On the occasion of receiving the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Distinguished Criminologist Award, David Biles reflects on his long career in criminology and a number of criminal justice agencies. He reviews the establishment of the ANZSOC in 1967, suggesting that it was both premature and serendipitous. He notes particularly the central role of Allen Bartholomew at that time and for the next 13 years. He comments on the changing nature of the membership of ANZSOC and regrets the intellectual separation of academic criminologists and criminal justice professionals that has (perhaps unavoidably) developed. He offers some comments on the membership of the Society and its journal, and suggests a number of issues that he believes deserve more attention and research.