Criminology: The Essentials

Anthony Walsh and Cody Jorgensen’s Criminology: The Essentials introduces students to major theoretical perspectives and topics in a concise, easy-to-read format. This straightforward overview of key 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 and their policy implications. The Fourth Edition includes new topics, events, and developments in criminology. 

Table of Contents:
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 Summary Exercises and Discussion Questions Useful Websites Chapter Terms 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 Areas of Agreement Between the UCR and NCVS Self-Report Crime Surveys and Their Problems Crime Mapping White-Collar Crime: The FBI’s Financial Crimes Report The Dark Figure of Crime What Can We Conclude About the Three Main Measures of Crime in America? Summary Exercises and Discussion Questions Useful Websites Chapter Terms 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 Summary Exercises and Discussion Questions Useful Websites Chapter Terms 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 Summary Exercises and Discussion Questions Useful Websites Chapter Terms 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: Summary Exercises and Discussion Questions Useful Websites Chapter Terms 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 Summary Exercises/Discussion Questions Useful Internet Sites Chapter Terms 7. Social Process Theories The Social Process Tradition Differential Association Theory Social Learning Theory The Social Control Tradition Labeling Theory: The Irony of Social Reaction Policy and Prevention: Implications of Social Process Theories Summary Exercises and Discussion Questions Useful Websites Chapter Terms 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 Summary Exercises and Discussion Questions Useful Websites Chapter Terms 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 Summary Exercises and Discussion Questions Useful Websites Chapter Terms 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 Summary Exercises and Discussion Questions Useful Websites Chapter Terms 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 Summary Exercises and Discussion Questions Useful Websites Chapter Terms 12. Crimes of Violence Violence in History Murder Mass, Spree, and Serial Murder Rape Robbery Aggravated Assault Gun Violence Theories of Violence Summary Exercises/Discussion Questions Useful Websites Chapter Terms 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 Summary Exercises and Discussion Questions Useful Websites Chapter Terms 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 Summary Exercises/Discussion Questions Useful Internet Sites Chapter Terms 15. Public Order Crime What Are Public Order Crimes? Alcohol and Crime Illegal Drugs and Crime Prostitution and Commercialized Vice Summary Exercises and Discussion Questions Useful Websites Chapter Terms 16. White-Collar Crime The Concept of White-Collar Crime Occupational Crime Corporate Crime Theories on the Causes of Corporate Crime Law Enforcement’s Response to Corporate Crime Cybercrime: Oh, What a Tangled World Wide Web We Weave! Summary Exercises and Discussion Questions Useful Websites Chapter Terms 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 Enforcement’s Response to Organized Crime Summary Exercises and Discussion Questions Useful Websites Chapter Terms Glossary References Index About the Author

About the Author :
Anthony Walsh, is a professor of criminology at Boise State University. He received his PhD from Bowling Green State University at the ripe old age of 43. He has field experience in law enforcement and corrections and is the author of more than 150 journal articles and book chapters and 41 books, including Biology and Criminology; Feminist Criminology Through a Biosocial Lens; Law, Justice, and Society (with Hemmens); Correctional Assessment, Casework, and Counseling (with Stohr); The Neurobiology of Criminal Behavior: Gene-Brain-Culture Interaction (with Bolen, Ashgate); Corrections: The Essentials (with Stohr); The Science Wars: The Politics of Gender and Race; Criminological Theory: Assessing Philosophical Assumptions; Biosociology: Bridging the Biology-Sociology Divide; Criminology: The Essentials (with Jorgensen); and Answering Atheists: How Science Points to God and the Benefits of Christianity. His interests include biosocial criminology, statistics, and criminal justice assessment and counseling. Cody Jorgensen earned a PhD in Criminology from the University of Texas at Dallas.  His main areas of interest include biosocial criminology, policing and forensics, and attitudes and perceptions in crime and justice.  He is currently an assistant professor in the criminal justice department at Boise State University and has taught classes on policing, biosocial criminology, criminological theory, statistics, and law and social control.  In his spare time he can be found on the trails riding dirt bikes and mountain bikes or on the streets riding motorcycles.

Review :
"A comprehensive, current, and readable essentials of criminology text that finally gives biosocial criminology its rightful place among the competitive essentials of criminology market." "The authors have done a solid job of presenting the pertinent contents of the subject in a clear and concise manner." "I would describe this book as a balanced approach to all theories of crime and delinquency. It is well written and is very clear in its description of theories and the research bearing on the theories. I think students would enjoy it and find the detailed analysis and overview of the theories easy to follow and engaging."  "This text is well written and provides everything an instructor needs to more than adequately teach criminology at the undergraduate level in a junior college or four-year university." "A concise, clear, and straightforward text that covers the major areas of criminological theory in an accessible way."