Bruce Smith, Sr Award Recipient Address: Low‐Probability Nonlinear Events Over the Life Course of a Criminologist

Abstract

In chaos theory, low‐probability nonlinear events refer to seemingly random, unpredictable occurrences that ultimately form a complex pattern. I have divided my presentation into discrete events that together illustrate the “Butterfly Effect,” which in chaos theory refers to the “sensitive dependence on initial conditions.” The events that I describe are only some of the conditions that have contributed to the overall pattern of my academic career and life. Chaos theory teaches us that small and what may seem like insignificant events can have a tremendous impact on the trajectory of a life course.