This book is a short and affordable primer on basic and modern criminological theories. Each chapter, organized by theory, offers information on the key concepts and precepts of the theory, major contributors to the theory, and the philosophical context of the theory. An ideal text for those courses where coverage of theory is desired, but time is limited.

This slim volume offers a comprehensive survey of the major criminological and delinquency theories, including their philosophical foundations, policy implications, empirical support, and criticisms. A PRIMER ON CRIME AND DELINQUENCY THEORY can be used as a primary text or as a supplement for other texts, anthologies, or collections of journal articles. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

This slim volume offers a comprehensive survey of the major criminological and delinquency theories including their philosophical foundations and policy implications. The text can be used as either a primary text or as a supplement for other texts, anthologies, or collections of journal articles.

Extensively revised, the second edition blends theory, research, and applications into a superb overview of the complex issues surrounding juvenile delinquency and societys attempts to address juvenile crime. After providing an excellent historical foundation, Shelden presents the theories essential to understanding crime and delinquency. He then explores the system and its effects on juveniles and society, including comprehensive coverage of female delinquency. The social, legal, and political influences on how the public perceives juveniles and the inequality in U.S. society that affects families, communities, and schools are highlighted throughout the book. The concluding chapter looks at solutions that have worked and identifies trends in treating juvenile delinquency. The authors almost four decades of teaching about and researching juveniles and the system make him eminently qualified to offer readers the tools necessary to think critically about delinquency and to evaluate the policies enacted to manage the juveniles who violate the laws. Delinquency and Juvenile Justice in American Society, 2/E provides affordable, up-to-date, easily accessible, and thorough analysis of a significant topic.

This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date introduction to criminological theory for students taking courses in criminology at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Building on previous editions, this book presents the latest research and theoretical developments. The text is divided into five parts, the first three of which address ideal type models of criminal behaviour: the rational actor, predestined actor and victimized actor models. Within these, the various criminological theories are located chronologically in the context of one of these different traditions, and the strengths and weaknesses of each theory and model are clearly identified. The fourth part of the book looks closely at more recent attempts to integrate theoretical elements from both within and across models of criminal behaviour, while the fifth part addresses a number of key recent concerns of criminology: postmodernism, cultural criminology, globalization and communitarianism, the penal society, southern criminology and critical criminology. All major theoretical perspectives are considered, including: classical criminology, biological and psychological positivism, labelling theories, feminist criminology, critical criminology and left realism, situation action, desistance theories, social control theories, the risk society, postmodern condition and terrorism. The new edition also features comprehensive coverage of recent developments in criminology, including ‘the myth of the crime drop’, the revitalization of critical criminology and political economy, shaming and crime, defiance theory, coerced mobility theory and new developments in social control and general strain theories. This revised and expanded fifth edition of An Introduction to Criminological Theory includes chapter summaries, critical thinking questions, policy implications, a full glossary of terms and theories and a timeline of criminological theory, making it essential reading for those studying criminology and taking courses on theoretical criminology, understanding crime, and crime and deviance