ABSTRACT
It was not Francis T. “Frank” Cullen’s childhood dream to become a criminologist. He did, however, eventually end up there. This chapter traces the path that Frank took to become the well-known and respected criminologist this volumes honors. It offers a unique glimpse into his journey from being a wide-eyed Boston kid to his status as an esteemed scholar. We interviewed him about his life and his career to understand how he became Thee Francis T. Cullen in his own words. Reflecting back over seven decades of Frank’s life, this chapter is organized into four parts: (1) his early education and how he ended up going to graduate school, (2) his intellectual transition into the field of criminology, (3) how he views the path, scope, and consequences of his career, and (4) what his thoughts are looking forward into the future of criminology as a discipline.
