Theories Of Crime

Presenting a clear, comprehensive review of theoretical thinking on crime, this book encourages students to develop a deeper understanding of classic and contemporary theories and provides an interdisciplinary approach to criminology through the contributions of sociology, psychology and biology. A key text for any undergraduate student following programmes in criminology and criminal justice, Theories of Crime covers topics such as: the historical context of crime biological explanations for criminal behaviour psychological explanations for criminal behaviour sociological explanations for the criminal behaviour the criminal behaviour of women the criminal behaviour of ethnic minorities. By adopting an interactive approach to encourage students to react to the text and think for themselves, this book distinguishes itself from others in the field and ensures its place as a valuable teaching resource. The student-centred nature of the book is further enhanced by reflective question breaks throughout the text, chapter summaries, suggested further reading and web sites.

For the past twenty to thirty years, control theories of crime have been at the center of theoretical development in criminology. Key to the control theory perspective is the notion that crime is an inherently individual act, and its explanation requires that we focus on the characteristics of individuals who commit crimes. Consequently, control theory focuses on such issues as self-control and social control. The contributions to this volume explicate and extend the application of control theory. It is divided into three general areas. Part 1 focuses on key assumptions and components of control theories. Contributors discuss the notion of learning, or socialization, in the context of control theory and the effects that families, peers, and the criminal justice system have on self-control, social ties, and criminal behavior. Part 2 applies control theory to areas typically assumed to be out of the domain of self-control theory and social control theory, such as gender differences in crime, domestic violence, and group crime. Considering control theory's emphasis on explaining individual criminal acts, these chapters suggest an interesting area of development by highlighting the possibility that differences in crime across or within groups may begin with individual characteristics and then making inferences about groups and group processes. Part 3 approaches the explanation of crime cross-nationally and at the macro-level. Although the authors take different approaches, they all illustrate that a theory of crime does not require culture-specific elements in order to be a valid cross-cultural explanation. Contributors to this volume include: Robert Agnew, Todd Armstrong, Leana Allen Bouffard, Augustine Brannigan, Chester Britt, Barbara Costello, Maja Dekovic, Matt DeLisi, Michael Gottfredson, Henriette Haas, Kelly H. Hardwick, Travis Hirschi, Marianne Junger, Martin Killias, Helen Mederer, Kevin Thompson, and Alexander Vazsonyi.

This textbook brings criminology theories to life through a wide range of popular works in film, television and video games including 13 Reasons Why, Game of Thrones, The Office, and Super Mario Bros, from a variety of contributors. It serves as an engaging and creative introduction to both traditional and modern theories by applying them to more accessible, non-criminal justice settings. It helps students to think more broadly like critical criminologists and to identify these theories in everyday life and modern culture. It encourages them to continue their learning outside of the classroom and includes discussion questions following each chapter. The chapters use extracts from the original works and support the assertions with research and commentary. This textbook will help engage students in the basics of criminology theory from the outset.

By articulating a general theory of crime and related behavior, the authors present a new and comprehensive statement of what the criminological enterprise should be about. They argue that prevalent academic criminology—whether sociological, psychological, biological, or economic—has been unable to provide believable explanations of criminal behavior. The long-discarded classical tradition in criminology was based on choice and free will, and saw crime as the natural consequence of unrestrained human tendencies to seek pleasure and to avoid pain. It concerned itself with the nature of crime and paid little attention to the criminal. The scientific, or disciplinary, tradition is based on causation and determinism, and has dominated twentieth-century criminology. It concerns itself with the nature of the criminal and pays little attention to the crime itself. Though the two traditions are considered incompatible, this book brings classical and modern criminology together by requiring that their conceptions be consistent with each other and with the results of research. The authors explore the essential nature of crime, finding that scientific and popular conceptions of crime are misleading, and they assess the truth of disciplinary claims about crime, concluding that such claims are contrary to the nature of crime and, interestingly enough, to the data produced by the disciplines themselves. They then put forward their own theory of crime, which asserts that the essential element of criminality is the absence of self-control. Persons with high self-control consider the long-term consequences of their behavior; those with low self-control do not. Such control is learned, usually early in life, and once learned, is highly resistant to change. In the remainder of the book, the authors apply their theory to the persistent problems of criminology. Why are men, adolescents, and minorities more likely than their counterparts to commit criminal acts? What is the role of the school in the causation of delinquincy? To what extent could crime be reduced by providing meaningful work? Why do some societies have much lower crime rates than others? Does white-collar crime require its own theory? Is there such a thing as organized crime? In all cases, the theory forces fundamental reconsideration of the conventional wisdom of academians and crimina justic practitioners. The authors conclude by exploring the implications of the theory for the future study and control of crime.

In Developmental Theories of Crime and Delinquency, Terence P. Thornberry and his contributors show that criminal behavior is not a static human attribute, but ebbs and flows over the life course of the individual. Criminal behavior tends to follow a distinct psychological pattern. It is relatively uncommon during childhood, is initiated by most offenders during adolescence, flourishes during late adolescence and early childhood, and usually diminishes or disappears by the mid-twenties. This pattern is not characteristic of all people--some never commit crimes and others become career criminals--but it is a general description of the developmental pattern of criminal offenders. This pattern has profound implications for theories of crime and delinquency. Not only does it explain initiation into, maintenance of, and desistance from involvement in crime, it offers insight into why crime flourishes during adolescence. Traditional theories of crime and delinquency have often failed to distinguish among different phases of criminal careers. They tend to ignore developmental changes that occur across a person's life course, changes that coincide with and can explain the causes and patterns of criminal behavior. This paperback edition of the seventh volume of the distinguished series Advances in Criminological Theory moves us from static identifications of the criminal by presenting a broad range of developmental explanations of crime. Each contributor articulates a developmental or life course perspective in explaining how people become involved in delinquency and crime. Each covers a wide range of theoretical territory and reveals how a developmental perspective enhances the explanatory power of traditional theories of crime and delinquency. This volume is an invaluable tool for criminologists, sociologists, psychologists, and other professionals seeking to teach how crime and violence can be understood in our culture.

This book surveys the major theoretical perspectives in criminology, including biological/physiological theories, psychological/psychiatric theories, and sociological theories of crime. Each chapter provides a balanced overview, examining each theory in the context of empirical research that tests it. New chapters have been added, focusing on areas such as feminist theories of crime, the routine activities theory, control balance theory, and a chapter focusing on providing greater coverage of conflict radical theories, including left realism, peacemaking criminology, and postmodern criminology. For anyone involved in criminology studies.

Anderson teaches criminal justice and criminology at the U. of Missouri; Dyson has published some 25 criminal justice-related articles and three books. Coverage includes an overview of the crime problem in America; what "theory" is; discerning "good" and "bad" theory; the methodologies used by social scientists to conduct research; victimization theories; the social structure, social processing, and social conflict theories used by criminologists; and the future of criminological theory. For students, scholars, and researchers in criminal justice and sociology. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.