World-renowned UW-Madison Law School professor Emeritus Herman Goldstein passed away Jan. 24 at the age of 88.
Goldstein has been at the university since 1964, where he became widely known for his focus on problem-oriented policing. His contributions to modern policing achieved worldwide acclaim — most recently in 2018 upon receiving the Stockholm Prize in Criminology.
“We want to move more and more to the surgical element where we don’t do unnecessary damage in the course of trying to do good,” Goldstein said in 2017. “And we reach out to people and to the community in ways that ultimately have an effect that is both effective and fair.”
Upon learning of his passing, the academic community flocked to Twitter to commemorate Goldstein, calling him the moral compass of his profession, a man of transformative work, the pioneer of problem-oriented policing, a shaper of research and more.
“Professor Goldstein fundamentally changed our understanding of policing, and his theories have altered police practices around the world,” said UW-Madison Law School Dean Margaret Raymond. “We are honored to have been a part of his legacy. His stature in his field was matched only by his genuine kindness as a colleague and friend. He will be sorely missed.”
