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Criminological Theory
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Criminological Theory
A Text/Reader

Third Edition


February 2018 | 656 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc

“Arguably, the complete package. A very good overview of topics and additional learning opportunities together with research articles all in one place.  This book is a ‘one-stop shop.’”
—Stuart Agnew, University of Suffolk

Criminological Theory: A Text/Reader, Third Edition helps students understand criminological theory, with each authored section of the text enhanced by empirical research articles that put theory into context. Key criminological theories are introduced and followed by articles that show how criminological theory can be applied to current policies, challenges, and issues, making it easier for students to connect theory and application.

New to the Third Edition:

  • Updated journal articles introduce students to important topics, such as media consumption and support for capital punishment, gender differences in delinquency, bias and police stops, and the effectiveness of reintegrative shaming and restorative justice.
  • A new section dedicated entirely to feminist perspectives introduces students to feminist models of crime and underscores the importance of examining research related to female offending. 
  • A stronger global view integrated throughout the book increases students’ exposure to criminological research and theory across nations and continents. Several of the new readings are written by authors or use samples from outside the United States, including South Africa, Brazil, Canada, Korea, and more.  
  • New case studies examine offender motives to help students apply the theories discussed to interesting and memorable examples.
  • Policy is now integrated into each section, allowing students to see the practical policy implications of each theory. 
  • Coverage of critical topics has been expanded throughout to introduce students to important issues, such as the influence of employment on criminal behavior, the success of school programs in reducing delinquent behavior, and federal sentencing guidelines in regard to crack versus powder cocaine.
  • Statistics, graphs, and tables have all been updated to demonstrate the most recent trends in criminology.

Instructors, sign in at study.sagepub.com/tibbetts3e for a Microsoft Word test bank, Microsoft PowerPoint slides, Lecture notes, and more! 


 
Foreword
 
Preface
 
SECTION I. Introduction to the Book: An Overview of Issues in Criminological Theory
What Is Criminology, and How Does It Differ from Other Examinations of Crime?

 
What Is Theory?

 
What Is Crime?

 
How Are Criminological Theories Classified? The Major Theoretical Paradigms

 
Characteristics of Good Theories

 
Measures of Crime

 
Rates of Crime

 
Policy Implications

 
Conclusion

 
SECTION SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 
WEB RESOURCES

 
READING 1. The Use and Usefulness of Criminology, 1751–2005: Enlightened Justice and Its Failures

 
 
SECTION II. Preclassical and Classical Theories of Crime
Preclassical Perspectives of Crime and Punishment

 
The Age of Enlightenment

 
The Classical School of Criminology

 
The Neoclassical School of Criminology

 
Loss of Dominance of Classical and Neoclassical Theory

 
Policy Implications

 
Conclusion

 
SECTION SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 
WEB RESOURCES

 
READING 2. On Crimes and Punishments

 
READING 3. Media Consumption and Support for Capital Punishment

 
 
SECTION III. Modern Applications of the Classical Perspective: Deterrence, Rational Choice, and Routine Activities or Lifestyle Theories of Crime
The Rebirth of Deterrence Theory and Contemporary Research

 
Rational Choice Theory

 
Routine Activities Theory

 
Policy Implications

 
Conclusion

 
SECTION SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 
WEB RESOURCES

 
READING 4. The Effects of Focused Deterrence Strategies on Crime: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Empirical Evidence

 
READING 5. Specifying the Direct and Indirect Effects of Low Self-Control and Situational Factors in Offenders’ Decision Making: Toward a More Complete Model of Rational Offending

 
READING 6. Crime and Public Transportation: A Case Study of Ottawa’s O-Train System

 
 
SECTION IV. Early Positive School Perspectives of Criminality
Lombroso’s Theory of Atavism and Born Criminals

 
The IQ Testing Era

 
Body Type Theory: Sheldon’s Model of Somatotyping

 
Policy Implications

 
Conclusion

 
SECTION SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 
WEB RESOURCES

 
READING 7. The Criminal Man (L’uomo delinquente)

 
READING 8. IQ and Delinquency: The Differential Detection Hypothesis Revisited

 
 
SECTION V. Modern Biosocial Perspectives of Criminal Behavior
Nature versus Nurture: Studies Examining the Influence of Genetics and Environment

 
Cytogenetic Studies: The XYY Factor

 
Hormones and Neurotransmitters: Chemicals That Determine Criminal Behavior

 
Brain Injuries

 
Central and Autonomic Nervous System Activity

 
Biosocial Approaches to Explaining Criminal Behavior

 
Policy Implications

 
Conclusion

 
SECTION SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 
WEB RESOURCES

 
READING 9. A Theory Explaining Biological Correlates of Criminality

 
READING 10. Criminal Behavior: The Need for an Integrative Approach That Incorporates Biological Influences

 
READING 11. A Life-Course Analysis of the Criminogenic Effects of Maternal Cigarette Smoking during

 
 
SECTION VI. Early Social Structure and Strain Theories of Crime
Early Theories of Social Structure: Early to Mid-1800s

 
Strain Theories

 
Policy Implications

 
Conclusion

 
SECTION SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 
WEB RESOURCES

 
READING 12. Social Structure and Anomie

 
READING 13. Anomic Strain and External Constraints: A Reassessment of Merton’s Anomie/Strain Theory Using Data from Ukraine

 
READING 14. Gender and General Strain Theory: A Comparison of Strains, Mediating, and Moderating Effects Explaining Three Types of Delinquency

 
 
SECTION VII. The Chicago School and Cultural and Subcultural Theories of Crime
The Ecological School and the Chicago School of Criminology

 
Cultural and Subcultural Theories of Crime

 
Policy Implications

 
Conclusion

 
SECTION SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 
WEB RESOURCES

 
READING 15. Delinquency Rates and Community Characteristics

 
READING 16. Social Disorganization and Homicide in Recife, Brazil

 
READING 17. Peaceful Warriors: Codes for Violence among Adult Male Bar Fighters

 
 
SECTION VIII. Social Process and Learning Theories of Crime
Learning Theories

 
Control Theories

 
Policy Implications

 
Conclusion

 
SECTION SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 
WEB RESOURCES

 
READING 18. A Sociological Theory of Criminal Behavior

 
READING 19. A Social Learning Theory of Crime

 
READING 20. Do Women and Men Differ in Their Neutralizations of Corporate Crime?

 
READING 21. Peers and Delinquency among Girls and Boys: Are Sex Differences in Delinquency Explained by Peer Factors?

 
 
SECTION IX. Social Reaction and Critical Models of Crime
Labeling and Social Reaction Theory

 
Marxist Theories of Crime

 
Conflict Theories of Crime

 
Policy Implications

 
Conclusion

 
SECTION SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 
WEB RESOURCES

 
READING 22. Informal Reactions and Delinquency

 
READING 23. Neighborhood Variation in Police Stops and Searches: A Test of Consensus and Conflict Perspectives

 
 
SECTION X. Feminist Models of Crime
Feminist Theories of Crime

 
Key Terms in the Feminist Perspective

 
Key Issues in Research on Gender Differences in Offending

 
Types of Feminism

 
Critiques of Feminist Theories

 
Policy Implications

 
Conclusion

 
SECTION SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 
WEB RESOURCES

 
READING 24. Patriarchy, Crime, and Justice: Feminist Criminology in an Era of Backlash

 
READING 25. The Intersectional Alternative: Explaining Female Criminality

 
 
SECTION XI. Life-Course Perspectives of Criminality
Developmental Theories

 
Policy Implications

 
Conclusion

 
SECTION SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 
WEB RESOURCES

 
READING 26. Criminal Career Paradigm: Background, Recent Developments, and the Way Forward

 
READING 27. Serious, Violent Young Offenders in South Africa: Are They Life-Course Persistent Offenders?

 
READING 28. Unintended Consequences: Policy Implications of the NAS Report on Criminal Careers and Career Criminals

 
 
SECTION XII. Integrated Theoretical Models and New Perspectives of Crime
Integrated Theories

 
Policy Implications

 
Conclusion

 
SECTION SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 
WEB RESOURCES

 
READING 29. An Integrated Theoretical Perspective on Delinquent Behavior

 
READING 30. The Effectiveness of Reintegrative Shaming and Restorative Justice Conferences: Focusing on Juvenile Offenders’ Perceptions in Australian Reintegrative Shaming Experiments

 
READING 31. Toward an Interactional Theory of Delinquency

 
 
Glossary
 
Index
 
About the Authors

Supplements

Instructor Teaching Site

The password-protected Instructor Resource Site includes the following:

  • Microsoft® Word® test bank is available containing multiple choice, true/false, short answer, and essay questions for each chapter. The test bank provides you with a diverse range of pre-written options as well as the opportunity for editing any question and/or inserting your own personalized questions to effectively assess students’ progress and understanding.
  • Editable, chapter-specific Microsoft® PowerPoint® slides offer you complete flexibility in easily creating a multimedia presentation for your course. Highlight essential content, features, and artwork from the book.
  • Lecture notes summarize key concepts on a chapter-by-chapter basis to help with preparation for lectures and class discussions.
  • Sample course syllabi for semester and quarter courses provide suggested models for use when creating the syllabi for your courses.
  • EXCLUSIVE! Access to certain full-text SAGE journal articles that have been carefully selected for each chapter. Each article supports and expands on the concepts presented in the chapter.
  • Web resources are included for further research and insights.
Student Study Site

The open-access Student Study Site includes the following:

  • Mobile-friendly eFlashcards reinforce understanding of key terms and concepts that have been outlined in the chapters.
  • Mobile-friendly web quizzes allow for independent assessment of progress made in learning course material.
  • EXCLUSIVE! Access to certain full-text SAGE journal articles that have been carefully selected for each chapter. Each article supports and expands on the concepts presented in the chapter.
  • Multimedia resources are included for further research and insights.

“Arguably, the complete package. A very good overview of topics and additional learning opportunities together with research articles all in one place.  This book is a ‘one-stop shop.’”

Stuart Agnew
University of Suffolk

“This is one of the best textbooks in criminological theory. It utilizes simplified academic language to explain theories with great depth. It can be used to teach criminology for lower level students as it provides extensive knowledge related the main paradigms in Criminology and can be also used to teach criminological theory to upper level students as it provides in depth analysis, and critical evaluation to theories discussed in each section of the textbook. Furthermore, this textbook contains good number of published scientific research journal articles that add more depth to the content discussed in the book.”

Aqeel Saeid
Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning

“I think this book does an absolutely fantastic job at capturing the balance between “quality vs. quantity” of coverage.”

Adam Trahan
University of North Texas

“An authoritative, accessible and very useful text/reader which offers insight into a range of criminological theories and empirical research. The reader offers a range of historical and contemporary texts, some of which I would expect and others were a pleasant surprise.”

James Windle
University of East London

“It’s a succinct text/reader that addresses most of the key material that would be covered in a standard criminology course.”

Julie Globokar
Kent State University

I have not received this book yet. I ordered two months ago.

Dr Mary G Wilson
Sociology Dept, Kent State University-Trumbull
October 25, 2022
Key features

NEW TO THIS EDITION: 

  • Updated journal articles introduce students to important topics, such as media consumption and support for capital punishment, gender differences in delinquency, bias and police stops, and the effectiveness of reintegrative shaming and restorative justice.
  • A new section dedicated entirely to feminist perspectives introduces students to feminist models of crime and underscores the importance of examining research related to female offending. 
  • A stronger global view integrated throughout the book increases students’ exposure to criminological research and theory across nations and continents. Several of the new readings are written by authors or use samples from outside the United States, including South Africa, Brazil, Canada, Korea, and more.  
  • New case studies examine offender motives to help students apply the theories discussed to interesting and memorable examples.
  • Policy is now integrated into each section, allowing students to see the practical policy implications of each theory. 
  • Coverage of critical topics has been expanded throughout to introduce students to important issues, such as the influence of employment on criminal behavior, the success of school programs in reducing delinquent behavior, and federal sentencing guidelines in regard to crack versus powder cocaine.
  • Statistics, graphs, and tables have all been updated to demonstrate the most recent trends in criminology.

KEY FEATURES: 

  • Substantially edited and abridged articles make this text easier to read, without doing injustice to the core points raised by the authors or detracting from the authors’ key findings and conclusions. Much of the methodological discussions and data analysis are removed.
  • A “How to Read a Research Article” guide tied to the book’s first reading provides a perfect introduction to understanding how research is organized and delivered in the journal literature.
  • Carefully edited readings in each section highlight the policy implications of the research, vividly responding to the “So what?” question of how criminological theories apply in the real world. 
  • Key terms, web resources, and thought-provoking discussion questions for each reading and each section help readers master the content and sharpen critical thinking skills.

Sage College Publishing

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