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Commission on Sentencing pays tribute to scholar Al Blumstein
Summary
At its quarterly meeting the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing honored the late criminologist Al Blumstein. Former colleagues and commission leaders recalled his influence on sentencing research, data-driven policy and mentorship.
Members of the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing opened their quarterly meeting with tributes to Al Blumstein, a pioneering criminologist whose work on system modeling and sentencing research shaped contemporary policy and practice.
Dr. Kliman, the commission’s executive director, announced Blumstein’s passing and invited former commission leaders to speak. Steve Chanonson, a Villanova law professor and former commission member, called Blumstein “an intellectual giant in criminology” whose use of mathematical models “fundamentally shaping a field that had long relied on anecdotal evidence and sociological theory.” Chanonson recounted Blumstein’s continued engagement with the commission well after his formal service and described him as both brilliant and kind.
Former executive director Mark Bergstrom highlighted Blumstein’s practical contributions, including leading system‑synthesis projects at Carnegie Mellon that paired student research with commission data. Bergstrom said those projects helped the commission develop tools for impact analysis and population projection still used by state agencies.
Other attendees emphasized Blumstein’s mentorship and accessibility to younger scholars. Professor Mystic described Blumstein as “the guy next door” who combined scholarly influence with a willingness to help practitioners and students.
The commission moved from the tributes to regular business after the remembrances.
