Calvary University

 Faculty of Sociology

Theories of Crime

2nd Edition

Daniel Curran, Claire Renzetti
0-205-27588-5
Paperback
283 pages
2001

Brief Description

This book surveys the major theoretical perspectives in criminology, including biological/physiological theories, psychological/psychiatric theories, and sociological theories of crime.

• Helps students distinguish between myths and facts about crime by examining research.
• “How the World Sees It” and “Controversey and Debate” boxes.
  
• New chapter on feminist theories.
  
• 2/e now includes more on conflict radical theories.

Features

• A boxed feature called “How the World Sees It” appears in each chapter, examining ways that an issue raised by a theory is addressed in other countries.
• A second boxed feature called “Controversy and Debate” can also be found in each chapter. This material helps students understand some of the practice and policy implications of specific theories, thereby making theory more accessible and concrete.
• Each chapter contains a list of key terms and their definitions, along with an annotated list of suggested readings.
• A brief methodological appendix appears at the end of the book.
• Each chapter concludes with “Summary and Conclusion,” “Key Terms,” “Suggested Readings,” and “Notes.”

Contents

1. Theoretical Perspectives in Criminology.
The Importance of Theory in Criminology.
Bad Theory, Good Theory, Better Theory: How Do We Judge?
Paradigms.
Classical Criminology. The Positivist School. The Marxist Paradigm.

2. The Born Criminal: Biological and Physiological Theories of Crime.
Physical Type Theories.
Phrenology: Grandparent of the Physical Type Perspective. Atavism. Earnest A. Hooton: Lombroso Revisited. Body Build and Crime.
It Runs in the Family: Crime and Heredity.
General Pedigree or Family Studies. Twin Studies. Adoption Studies.
Faulty Chromosomes.
XYY Syndrome.
Other Potential Biological Contributors to Crime Causation.
Hormonal Imbalance and Crime: “My Hormones Made Me Do It.” Crime and the Brain. Diet and Crime: You Are What You Eat?

3. The Criminal Mind: Psychological and Psychiatric Theories of Crime.
Too Dumb to Know Better: The IQ/Crime Controversy.
Early Intelligence Tests and Crime.
The Criminal Personality.
Psychoanalytic Views of Crime. Other Approaches to Crime and Personality.
Crime and Mental Illness.
Studying Mental Illness and Criminality. Mental Illnesses Commonly Associated with Crime. A Note about the Role of Drugs and Alcohol.
The Role of Psychiatry in the Criminal Justice System.

4. Sociological Theories of Crime I: Crime and Social Organization.
The Chicago School.
Crime and Social Disorganization. The Chicago Schools Descendants.
Anomie Theory.
Durkheims Theory of Anomie. Mertons Theory of Anomie.
Subcultural Theories.
Cohens Theory of the Delinquent Subculture. Other Subcultural Theories. Strengths and Weaknesses of Subcultural Theories.
Crime and Opportunity.
Differential Opportunity and Delinquent Subcultures. Women, Crime and Opportunity.
Changing the Opportunity Structure: Public Policy Initiatives.
Agnews General Strain Theory.

5. Sociological Theories of Crime II: Crime and Social Processes.
Sutherlands Differential Association Theory.
Sutherlands Nine Propositions. Strengths and Weaknesses of Differential Association Theory.
Sutherlands Legacy.
Akers Social Learning Theory. Differential Identification and Differential Anticipation.
Control Theory.
Hirschis Control Theory. Tittles Control Balance Theory.
Self-Control and Crime.
A General Theory of Crime or a Limited One?
Neutralization Theory.
Evaluating Neutralization Theory.
Self-Esteem and Crime.
Crime and Stigma: The Labeling Perspective.
The Relativity of Crime. Social Reaction and Commitment to a Deviant Career. The Empirical Validity of Labeling Theory. What is to Be Done?

6. Crime and Power: Radical Criminologies.
Origins and Antecedents.
The Criminology of Willem Bonger.
Early Radical Criminology.
Crime and Privilege. Crime and Oppression. The Strengths and Weaknesses of Instrumental Marxism. Is the Criminal Justice System Biased Against the Poor?
Structural Criminology.
Crime and Power Relations.
Other Recent Developments in Radical Criminology.
Left Realism. Peacemaking Criminology. Postmodern Criminology.

7. Gender, Crime and Justice: Feminist Criminologies. What is Feminism?
Liberal Feminism and Criminology.
The Gender Gap in Crime. Power-Control Theory.
Radical Feminist Criminology.
Socialist Feminist Criminology.
Feminism and the Future of Criminology.
Appendix: Methods of Criminological Research.
The Research Process.
Formulating the Research Problem.
Research Design.
Sampling. Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Measurement.
Gathering Data.
Survey Research. Field Observation. Unobtrusive Measures.

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