Psychosocial Criminology

′This is a well written, thought provoking, and highly challenging book for anyone who claims to be a criminologist or for whom crime is of central concern. It should be required reading on all undergraduate and post-graduate criminology courses. A truly innovative take on some well established criminological dilemmas.′ - Sandra Walklate, Eleanor Rathbone Chair of Sociology, University of Liverpool What makes people commit crime? Psychosocial Criminology demonstrates how a psychosocial approach can illuminate the causes of particular crimes, challenging readers to re-think the similarities and differences between themselves and those involved in crime. The book critiques existing psychological and sociological theories before outlining a more adequate understanding of the criminal offender. It sheds new light on a series of crimes - rape, serial murder, racial harassment , ′jack-rolling′ (mugging of drunks), domestic violence - and contemporary criminological issues such as fear of crime, cognitive-behavioural interventions and restorative justice. Gadd and Jefferson bring together theories about identity, subjectivity and gender to provide the first comprehensive account of their psychoanalytically inspired approach. For each topic, the theoretical perspective is supported by individual case studies, which are designed to facilitate the understanding of theory and to demonstrate its application to a variety of criminological topics. This important and lucid book is written primarily for upper level undergraduates, postgraduates and teachers of criminology. It is particularly useful for students undertaking a joint degree in criminology and psychology. It will also appeal to critical psychologists, psychoanalysts, students of biographical methods and those pursuing social work training. David Gadd is Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Keele University. Tony Jefferson is Professor of Criminology at Keele University.

'This is a well written, thought provoking, and highly challenging book for anyone who claims to be a criminologist or for whom crime is of central concern. It should be required reading on all undergraduate and post-graduate criminology courses. A truly innovative take on some well established criminological dilemmas.' - Sandra Walklate, Eleanor Rathbone Chair of Sociology, University of Liverpool What makes people commit crime? Psychosocial Criminology demonstrates how a psychosocial approach can illuminate the causes of particular crimes, challenging readers to re-think the similarities and differences between themselves and those involved in crime. The book critiques existing psychological and sociological theories before outlining a more adequate understanding of the criminal offender. It sheds new light on a series of crimes - rape, serial murder, racial harassment , 'jack-rolling' (mugging of drunks), domestic violence - and contemporary criminological issues such as fear of crime, cognitive-behavioural interventions and restorative justice. Gadd and Jefferson bring together theories about identity, subjectivity and gender to provide the first comprehensive account of their psychoanalytically inspired approach. For each topic, the theoretical perspective is supported by individual case studies, which are designed to facilitate the understanding of theory and to demonstrate its application to a variety of criminological topics. This important and lucid book is written primarily for upper level undergraduates, postgraduates and teachers of criminology. It is particularly useful for students undertaking a joint degree in criminology and psychology. It will also appeal to critical psychologists, psychoanalysts, students of biographical methods and those pursuing social work training. David Gadd is Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Keele University. Tony Jefferson is Professor of Criminology at Keele University.

Our understanding of criminal behaviour and its causes has been too long damaged by the failure to integrate fully the emotional, psychological, social and cultural influences on the way people behave. This book aims to integrate psychological and criminological perspectives in order to better understand the nature of criminal behaviour. In particular it aims to explore the range of psychological approaches that seek to understand the significance of the emotions that surround criminal behaviour, allowing for an exploration of individual differences and social and cultural issues which help to bridge the gaps between disciplinary approaches. The book puts forward a model for understanding behaviour through a better grasp of the link between emotions, morality and culture and argues that crime can often be viewed as emerging from disordered social relationships.

This text explores the psychological factors affecting criminal behaviour. Using a cognitive-behavioural and interactionist approach, it moves from theoretical explanations and descriptions of crime toward empirical research on specific criminal offences.

Psychological Criminology explores what is it about individuals and their experiences that causes them to commit crime and/or to become criminal. Fully updated to include the latest theories and research, this new edition provides comprehensive coverage of psychological theories of crime and criminality. It arranges theories in temporal sequence, from distal to proximal causes of crime, and is organised under three key headings: theories that focus on factors present at birth (human nature, heredity); theories that focus on factors that influence the offender over the lifespan (learning and development); theories that focus on factors present at the crime scene. The book emphasises the connections among the different approaches, and demonstrates how, taken together rather than as rival explanations, they provide a more complete picture of crime and criminality. Psychological Criminology highlights the contributions that psychological theory can make to the broader field of criminology. It is essential reading for students, academics, researchers, and practitioners in both criminology and forensic psychology.

Our understanding of criminal behaviour and its causes has been too long damaged by the failure to integrate the emotional, psychological, social and cultural influences on the way people behave. This book offers a concise and accessible introduction to criminal behaviour, examining and integrating perspectives from criminology and psychology. It proposes a range of ‘psychosocial’ approaches that seek to understand the emotions that surround criminal behaviour, allowing for an exploration of individual differences and social and cultural issues that help to bridge the gap between disciplinary approaches. It offers substantive chapters on a range of topics, including: mental disorder and the relationship between mental health and offending; criminal career research; youth crime and the question of criminal responsibility; gender and crime; and violent crime, including homicide and sexual crime. This new edition has been fully updated, including a revised opening chapter that offers an introduction to psychosocial criminology, up-to-date discussion of changes in the criminal justice system in the context of mental health, and two new chapters on race and crime, and public violence, extremism and terrorism. This book is essential reading for students taking a range of courses on criminal behaviour, criminological theory, criminal psychology and psychological criminology.

Over 23 chapters this Handbook reflects the diversity of methodological approaches employed in the emerging field of narrative criminology.