NCJ Number
226136
Date Published
2007
Length
585 pages
Annotation
As in the previous five editions of "Criminology and the Criminal Justice System," this sixth edition prepares students of criminology to understand the contemporary problems with which criminology is concerned and to anticipate those problems society must face in the future, with attention to terrorism and corporate malfeasance.
Abstract
Part I, "Understanding Criminology," presents an overview of criminology that includes coverage of terrorism and related crimes in exploring the boundaries of this science. It explains the nature of crime and techniques for measuring the amount and characteristics of crime and criminals. It also reviews the history of criminological thought through the periods in which the major schools of criminology, classicism, and positivism (18th and 19th centuries) emerged. Part II, "Explanations of Crime and Criminal Behavior," explains crime and criminal behavior according to the various theories developed in the 20th century. Among the topics addressed are theories that offer biological, psychological, sociological, sociopolitical, and integrated explanations of how and why criminal behavior occurs. The discussion of research by radical, socialist, and feminist criminologists has been updated. Also discussed is why offenders choose to commit one offense rather than another at a given time and place. Part III, "Types of Crimes," focuses on the various types of crimes from a legal and sociological perspective. Perennial crimes such as homicide and robbery are assessed, along with "white-collar" and corporate crimes, as well as high-tech crimes that have been the subject of research only in recent years. The chapter on comparative criminology has been expanded and updated due to growing research in this area. Part IV, "A Criminological Approach to the Criminal Justice System," explains the components of the criminal justice system, their interaction, and the decisionmaking processes of all participants. Chapter reviews, student exercises, questions for discussion, and key terms