The article demonstrates the use of sociological knowledge in such non-traditional areas as capital murder cases and discusses the need for sociologists to work outside of the academic arena. The article describes how sociology can expand and explain the boundaries of mitigating factors in a capital murder case, and how the expert-sociologist can attempt to explain why structural, cultural, and familial factors are at least partially to blame for the circumstances of capital murder. Sociological data can also be used to negotiate a plea so that a trial never takes place; it can be used to help shorten a client's sentence; and it can be used on appeal to convince the reviewing court that legal errors have more worth because of the questionable moral appropriateness of the death sentence in the client's case or that the client's death sentence is disproportionate. The article briefly reviews reasons why sociologists should venture outside the academic world and into the world beyond the university. Notes, references