Johan Thorsten Sellin (26 October 1896 – 17 September 1994) was a Swedish American sociologist at the University of Pennsylvania, a penologist and one of the pioneers of scientific criminology.

[1] [2] Sellin was born in Örnsköldsvik in Västernorrland County, Sweden and came to Canada with his parents when he was 17 years old.

[2][3] Dr. Sellin came to prominence in the 1920s and 30s for his studies in the use of criminal statistics at local, state, national and international levels.

He also headed, or was a member of, various United Nations panels of experts on criminological questions.

Sellin edited the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science for 39 years, from 1929 to 1968.