Fernando Avila is an Assistant Professor in Critical Criminology at Brock University, Canada. His academic work is interdisciplinary, emphasizing decolonial perspectives within criminology, postcolonial studies, and sociolegal studies. Avila critically examines the concepts of punishment and governance, particularly focusing on how marginalized populations are defined and regulated by societal norms. His background as a human rights lawyer informs his research, which critically investigates alternative models of prison governance and their potential to disrupt conventional punitive systems. Avila's doctoral research involved extensive ethnographic fieldwork in a medium-security prison in Uruguay, where he explored how prisoners could engage in institutional decision-making. He also addresses the intersection of artificial intelligence and criminal justice, scrutinizing how algorithmic decision-making can reinforce structural inequalities. His work employs qualitative methods and is deeply influenced by activism and collaboration with NGOs focused on justice reform.
Brock University • St. Catharines, ON, Canada
Teaching and researching in the fields of criminology and sociolegal studies.