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Criminology
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Criminology
The Essentials

Fifth Edition
Available with:
Learning platform
January 2025 | 456 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
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In Criminology: The Essentials, authors Anthony Walsh and Cody Jorgensen introduce students to major theoretical perspectives and criminology topics in a concise, easy-to-read format. This straightforward overview of the major subject areas in criminology thoroughly covers the most up-to-date advances in theory and research, while challenging students to consider the applications of these theories as well as their policy implications. Updates to the Fifth Edition include new topics and developments in criminology, such as racial disparities in arrest rates, insights from the Big Five personality traits, cognitive behavioral therapy, gun violence and policy, and the opioid epidemic. It also offers detailed evaluations of theories to deepen student understanding and foster engaging classroom discussions.
 
Preface
 
1. An Overview of Crime and Criminology
What Is Criminology?

 
What Is Crime?

 
Criminality

 
An Excursion Through the American Criminal Justice System

 
A Short History of Criminology

 
The Role of Theory in Criminology

 
Ideology in Criminological Theory

 
Connecting Criminological Theory and Social Policy

 
 
2. Measuring Crime and Criminal Behavior
Categorizing and Measuring Crime and Criminal Behavior

 
Uniform Crime Reports: Counting Crime Officially

 
NIBRS: The “New and Improved” UCR

 
Crime Victimization Survey Data and Its Problems

 
 
3. Victimology: Exploring the Experience of Victimization
The Emergence of Victimology

 
Who Gets Victimized?

 
Victimization in the Workplace and at School

 
Human Trafficking

 
Sexual Assault of Children: Who Gets Victimized?

 
Domestic Violence Victimization

 
Hate Crimes

 
Identity Theft and Other Forms of Cybervictimization

 
Victimization Theories

 
Victimization And the Criminal Justice System

 
 
4. The Early Schools of Criminology
Introduction: Preclassical Notions of Crime and Criminals

 
The Classical School: The Calculating Criminal

 
Rise of Positivism

 
Deterrence and Choice: Pain Versus Gain

 
Evaluation of the Classical and Early Positivist Schools

 
Policy and Prevention: Implications of Deterrence Theories

 
 
5. Crime as Choice: Rationality, Emotion, and Criminal Behavior
Returning to Classic Assumptions of Human Nature

 
Rational Choice Theory

 
Routine Activities Theory

 
Cultural Criminology

 
Emotions and Their Functions

 
Policy and Prevention

 
 
6. Social Structural Theories
The Social Structural Tradition

 
The Chicago School of Ecology

 
The Anomie/Strain Tradition

 
Extending Anomie: Subcultural Theories

 
Street Gangs Today

 
Evaluation of the Anomie/strain and Subcultural Tradition

 
Policy and Prevention: Implications of Social Structural Theories

 
 
7. Social Process Theories
The Social Process Tradition

 
Differential Association Theory

 
Social Learning Theory

 
The Control Tradition

 
Labeling Theory: The Irony of Social Reaction

 
Policy and Prevention: Implications of Social Process Theories

 
 
8. Critical and Feminist Theories
The Conflict Perspective of Society

 
Karl Marx and Revolution

 
Conflict Theory: Max Weber and Power and Conflict

 
Other Critical Criminologies

 
Evaluation of Critical Theories

 
Feminist Criminology

 
Evaluation of Feminist Theories

 
Policy and Prevention

 
 
9. Psychosocial Theories: Individual Traits and Criminal Behavior
Introduction: The Two “Great Pillars of Psychology”

 
Intelligence

 
Temperament and Personality

 
Conscience and Arousal

 
Glen Walters’s Lifestyle Theory

 
The Antisocial Personalities

 
Evaluation of the Psychosocial Perspective

 
Policy and Prevention: Implications of Psychosocial Theories

 
 
10. Biosocial Approaches
The Biosocial Approach

 
Behavioral Genetics

 
The Neurosciences

 
Evolutionary Psychology

 
Other Biosocial Risk Factors for Criminality

 
Evaluation of the Biosocial Perspective

 
Policy and Prevention: Implications of Biosocial Theories

 
 
11. Developmental Theories: From Delinquency to Crime to Desistance
The Developmental Perspective: Continuity and Change

 
Risk and Protective Factors for Serious Delinquency

 
Major Developmental Theories

 
Evaluation of Developmental Theories

 
Policy and Prevention: Implications of Developmental Theories

 
 
12. Crimes of Violence
Violence in History

 
Murder

 
Mass, Spree, and Serial Murder

 
Serial Murder

 
Rape

 
Robbery

 
Aggravated Assault

 
Gun Violence

 
Theories of Violence

 
 
13. Terrorism
What Is Terrorism?

 
The Extent of Terrorism

 
Domestic Terrorism

 
Is there a Terrorist Personality?

 
Theories of Terrorism

 
Law Enforcement Response and Government Policy

 
 
14. Property Crime
What Is a Property Offense?

 
Larceny-theft

 
Burglary

 
Motor Vehicle Theft

 
Arson

 
Crimes of Guile and Deceit: Embezzlement, Fraud, and Forgery/counterfeiting

 
 
15. Public Order Crime
What Are Public Order Crimes?

 
Alcohol and Crime

 
Illegal Drugs and Crime

 
Prostitution and Commercialized Vice

 
 
16. White-Collar Crime
The Concept of White-Collar Crime

 
Occupational Crime

 
Corporate Crime

 
Theories on the Causes of Corporate Crime

 
Law Enforcements Response to Corporate Crime

 
Cybercrime: Oh, What a Tangled World Wide Web We Weave!

 
The Silk Road: Amazon.com for Crooks, Creeps, and Crackheads

 
 
17. Organized Crime
What Is Organized Crime?

 
Political Corruption and Organized Crime

 
A Brief History of Organized Crime in the United States

 
Other Organized Crime Groups

 
Theories of Organized Crime

 
Law Enforcements Response to Organized Crime

 
 
Glossary
 
References
 
Index
 
About the Authors
Key features
NEW TO THIS EDITION:
  • The new edition is available in Sage Vantage, an intuitive learning platform that integrates quality Sage textbook content with assignable multimedia activities and auto-graded assessments to drive student engagement and ensure accountability. Unparalleled in its ease of use and built for dynamic teaching and learning, Vantage offers customizable LMS integration and best-in-class support.
    • Flashcards and note-taking tools help students better prepare for class.
    • NEW! Audiobook Player allows students to listen to text content, boosting comprehension and retention. It offers flexible, on-the-go access, engaging both reluctant readers and auditory learners, improving the overall reading experience.
    • The Offline Reading option in the Student Dashboard offers greater accessibility to Vantage’s reading content, regardless of where students are or how strong their internet connection may be.
  • Updated statistical information reflects the latest sources available, including Uniform Crime Reports (UCR), National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), and the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS).
  • Outside the Box section highlights topical criminal justice issues and correlates of crime.
  • The latest developments in criminology include coverage of the Trauma Informed Practices, The Importance of Self-Care, and Harm Reduction origin and prevention.
  • Expanded discussions on decarceration, immigration, mental illness and COVID as they have affected correctional population and practices.
  • Revised chapters help students to better understand aspects of criminological theories and crime typologies.
  • Updated and inclusive language used throughout the content.
KEY FEATURES:
  • Chapter-opening learning objectives help students focus on the key forthcoming content.
  • Chapter-opening vignettes draw students into the material and provide motivation for discussion.
  • End-of-chapter summaries of theory tables ensure students understand the main differences between the theories.
  • End-of-chapter Policy and Prevention sections describe the implications of each theoretical perspective.
  • The Theory in Action boxes illustrate chapter material with interesting case studies that include review questions.
  • Pop Culture boxes tie the material to what is going on in today’s popular culture including entertainment, art, and current events.
  • Research Snippets of interesting research and Critical Thinking exercises encourage students to take a deeper look at the concepts and develop a more critical understanding of the issues.
  • Key terms, discussion questions, web resources, and exercises at the end of each chapter provide additional opportunities for learning.

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 1 & 2

Vantage Reference: 
Criminology - Vantage Learning Platform

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