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The Nurture Versus Biosocial Debate in Criminology
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The Nurture Versus Biosocial Debate in Criminology
On the Origins of Criminal Behavior and Criminality

Edited by:
  • Kevin M. Beaver - Florida State University, USA
  • J.C. Barnes - The University of Texas at Dallas, USA, Florida State University, USA, University of South Carolina, USA
  • Brian B. Boutwell - Sam Houston State University, USA


February 2014 | 472 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
The Nurture Versus Biosocial Debate in Criminology: On the Origins of Criminal Behavior and Criminality takes a contemporary approach to address the sociological and the biological positions of human behavior by allowing preeminent scholars in criminology to speak to the effects of each on a range of topics. The text aims to facilitate an open and honest debate between the more traditional criminologists who focus primarily on environmental factors and contemporary biosocial criminologists who examine the interplay between biology/genetics and environmental factors.

 
INTRODUCTION: Why We Need a Nature/Nurture Book in Criminology?
 
PART I: KEY CRIMINOLOGICAL CORRELATES
GENDER

 
Abigail A. Fagan
Chapter 1. The Sociological Explanation: Sociological Explanations of the Gender Gap in Offending
Kevin M. Beaver and Joseph L. Nedelec
Chapter 2. The Biosocial Explanation: A Biosocial Explanation for Male-Female Differences in Criminal Involvement
RACE

 
Nicole Leeper Piquero, Alex R. Piquero, and Eric S. Stewart
Chapter 3. The Sociological Explanation: Sociological Viewpoint on the Race-Crime Relationship
John Paul Wright and Mark Alden Morgan
Chapter 4. The Biosocial Explanation: Human Bio-diversity and the Egalitarian Fiction
SOCIAL CLASS

 
Karen F. Parker and Thomas Mowen
Chapter 5. The Sociological Explanation: A Sociological Analysis of Social Class
Anthony Walsh, Charlene Y. Taylor, and Ilhong Yun
Chapter 6. The Biosocial Explanation: The Role of Intelligence and Temperament in Interpreting the SES-Crime Relationship
 
PART II: THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES
LEARNING THEORY

 
Jonathan R. Brauer and Jonathan D. Bolen
Chapter 7. The Sociological Explanation: Learning Theories of Crime: Promises and Pitfalls
Jamie Vaske
Chapter 8. The Biosocial Explanation: The Integration of Biological and Genetic Factors into Social Learning Theory
SELF-CONTROL THEORY

 
Callie H. Burt
Chapter 9. The Sociological Explanation: Self-control and Crime: A Sociological Perspective
Matt DeLisi
Chapter 10. The Biosocial Explanation: Low Self-control is a Brain-Based Disorder
STRAIN THEORY

 
Robert Agnew
Chapter 11. The Sociological Explanation: The Role of the Social Environment in General Strain Theory
John M. Stogner
Chapter 12. The Biosocial Explanation: General Strain Theory and Biosocial Criminology: Pathways to Successful Theoretical Integration
SOCIAL BONDING THEORY

 
Ryan Schroeder
Chapter 13. The Sociological Explanation: Social Bonding and Crime
Danielle Boisvert
Chapter 14. The Biosocial Explanation: A Biosocial View of Social Bond Theory
 
PART III: SPECIFIC TYPES OF ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIORS
INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE

 
Tasha A. Menaker and Cortney A. Franklin
Chapter 15. The Sociological Explanation: When Violence is the Norm: Sociological Perspectives on Intimate Partner Violence
Brian B. Boutwell and Richard Lewis
Chapter 16. The Biosocial Explanation: Some Kind of Madness: The Biosocial Origins of Intimate Partner Violence
CHILDHOOD ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR/CONDUCT DISORDER

 
Carter Rees and Jacob T.N. Young
Chapter 17. The Sociological Explanation: Parents and Peers as Institutions of Socialization in Childhood and Adolescence: Implications for Delinquent Behavior
Chris L. Gibson and Elise T. Costa
18. The Biosocial Explanation: A Biosocial Review on Childhood Antisocial Behavior
DRUG USE AND ABUSE

 
J. Mitchell Miller and Holly Ventura Miller
Chapter 19. The Sociological Explanation: Sociological Criminology and Drug Use: A Review of Leading Theories
Michael G. Vaughn, Christopher P. Salas-Wright, and Brandy R. Maynard
Chapter 20. The Biosocial Explanation: Drug Abuse, Addiction, and Crime: A Cell to Society Perspective
 
PART IV: TRENDS, CURRENT ISSUES, AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS
THE CRIME DROP

 
Wesley G. Jennings and Jennifer M. Reingle
Chapter 21. The Sociological Explanation: A Sociological Explanation of Crime Rates and Trends
Brian B. Boutwell and J.C. Barnes
Chapter 22. The Biosocial Explanation: Darwin, Dawkins, Wright, Pinker and the Reasons that Crime Declined
THE AGE-CRIME CURVE

 
Jeffery T. Ulmer and Darrell Steffensmeier
Chapter 23. The Sociological Explanation: The Age and Crime Relationship: Social Variation, Social Explanations
J.C. Barnes, Cody Jorgensen, Daniel Pacheco, and Michael TenEyck
Chapter 24. The Biosocial Explanation: The Puzzling Relationship between Age and Criminal Behavior: A Biosocial Critique of the Criminological Status Quo
POLICY IMPLICATIONS

 
Danielle J. Baily, Robert Lytle, and Lisa L. Sample
Chapter 25. The Sociological Explanation: Policy Implications of Sociological Theories of Crime: Why are they so Seldom Considered or Discussed?
Michael Rocque, Brandon C. Welsh, and Adrian Raine
Chapter 26. The Biosocial Explanation: Policy Implications of Biosocial Criminology: Crime Prevention and Offender Rehabilitation

“The greatest single strength is the uniqueness of topic and approach. Other strengths are the selected topics and structure.”

Scott Vollum
James Madison University

“This text might lead to an intellectual movement in the community of criminology, stimulate criminologists to revise current criminological theories, and help criminologists formulate new criminological theories.”

Hua-Lun Huang
University of Louisiana at Lafayette

With the focus very much on North America, this text has some value as a general reader

Mr Ashley Tiffen
Institute of Policing and Criminal Justice Studies, University of Cumbria
June 16, 2015

A fascinating read, but very specific to the idiosyncracies of the American model of criminology/criminal justice

Mr Armin Luthi
Fac of Health & Social Care Sciences, Kingston University
May 29, 2015

Did not meet my purposes for a sociological perspective

Professor Donna King
Sociology Anthropology Dept, University Of Central Florida
June 21, 2014

This book is used to teach psychology and criminology. the information goes into detail on theories. It is used by the majority of learners who stated that it was 'quite helpful'.

Miss Amy Capper
access, Warrington Collegiate
April 30, 2014
Key features

KEY FEATURES:

  • Organized in a debate format, the book presents opposing viewpoints in alternating chapters so that students are able to evaluate and analyze the issues from the two perspectives.
  • Review questions provide students an opportunity to critically evaluate the pros and cons of the opposing views.
  • Divided into four sections:
    1. A focus on key criminological correlates, including gender, race, and social class
    2. A focus on theoretical perspectives, including learning theory, self-control theory, strain theory, and social bond theory
    3. An examination of specific antisocial behaviors, including intimate partner violence, childhood antisocial behavior, and drug use and abuse
    4. Coverage of trends, current issues, and policy implications by examining the crime drop, the age-crime curve, and policies

For instructors

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