in Marc K. Landy and Martin A. Levin, editors, The New Politics of Public Policy (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1995), pp. 249-267.Just Take Away Criminals’ Guns
– James Q. Wilson, "Just Take Away Criminals' Guns," American Enterprise, May 1995, pp. 37-38.Use Drug Tests to Reduce Demand for Narcotics
– James Q. Wilson, "Use Drug Tests to Reduce Demand for Narcotics," American Enterprise, May 1995, pp. 49-50.Liberal Ghosts
– James Q. Wilson, Liberal Ghosts, New Republic, May 22, 1995, pp. 31-34.Capitalism and Morality
– James Q. Wilson, "Capitalism and Morality," The Public Interest, Number 121, Fall 1995.Welfare Reform and Character Development
– James Q. Wilson, "Welfare Reform and Character Development," City Journal, Vol. 5, No. 1, Winter 1995.Cultural Aspects of Poverty
– James Q. Wilson, "Cultural Aspects of Poverty," in Michael R. Darby, editor, Reducing Poverty in America: Views and Approaches (Sage, 1996), pp. 367-372.Culture, Crime, and Human Nature
– James Q. Wilson, "Culture, Crime, and Human Nature," in T. William Boxx and Gary M. Quinlivan, editors, Culture in Crisis and the Renewal of Civil Life (Rowman and Littlefield, 1996).The Corporation as a Political Actor
– James Q. Wilson, "The Corporation as a Political Actor," in Carl Kaysen, editor, The American Corporation Today (Oxford University Press, 1996).Reading Jurors’ Minds
– James Q. Wilson, "Reading Jurors' Minds," Commentary, February 1996.No More Home Alone
– James Q. Wilson and Kathleen Sylvester, "No More Home Alone," Policy Review, March 1996, pp. 34-39.Against Homosexual Marriage
– James Q. Wilson, "Against Homosexual Marriage," Commentary, March 1996.How Do We Know We are Doing Good?
– James Q. Wilson, "How Do We Know We are Doing Good?," in John W. Barry and Bruno V. Manno, editors, Giving Better, Giving Smarter: Working Papers of the National Commission on Philanthropy and Civic Renewal (National Commission on Philanthropy and Civic Renewal, 1997), pp. 207-213.Paternalism, Democracy, and Bureaucracy
– James Q. Wilson, "Paternalism, Democracy, and Bureaucracy," in Lawrence M. Mead, editor, The New Paternalism: Supervisory Approaches to Poverty (Brookings Institution, 1997), pp. 330-343.Cars and Their Enemies
– James Q. Wilson, "Cars and Their Enemies," Commentary, July 1997.Democracy Needs Pork to Survive
– James Q. Wilson, "Democracy Needs Pork to Survive," Wall Street Journal, August 14, 1997, p. A12.Hostility in America
– James Q. Wilson, "Hostility in America," The New Republic, August 25, 1997. This essay also appeared in the University of Colorado Law Review, Vol. 69, No. 4 (Fall 1998).Race, Crime, and the Law
– James Q. Wilson, "Race, Crime, and the Law," Commentary, September 1997.Making Justice Swifter
– James Q. Wilson, "Making Justice Swifter," City Journal, Vol. 7, No. 4, Autumn 1997.Criminal Justice in England and America
– James Q. Wilson, "Criminal Justice in England and America," The Public Interest, Number 126, Winter 1997.American in Black and White
– James Q. Wilson, "American in Black and White," Commentary, January 1998.Human Remedies for Social Disorders
– James Q. Wilson, "Human Remedies for Social Disorders," The Public Interest, Number 131, Spring 1998.In Paul Johnson’s America
– James Q. Wilson, "In Paul Johnson's America," Commentary, April 1998.The Closing of the American City
– James Q. Wilson, "The Closing of the American City," The New Republic, May 11, 1998.A review essay of Lou Cannon’s Official Negligence and Tamar Jacoby’s Someone Else’s House.
Idealizing Politics
– James Q. Wilson, "Idealizing Politics," Critical Review, Vol. 12, No. 4 (1998), pp. 563-568.City Life and Citizenship
– James Q. Wilson, "City Life and Citizenship," in Martha Derthick, editor, Dilemmas of Scale in America's Federal Democracy, (Woodrow Wilson Center Press and Cambridge University Press, 1999), pp. 17-36.Religion and Public Life
– James Q. Wilson, "Religion and Public Life," Brookings Review, Spring 1999, pp. 36-41.Thinking about Parent and Child
– James Q. Wilson, "Thinking about Parent and Child," The Public Interest, Number 135, Spring 1999.A Gap in the Curriculum
– James Q. Wilson, "A Gap in the Curriculum," New York Times, April 26, 1999.Hate and Punishment
– James Q. Wilson, "Hate and Punishment," National Review, September 13, 1999.Cultural Meltdown
– James Q. Wilson, "Cultural Meltdown," The Public Interest, Number 137, Fall 1999.The Man Who Knew Too Much: Edward C. Banfield, 1916-1999
– James Q. Wilson, "The Man Who Knew Too Much: Edward C. Banfield, 1916-1999," The Weekly Standard, October 18, 1999, vol. 5, no. 5.Dutch by Edmond Morris
– James Q. Wilson, "Dutch by Edmond Morris," Commentary, December 1999.Religion and Public Life
– James Q. Wilson, "Religion and Public Life,"E.J. Dionne, Jr., and John J. DiIulio, Jr., editors, What's God Got to do With the American Experiment? (Brookings Institution, 2000). This essay also appeared in James R. Wilburn, editor, Faith and Public Policy (Lexington Books, 2002).Democracy for All?
– James Q. Wilson, "Democracy for All?" Commentary, March 2000.Two Cheers for Capitalism
– James Q. Wilson, "Two Cheers for Capitalism," The Public Interest, Number 139, Spring 2000.A New Strategy for the War on Drugs
– James Q. Wilson, "A New Strategy for the War on Drugs," Wall Street Journal, April 13, 2000.The Fourth Great Awakening
– James Q. Wilson, "The Fourth Great Awakening," Commentary, June 2000.What Death-Penalty Errors?
– James Q. Wilson, " What Death Penalty Errors?" New York Times, July 10, 2000, p. A19.Why Not Cut Taxes?
– James Q. Wilson, "Why Not Cut Taxes?" Slate, September 8, 2000.The Wisdom of the National Debt
– James Q. Wilson, "The Wisdom of the National Debt," Slate, September 22, 2000.Soft Money and Politics
– James Q. Wilson, "Soft Money and Politics," Slate, September 29, 2000.An Enemy of the Estate Tax
– James Q. Wilson, "An Enemy of the Estate Tax," Slate, September 14, 2000.A Campaign About Issues
– James Q. Wilson, "A Campaign About Issues," Slate, October 6, 2000.Guns and Bush
– James Q. Wilson, "Guns and Bush," Slate, October 13, 2000.Can We Believe the Polls?
– James Q. Wilson, "Can We Believe the Polls?" Slate, October 20, 2000.Why They Don’t Campaign About the Environment
– James Q. Wilson, "Why They Don't Campaign About the Environment," Slate, October 27, 2000.Is the Electoral College Worth Saving?
– James Q. Wilson, "Is the Electoral College Worth Saving?" Slate, November 3, 2000.What Do We Make of the Election?
– James Q. Wilson, "What Do We Make of the Election?" Slate, November 10, 2000.Schools, Vouchers, and the American Public
– James Q. Wilson, "Schools, Vouchers, and the American Public," Commentary, September 2001.Crime
– James Q. Wilson, "Crime," in Abigail Thernstrom and Stephan Thernstrom, editors, Beyond the Color Line: New Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity in America (Hoover Institution Press, 2002), pp. 115-126.Profiles in Courage
– James Q. Wilson and Heather Higgins, "Profiles in Courage," Wall Street Journal, January 10, 2002, p. A12.Sex and the Marriage Market
– James Q. Wilson, "Sex and the Marriage Market," Commentary, March 2002.Slavery and the Black Family
– James Q. Wilson, "Slavery and the Black Family," The Public Interest, Number 147, Spring 2002.A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court: A Biography
– James Q. Wilson, "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court: A Biography," in Charles R. Kesler, editor, Edward C. Banfield: An Appreciation (Henry Salvatori Center at Claremont McKenna College, 2002).Liberalism and Diversity
– James Q. Wilson, "Liberalism and Diversity," The Public Interest, Number 148, Summer 2002.The Reform Islam Needs
– James Q. Wilson, "The Reform Islam Needs," City Journal, Vol. 12, No. 4, Autumn 2002.Why We Don’t Marry
– James Q. Wilson, "Why We Don't Marry," City Journal, Vol. 12, No. 1, Winter 2002.Reflections on the Political Context
– James Q. Wilson, "Reflections on the Political Context," in Henry J. Aaron, James M. Lindsay, and Pietro S. Nivola, editors, Agenda for the Nation (Brookings Institution, 2003), pp. 527-550.The Family Way
– James Q. Wilson, "The Family Way," Wall Street Journal, January 7, 2003.The Right Man
– James Q. Wilson, "The Right Man," Commentary, March 2003.Convincing Black Students that Studying Hard is Not “Acting White”
– James Q. Wilson, "Convincing Black Students that Studying Hard is Not 'Acting White',"Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, No. 39 (Spring 2003), pp. 85-88.The Challenge of Crime
– James Q. Wilson, "The Challenge of Crime," Commentary, June 2003.Gentleman, Politician, Scholar
– James Q. Wilson, "Gentleman, Politician, Scholar," The Public Interest, Number 152, Summer 2003.Mexifornia by Victor Davis Hanson
– James Q. Wilson, "Mexifornia by Victor Davis Hanson," Commentary, September 2003.Defining the “Peace Party”
– James Q. Wilson and Karlyn Bowman, "Defining the 'Peace Party'," The Public Interest, Number 153, Fall 2003.Has the Supreme Court Gone Too Far?
– James Q. Wilson, "Has the Supreme Court Gone Too Far?" Commentary, October 2003.A Guide to Schwarzenegger Country
– James Q. Wilson, "A Guide to Schwarzenegger Country," Commentary, December 2003.The Independent Mind of Edward Banfield
– James Q. Wilson, "The Independent Mind of Edward Banfield," The Public Interest, Number 150, Winter 2003.Why Freedom Can Be A Lot More Important Than Democracy
– James Q. Wilson, "Why Freedom Can Be A Lot More Important Than Democracy," Sunday Times, May 2, 2004.Sex Matters
– James Q. Wilson, "Sex Matters," Wall Street Journal, July 13, 2004.Broken
– James Q. Wilson, "Broken," Commentary, October 2004.Why America Works
– James Q. Wilson, "Why America Works," Claremont Review of Books, Vol. 4, No. 4, Fall 2004.Why Did Kerry Lose? Answer: It Wasn’t “Values”
– James Q. Wilson, "Why Did Kerry Lose? Answer: It Wasn't 'Values'," Wall Street Journal, November 8, 2004.Islam and Freedom
– James Q. Wilson, "Islam and Freedom," Commentary, December 2004.What Makes a Terrorist?
– James Q. Wilson, "What Makes a Terrorist?" City Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, Winter 2004.Marriage and Commitment
– James Q. Wilson, "Marriage and Commitment," Marriage and Families, Vol. 16, No. 1 (2005), pp. 2-11.Character and Culture
– James Q. Wilson, "Character and Culture," The Public Interest, Number 159, Spring 2005.Freakonomics
– James Q. Wilson, "Freakonomics," Commentary, July 2005.The Sources of American Conduct
– James Q. Wilson, "The Sources of American Conduct," American Interest, Autumn 2005.Tanner Lectures
– James Q. Wilson, "I. Politics and Polarization" and "II. Religion and Polarization," Tanner Lectures on Human Values, Harvard University, November 2-3, 2005.Defending and Advancing Freedom
– James Q. Wilson, "Defending and Advancing Freedom," Commentary, November 2005.America’s Mayor
– James Q. Wilson, "America's Mayor," Claremont Review of Books, December 2005, pp. 13-15.Divided We Stand
– James Q. Wilson, "Divided We Stand," Wall Street Journal, February 15, 2006.How Divided Are We?
– James Q. Wilson, "How Divided Are We?" Commentary, February 2006.A Quarter Century of Broken Windows
– James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling, "A Quarter Century of Broken Windows," American Interest, September-October 2006, 99. 168-172.American Exceptionalism
– James Q. Wilson, "American Exceptionalism," American Spectator, September 2006. This essay also appeared in James Piereson, editor, The Pursuit of Liberty: Can the Ideals that Made America Great Provide a Model for the World? (Encounter, 2008).The Need for Evaluation Research
– James Q. Wilson, "The Need for Evaluation Research," Journal of Experimental Criminology, Vol. 2, No. 3 (September 2006), pp. 321-328.The Press at War
– James Q. Wilson, "The Press at War," City Journal, Vol. 16, No. 4, Autumn 2006.War and the Mass Media
Transcript of James Q. Wilson’s 2006 Wilson Lecture at the Manhattan Institute.
Gun Control Isn’t the Answer
– James Q. Wilson, "Gun Control Isn't the Answer," Los Angeles Times, April 20, 2007.Bowling with Others
– James Q. Wilson, "Bowling with Others," Commentary, October 2007.Excerpt: In his celebrated book, Bowling Alone (2000), the political scientist Robert D. Putnam argued that America, and perhaps the Western world as a whole, has become increasingly… More
A Real Insurance Fraud
– James Q. Wilson, "A Real Insurance Fraud," Wall Street Journal, November 16, 2007.Christians, Jews, and Israel
– James Q. Wilson, "Christians, Jews, and Israel." Wilson Lecture, Manhattan Institute, 2007.Transcript of James Q. Wilson’s 2007 Wilson Lecture to the Manhattan Institute.
Criminal Justice
– James Q. Wilson, "Criminal Justice," in Peter H. Schuck and James Q. Wilson, editors, Understanding America: The Anatomy of American Exceptionalism (Public Affairs, 2008).Looking Back
– Peter H. Schuck and James Q. Wilson, "Looking Back," in Peter H. Schuck, and James Q. Wilson, editors, Understanding America: The Anatomy of American Exceptionalism (Public Affairs, 2008).Why Don’t Jews Like the Christians Who Like Them?
– James Q. Wilson, "Why Don't Jews Like the Christians Who Like Them?" City Journal, Vol. 18, No. 1, Winter 2008.Pat Moynihan Thinks About Families
– James Q. Wilson, "Pat Moynihan Thinks About Families," Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, No. 621, January 2009, pp. 28-33.Religion and Polarization
– James Q. Wilson, "Religion and Polarization," in Robert Faulkner and Susan Shell, editors, America at Risk: Threats to Liberal Self-Government in an Age of Uncertainty (University of Michigan, 2009).A Life in the Public Interest
– James Q. Wilson, "A Life in the Public Interest," The Wall Street Journal, September 21, 2009.Free to Use
– James Q. Wilson, "Free to Use," Claremont Review of Books, December 2009, pp. 33-34.The DNA of Politics
– James Q. Wilson, "The DNA of Politics," City Journal, Vol. 19, No. 1, Winter 2009.Will Washington Pay for the Terror Trials?
– James Q. Wilson, "Will Washington Pay for the Terror Trials?" Wall Street Journal, January 21, 2010.Free to Use
– James Q. Wilson, "Free to Use," Claremont Review of Books," Vol. 10, No. 1, Winter 2009-2010, pp.Lessons of the Stimulus
– James Q. Wilson and Pietro S. Nivola, "Lessons of the Stimulus," Essays in Public Policy, Hoover Institution, October 14, 2010.The Future of Blame
– James Q. Wilson, "The Future of Blame," National Affairs, Number 2, Winter 2010.Beyond Ideology
– James Q. Wilson, "Beyond Ideology," Wall Street Journal, January 21, 2011.Uneven Progress
– James Q. Wilson, "Uneven Progress," Claremont Review of Books, Vol. 11, Nos. 1 and 2, Winter 2010-Spring 2011, pp. 88-89.In the Pew Instead of Prison
– James Q. Wilson, "In the Pew Instead of Prison," Wall Street Journal, May 9, 2011.Hard Times, Fewer Crimes
– James Q. Wilson, "Hard Times, Fewer Crimes," Wall Street Journal, May 28, 2011.Not-So-Dismal Science
– James Q. Wilson, "Not-So-Dismal Science," Claremont Review of Books, Vol. 11, No. 3, Summer 2011, pp. 65-66.Crime and the Great Recession
– James Q. Wilson, "Crime and the Great Recession," City Journal, Vol. 21, No. 3, Summer 2011.Burying the Hatchet
– James Q. Wilson "Burying the Hatchet," Wall Street Journal, October 1, 2011.Optimistic or Pessimistic About America
– James Q. Wilson, "Optimistic or Pessimistic About America," Commentary, November 2011.Muffingate and the Media’s Big Fat Mistake
– James Q. Wilson, "Muffingate and the Media's Big Fat Mistake," Wall Street Journal, December 8, 2011.Measuring the Slant
– James Q. Wilson, "Measuring the Slant," Claremont Review of Books, Vol. 12, No. 1, Winter 2011-2012, pp. 80-81.Tocqueville and America
– James Q. Wilson, "Tocqueville and America," Claremont Review of Books, Vol. 12, No. 2, Spring 2012, pp. 14-16.Excerpt of an admiring but critical essay by James Q. Wilson on Tocqueville: Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville is no doubt the greatest book ever written by a foreigner about… More
Commentary
The Public Administration of James Q. Wilson
– John J. DiIulio, Jr., Steven Kelman, Christopher H. Foreman, Jr., Robert A. Katzmann, and Pietro S. Nivola, "The Public Administration of James Q. Wilson: A Symposium on Bureaucracy," Public Administration Review, May/June 1991, Vol. 51, No. 3.James Q. Wilson and Civic Virtue
– John J. DiIulio, Jr., "James Q. Wilson and Civic Virtue," PS: Political Science and Politics 24 ( 1991).No Easy Answers
– William D. Eggers and John O'Leary,"No Easy Answers: James Q. Wilson on Bureaucracy, Crime, and Community," Reason, February 1995.`
A Thinker Attuned to Thinking
– Richard Bernstein, "A Thinker Attuned to Thinking; James Q. Wilson Has Insights, Like Those on Cutting Crime, That Tend to Prove Out," New York Times, August 22, 1998.Interview
– "The Free Society Requires a Moral Sense, Social Capital," Religion and Liberty, Acton Institute, July-August 1999.Interview
– Ben Wattenberg, "James Q. Wilson Interview," First Measured Century, PBS.“Live” with TAE: James Q. Wilson
– "'Live' with TAE: James Q. Wilson," American Enterprise, June 2001, pp. 16-19.Conservatism and Common Sense
– Matt Delisi, "Conservatism and Common Sense: The Criminological Career of James Q. Wilson," Justice Quarterly, Vol. 20, No. 3 (September 2003), pp. 661-674.James Q. Wilson: The Power of His Written Word
– Jim Newton, "James Q. Wilson: The Power of His Written Word," Los Angeles Times, June 3, 2007.Balance is All
– R. Shep Melnick, "Balance is All," Claremont Review of Books, Fall 2010.R. Shep Melnick reviews James Q. Wilson’s American Politics, Then & Now And Other Essays.
The Man Who Defined Deviancy Up
– Holman W. Jenkins, Jr., "The Man Who Defined Deviancy Up," Wall Street Journal, March 12, 2011.The Sinatra of Social Science by Charles Murray
– Arthur Brooks, Charles Murray, George F. Will, and James Q. Wilson, "The Sinatra of Social Science," The American, January 6, 2012.James Q. Wilson, Scholar Identified with “Broken Windows” Theory of Crime Prevention, Dies at 80
– Matt Schudel, "James Q. Wilson, Scholar Identified with 'Broken Windows' Theory of Crime Prevention, Dies at 80," Washington Post, March 2, 2012.James Q. Wilson Dies at 80, Originated “Broken Windows” Policing Strategy
– Bruce Weber, "James Q. Wilson Dies at 80, Originated 'Broken Windows' Policing Strategy, New York Times, March 2, 2012.James Q. Wilson in His Own Words
– "James Q. Wilson in His Own Words: Excerpts from the Late Social Scientist's Op-Eds in the Wall Street Journal," Wall Street Journal, March 2, 2012.James Q. Wilson, 1931-2012
– John Podhoretz, "James Q. Wilson, 1931-2012," Commentary, March 2, 2012.James Q. Wilson, 1931-2012
– Yuval Levin, "James Q. Wilson, 1931-2012," The Corner blog, National Review, March 2, 2012.Remembering James Q. Wilson
– Steven M. Teles, "Remembering James Q. Wilson," Ten Square Miles blog, Washington Monthly, March 2, 2012.James Q. Wilson, Honored Prophet by George F. Will
– George F. Will, "James Q. Wilson, Honored Prophet," Washington Post, March 2, 2012.James Q. Wilson, 1931-2012
– William Kristol, "James Q. Wilson, 1931-2012," The Weekly Standard, March 2, 2012.James Q. Wilson, 1931-2012
– David Frum, "James Q. Wilson, 1931-2012," Daily Beast, March 3, 2012.James Q. Wilson Dies at 80; Pioneer in “Broken Windows” Approach to Improve Policing
– Elaine Woo, "James Q. Wilson Dies at 80; Pioneer in 'Broken Windows' Approach to Improve Policing," Los Angeles Times, March 3, 2012.James Q. Wilson’s Practical Humanity
– Peter Moskos, "James Q. Wilson's Practical Humanity," Chronicle of Higher Education, March 3, 2012.James Q. Wilson, Coauthor of Broken Window Theory
– Bryan Marquand, "James Q. Wilson, Coauthor of Broken Window Theory," Boston Globe, March 3, 2012.Social Science with a Soul
– Arthur Brooks, "Social Science with a Soul," Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2012.In Remembrance of James Q. Wilson
– Alan Wolfe, "In Remembrance of James Q. Wilson," New Republic, March 3, 2012.Man of Reason
– Heather Mac Donald, "Man of Reason," Eye on the News blog, City Journal, March 4, 2012.James Q. Wilson, 1931-2012
– Francis Fukuyama, "James Q. Wilson, 1931-2012," American Interest, March 4, 2012.A Personal Recollection of an Extraordinary Teacher
– Brian F. Mannix, "A Personal Recollection of an Extraordinary Teacher," Regulatory Policy Commentary, George Washington University Regulatory Studies Center, March 5, 2012.James Q. Wilson, A Truly American Scholar
– Harvey C. Mansfield, "James Q. Wilson, A Truly American Scholar," Wall Street Journal, May 5, 2012.The Rediscovery of Character
– David Brooks, "The Rediscovery of Character," New York Times, March 5, 2012.Remembering James Q. Wilson
– Heather Higgins, "Remembering James Q. Wilson," U.S. News and World Report, March 5, 2012.James Q. Wilson: A Happy American Life
– Michael Barone, "James Q. Wilson: A Happy American Life," National Review, March 5, 2012.Honoring Two Models of Political Discourse by Norman Ornstein
– Norman Ornstein, "Honoring Two Models of Political Discourse," Roll Call, March 7, 2012.Political Pioneer, Jordan Grad James Q. Wilson Dies at 80
– Stephanie Minasian, "Political Pioneer, Jordan Grad James Q. Wilson Dies at 80," Gazettes.com, March 8, 2012.American Aristotle Who Emphasized Morals Over Money
– John McDermott, "American Aristotle Who Emphasized Morals Over Money," Financial Times, March 9, 2012.James Q. Wilson
– "James Q. Wilson, Investigator of American Society, Died on March 2nd, aged 80," The Economist, March 10, 2012.Political Scientist, Par Excellence
– Harvey Mansfield, "Political Scientist, Par Excellence," Weekly Standard, March 12, 2012.Remembering James Q. Wilson
– Joan Petersilia, "Remembering James Q. Wilson," The Crime Report, March 18, 2012.A Gentleman and a Scholar: James Q. Wilson, 1931-2012 by Christopher DeMuth
– Christopher DeMuth, "A Gentleman and a Scholar: James Q. Wilson, 1931-2012," Weekly Standard, March 19, 2012.James Q. Wilson: Another View
– Lawrence M. Mead, "James Q. Wilson, Another View," Public Discourse, March 19, 2012.Academic Paragon
– Jeremy Rabkin, "Academic Paragon: Thinking About James Q. Wilson," Weekly Standard, March 19, 2012.Recollections on James Q. Wilson
– George L. Kelling, "Recollections on James Q. Wilson," Subject to Debate, Police Executive Research Forum, Vol. 6, No. 2, March/April 2012.James Q. Wilson, 1931-2012
– James Piereson, "James Q. Wilson, 1931-2012: A Look at the Life of the Conservative Scholar," New Criterion, April 2012.The Philanthropy Behind James Q. Wilson
– Adam Meyerson, "The Philanthropy Behind James Q. Wilson," Philanthropy, Spring 2012.James Q. Wilson 1931-2012
– "James Q. Wilson 1931-2012," University of the Redlands, April 9, 2012.The Political Science of James Q. Wilson
– Jeremy Rozansky and Josh Lerner, "The Political Science of James Q. Wilson,' The New Atlantis, Spring 2012.Political Science as a Vocation
– R. Shep Melnick, "Political Science as a Vocation: An Appreciation of the Life and Work of James Q. Wilson," The Forum, Vol. 10, No. 1, 2012.James Q. Wilson: An Appreciation
– Robert Katzmann, "James Q. Wilson: An Appreciation," RegBlog, Jul 9, 2012.What Happens in Real Bureaucracies
– John J. DiIulio, Jr., "What Happens in Real Bureaucracies," RegBlog, July 10, 2012.Where Have All the Wilsons Gone?
– Steve Kelman, "Where Have All the Wilsons Gone?" RegBlog, July 11, 2012.Bureaucratic Breakdown
– Donald F. Kettl, "Bureaucratic Breakdown," RegBlog, July 12, 2012.Grounded: Not Only in Ideas, But in Reality
– Alfred Marcus, "Grounded: Not Only in Ideas, But in Reality," RegBlog, July 13, 2012.James Q. Wilson: The (Organization) Man
– Christopher H. Foreman, Jr., "James Q. Wilson: The (Organization) Man," RegBlog, July 16, 2012.James Q. Wilson and Evidence-Based Government
– Lawrence W. Sherman, "James Q. Wilson and Evidence-Based Government," RegBlog, July 17, 2012.Jim Wilson: From Human Nature to Middle Initials
– Paul J. Quirk, "Jim Wilson: From Human Nature to Middle Initials," RegBlog, July 18, 2012.Drawing Inspiration from James Q. Wilson’s “Bureaucracy”
– Christopher Carrigan, "Drawing Inspiration from James Q. Wilson's Bureaucracy," RegBlog, July 19, 2012.James Q. Wilson: Another View
– Lawrence M. Mead, "James Q. Wilson: Another View," Society, July 31, 2012, pp. 451-456.Moral Sense and Social Science
– John J. DiIulio, Jr., "Moral Sense and Social Science," Claremont Review of Books, Fall 2012, pp. 65-70.Learning from James Q. Wilson
– Pietro S. Nivola, "Learning from James Q. Wilson," National Affairs, Number 12, Summer 2012.As one of his students — who became a colleague and friend — I learned three lessons from him above all. And in classic Wilson style, they were straightforward: First, be sure to get… More
James Q. Wilson
– Michael J. Sandel, Sidney Verba, and Harvey C. Mansfield, "Memorial Minute: James Q. Wilson," Harvard Gazette, February 6, 2013.Papers from Thinking about Politics: A Conference Dedicated to Explaining and Perpetuating the Political Insights of James Q. Wilson
– Thinking About Politics: A Conference Dedicated to Explaining and Perpetuating the Political Insights of James Q. Wilson took place at Harvard University and Boston College on April 4-5, 2013.Papers delivered at the conference: Martha Bayles, Boston College, The Crooked Timber of Womanhood John J. DiIulio, Jr., University of Pennsylvania, Moral Sense and Religious Sensibility:… More
James Q. Wilson and the Defense of Moral Judgment
– Sally Satel, "James Q. Wilson and the Defense of Moral Judgment," The American, 8 August 2013.Excerpt: This summer marks the twentieth anniversary of James Q. Wilson’s The Moral Sense. Written in a time of creeping moral relativism, Wilson wrote in defense of judgment — and, in… More
James Q. Wilson and American Exceptionalism by Peter Schuck
– Peter Schuck, "James Q. Wilson and American Exceptionalism," National Affairs, Winter: 2016.Peter Schuck considers James Q. Wilson’s idea of American Exceptionalism. Excerpt: Is our country unique? That question is difficult for the citizens of any nation to think about… More
Multimedia
Neighborhood Safety
– James Q. Wilson moderates a discussion about neighborhood safety from 1985 sponsored by the National Institute for Justice.The Marriage Problem
– James Q. Wilson discussed his book, The Marriage Problem, on Connie Martinson Talks Books in 2002.Religion and Freedom
– James Q. Wilson delivered the annual lecture as Ronald Reagan Professor of Public Policy at Pepperdine University at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on November 19, 2002.Who Becomes a Terrorist?
– James Q. Wilson delivered the annual lecture as Ronald Reagan Professor of Public Policy at Pepperdine University at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on October 14, 2003.Can Muslim Nations Acquire Liberal Democracies?
– This is James Q. Wilson's 2004 Wilson Lecture to the Manhattan Institute.The Prospects for Representative Government in Muslim Nations
– James Q. Wilson delivered his annual lecture as Ronald Reagan Professor of Public Policy at Pepperdine University at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on October 12, 2004.Marriage and Commitment
– James Q. Wilson, "Marriage and Commitment," Marjorie Pay Hinckley Lecture, Brigham Young University, February 5, 2005.War and the Mass Media
– This is James Q. Wilson's 2006 Wilson Lecture at the Manhattan Institute.Drugs and a Free Society: Prohibition or Legalization?
– James Q. Wilson and Ethan A. Nadelmann debate the legalization of drugs at an event sponsored by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute at the University of San Francisco on March 27, 2007.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzX4XVs8FiE
Skid Row Policing
– James Q. Wilson talks about skid row policing at a Manhattan Institute Conference in Los Angeles on January 17, 2008.The Genetic Basis of Political Views
– James Q. Wilson's Annual Lecture as Ronald Reagan Professor of Public Policy at Pepperdine University, delivered at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on September 15, 2008.Can Genes Explain Our Politics?
– James Q. Wilson presented a lecture on genes and politics to the Manhattan Institute on September 23, 2008.Thinking About Crime, Again: What Have We Learned?
– James Q. Wilson presented a lecture on crime to the Department of Political Science and the Clough Center for the Study of Constitutional Democracy, Boston College, on November 16, 2009.President Obama and National Security
– James Q. Wilson presented a lecture on the Obama Administration's national security policy at the Clough Center for Constitutional Democracy, Boston College, on April 8, 2010.The Drivers Behind European Anti-American Sentiment
– James Q. Wilson discusses anti-Americanism on October 16, 2010.Should Law Enforcement Have Better Rules When Arresting a Terrorist?
– James Q. Wilson gave a talk on law enforcement and terrorism at the Program on Constitutional Government at Harvard on October 14, 2011.IMDb/James Q. Wilson (1931-2012)
James Q. Wilson’s IMDb page
Remembrance of James Q. Wilson
– Heather Mac Donald, "Remembrance of James Q. Wilson," Twelfth Annual Manhattan Institute Alexander Hamilton Awards Dinner, May 21, 2012.The Man with a Take Some-Prisoners Approach
– The Man with a Take Some-Prisoners Approach: Remembering the Legacy of James Q. Wilson was a panel discussion held in Los Angeles on June 4, 2012. It featured Mark A.R. Kleiman of UCLA, Angela Hawken of Pepperdine University, Mark Peterson of UCLA, and Charlie Beck of the Los Angeles Police Department.The Legacy of James Q. Wilson
– The Hudson Institute's 2012 Bradley Symposium, Knowledge and Governance in American Democracy: The Legacy of James Q. Wilson, was held in Washington, D.C., on June 7, 2012. It was moderated by William Kristol of The Weekly Standard and Yuval Levin of National Affairs, and featured Karlyn Bowman of the American Enterprise Institute, Christopher DeMuth of the Hudson Institute, and R. Shep Melnick of Boston College.The Intellectual Life and Legacy of James Q. Wilson
– In this event, held at the RAND Corporation on January 17, 2013, several of James Q. Wilson's former students--Pietro Nivola of the Brookings Institution, R. Shep Melnick of Boston College, Angela Hawken of Pepperdine University, and Susan Marquis of the Pardee RAND Graduate School--share their thoughts on his legacy and his enduring impact on public policy.Thinking About Politics
– Thinking About Politics: A Conference Dedicated to Explaining and Perpetuating the Political Insights of James Q. Wilson took place at Harvard University and Boston College on April 4-5, 2013.Thursday, April 4, 2013 Harvard University, CGIS-South, Belfer Case Study Room, S020 1730 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA Welcome and Introduction R. Shep Melnick, Boston College Panel 1:… More
Character and the Moral Sense
– "Character and the Moral Sense" Conference in Honor of James Q. Wilson, Pepperdine University, February 28 - March 1, 2014.On February 28 – March 1, 2014, Pepperdine University honored the legacy of James Q. Wilson with a two day conference on his thought and work. Particular attention was paid to… More
Charles Murray on Economic and Moral Life in America
– Charles Murray, Conversations with Bill Kristol, July 14, 2014. (Discussion of James Q. Wilson's impact on crime policy).In this section of a wide-ranging conversation on Conversations with Bill Kristol, Charles Murray of the American Enterprise Institute discusses the immense impact of James Q. Wilson on… More
Christopher DeMuth on Ideas and Public Policy
– Christopher DeMuth, Conversations with Bill Kristol, October 27, 2014.In this segment of a conversation from Conversations with Bill Kristol, Christopher DeMuth, former president of the American Enterprise Institute, distinguished fellow at the Hudson… More
Conversations with Bill Kristol: James Ceaser
– James Ceaser, Conversations with Bill Kristol, March 2, 2015.In this footage from Conversations with Bill Kristol, University of Virginia political scientist James Ceaser reflects on the lives and ideas of seminal teachers of political philosophy and… More
Teaching
Dissertations Supervised by James Q. Wilson
Student/Date Ph.D. Awarded Harvey Sapolsky/August 1966 Basil Mott/March 1967 Emily Stoper/March 1969 Paul Weaver/March 1968 George Garson/June 1969 David Wax/June 1969 Martin Shefter/March… More