A General Theory Of Crime

Author : Michael R. Gottfredson
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780804717731
Total Pages : 297 pages
Book Rating : 4.37/5 ( download)

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Download or read book A General Theory of Crime written by Michael R. Gottfredson and published by . This book was released on 1990 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By articulating a general theory of crime and related behavior, the authors present a new and comprehensive statement of what the criminological enterprise should be about. They argue that prevalent academic criminology—whether sociological, psychological, biological, or economic—has been unable to provide believable explanations of criminal behavior. The long-discarded classical tradition in criminology was based on choice and free will, and saw crime as the natural consequence of unrestrained human tendencies to seek pleasure and to avoid pain. It concerned itself with the nature of crime and paid little attention to the criminal. The scientific, or disciplinary, tradition is based on causation and determinism, and has dominated twentieth-century criminology. It concerns itself with the nature of the criminal and pays little attention to the crime itself. Though the two traditions are considered incompatible, this book brings classical and modern criminology together by requiring that their conceptions be consistent with each other and with the results of research. The authors explore the essential nature of crime, finding that scientific and popular conceptions of crime are misleading, and they assess the truth of disciplinary claims about crime, concluding that such claims are contrary to the nature of crime and, interestingly enough, to the data produced by the disciplines themselves. They then put forward their own theory of crime, which asserts that the essential element of criminality is the absence of self-control. Persons with high self-control consider the long-term consequences of their behavior; those with low self-control do not. Such control is learned, usually early in life, and once learned, is highly resistant to change. In the remainder of the book, the authors apply their theory to the persistent problems of criminology. Why are men, adolescents, and minorities more likely than their counterparts to commit criminal acts? What is the role of the school in the causation of delinquincy? To what extent could crime be reduced by providing meaningful work? Why do some societies have much lower crime rates than others? Does white-collar crime require its own theory? Is there such a thing as organized crime? In all cases, the theory forces fundamental reconsideration of the conventional wisdom of academians and crimina justic practitioners. The authors conclude by exploring the implications of the theory for the future study and control of crime.

Author : Erich Goode
Publisher : Stanford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0804758190
Total Pages : 288 pages
Book Rating : 4.92/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Out of Control written by Erich Goode and published by Stanford University Press. This book was released on 2008 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A supplemental textbook that examines the self-control theory of crime from a range of perspectives, both supportive and critical.

Author : Charles R Tittle
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 0429969872
Total Pages : 334 pages
Book Rating : 4.74/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Control Balance written by Charles R Tittle and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-02-02 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A major contribution to the field of crime/deviance, this volume by noted criminologist Charles R. Tittle puts forth an integrated theory of deviance—control balance. Its central premise is that the total amount of control people are subjected to, relative to the control they can exercise, will affect the probability and type of their deviant behavior. In developing control balance, Tittle critically reviews other general theories such as anomie, Marxian conflict, social control, differential association/social learning, labelling, and routine activities and offers reasons why those theories are insufficient. Using real-world examples to illustrate his argument, he contends that deviance results from the convergence of four variables, each of which represents an interactive nexus of several inputs, including most prominently a control imbalance. The variables are predisposition, motivation, opportunity, and constraint. Control balance theory also explains six basic types of deviance, ranging from predation, defiance, and submissiveness on one end of a control ratio continuum to exploitation, plunder, and decadence on the other. Tittle conceives of control balance as a continuation, or temporary culmination, of the collective efforts of crime/deviance scholars who have gone before, presenting it as a vehicle for trying to achieve a fully adequate general theory of deviance.

Author : Ronald Akers
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1351490141
Total Pages : 364 pages
Book Rating : 4.46/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Social Learning and Social Structure written by Ronald Akers and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-07-28 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The social learning theory of crime integrates Edwin H. Sutherland's diff erential association theory with behavioral learning theory. It is a widely accepted and applied approaches to criminal and deviant behavior. However, it is also widely misinterpreted, misstated, and misapplied.This is the fi rst single volume, in-depth, authoritative discussion of the background, concepts, development, modifications, and empirical tests of social learning theory. Akers begins with a personal account of Sutherland's involvement in criminology and the origins of his infl uential perspective. He then traces the intellectual history of Sutherland's theory as well as social learning theory, providing a comprehensive explanation of how each theory approaches illegal behavior. Akers reviews research on various correlates and predictors of crime and delinquency that may be used as operational measures of differential association, reinforcement, and other social learning concepts.Akers proposes a new, integrated theory of social learning and social structure that links group diff erences in crime to individual conduct. He concludes with a cogent discussion of the implications of social learning theory for criminology and public policy. Now available in paperback, with a new introduction by the author, this volume will be invaluable to professionals and for use in courses in criminology and deviance.

Author : Michael Gottfredson
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1351323709
Total Pages : 281 pages
Book Rating : 4.03/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Control Theories of Crime and Delinquency written by Michael Gottfredson and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-11-30 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the past twenty to thirty years, control theories of crime have been at the center of theoretical development in criminology. Key to the control theory perspective is the notion that crime is an inherently individual act, and its explanation requires that we focus on the characteristics of individuals who commit crimes. Consequently, control theory focuses on such issues as self-control and social control. The contributions to this volume explicate and extend the application of control theory. It is divided into three general areas. Part 1 focuses on key assumptions and components of control theories. Contributors discuss the notion of learning, or socialization, in the context of control theory and the effects that families, peers, and the criminal justice system have on self-control, social ties, and criminal behavior. Part 2 applies control theory to areas typically assumed to be out of the domain of self-control theory and social control theory, such as gender differences in crime, domestic violence, and group crime. Considering control theory's emphasis on explaining individual criminal acts, these chapters suggest an interesting area of development by highlighting the possibility that differences in crime across or within groups may begin with individual characteristics and then making inferences about groups and group processes. Part 3 approaches the explanation of crime cross-nationally and at the macro-level. Although the authors take different approaches, they all illustrate that a theory of crime does not require culture-specific elements in order to be a valid cross-cultural explanation. Contributors to this volume include: Robert Agnew, Todd Armstrong, Leana Allen Bouffard, Augustine Brannigan, Chester Britt, Barbara Costello, Maja Dekovic, Matt DeLisi, Michael Gottfredson, Henriette Haas, Kelly H. Hardwick, Travis Hirschi, Marianne Junger, Martin Killias, Helen Mederer, Kevin Thompson, and Alexander Vazsonyi.

Author : Robert Agnew
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN 13 : 9780195330465
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.63/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Why Do Criminals Offend? written by Robert Agnew and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2004-08-11 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This books draws on a broad range of crime theories and research to present a general theory of crime and delinquency. The general theory integrates the essential arguments from social learning, social control, self-control, strain, labeling, social support, bio-psychological, and other theories. It also draws on research examining the relationship between crime, individual traits, and the social environment, including family, school, peer, and work environments.

Author : William J Jenkins
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1351351842
Total Pages : 115 pages
Book Rating : 4.43/5 ( download)

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Download or read book An Analysis of Michael R. Gottfredson and Travish Hirschi's A General Theory of Crime written by William J Jenkins and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2017-07-05 with total page 115 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Michael R. Gottfredson and Travish Hirschi’s 1990 A General Theory of Crime is a classic text that helped reshape the discipline of criminology. It is also a testament to the powers of clear reasoning and interpretation. In critical thinking terms, reasoning is all about presenting a solid and persuasive case – and as many people instinctively understand, the most persuasive reasoning is that which bases itself on a single, simple hook. In Gottfredson and Hirschi’s case, this hook was what has come to be known as the “self-control theory of crime” – the idea that the tendency to commit crime is directly related to an individual’s level of self-control. While the dominant schools of thought of the time tended to focus on crime as the product of complex environmental factors, with little attempt to unify different theories, Gottfredson and Hirschi sought to interpret things so as to provide a single overarching concept that explained why crimes of all sorts were committed. Moreover, while other theories of crime concentrated on understanding and explaining specific types of law-breaking, the self-control model could, in Gottfredson and Hirschi’s view, be seen as the basis for understanding the root cause for all crime in all contexts. While such simplicity inevitably attracted as much criticism as agreement, subsequent studies have provided real-world corroboration for the General Theory’s persuasive reasoning.

Author : William J Jenkins
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1351350056
Total Pages : 83 pages
Book Rating : 4.51/5 ( download)

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Download or read book An Analysis of Michael R. Gottfredson and Travish Hirschi's A General Theory of Crime written by William J Jenkins and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2017-07-05 with total page 83 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Michael R. Gottfredson and Travish Hirschi’s 1990 A General Theory of Crime is a classic text that helped reshape the discipline of criminology. It is also a testament to the powers of clear reasoning and interpretation. In critical thinking terms, reasoning is all about presenting a solid and persuasive case – and as many people instinctively understand, the most persuasive reasoning is that which bases itself on a single, simple hook. In Gottfredson and Hirschi’s case, this hook was what has come to be known as the “self-control theory of crime” – the idea that the tendency to commit crime is directly related to an individual’s level of self-control. While the dominant schools of thought of the time tended to focus on crime as the product of complex environmental factors, with little attempt to unify different theories, Gottfredson and Hirschi sought to interpret things so as to provide a single overarching concept that explained why crimes of all sorts were committed. Moreover, while other theories of crime concentrated on understanding and explaining specific types of law-breaking, the self-control model could, in Gottfredson and Hirschi’s view, be seen as the basis for understanding the root cause for all crime in all contexts. While such simplicity inevitably attracted as much criticism as agreement, subsequent studies have provided real-world corroboration for the General Theory’s persuasive reasoning.

Author : Michael R. Gottfredson
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 297 pages
Book Rating : 4.02/5 ( download)

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Download or read book General Theory of Crime written by Michael R. Gottfredson and published by . This book was released on 1990 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Author : Robert Agnew
Publisher : Roxbury Publishing Company
ISBN 13 : 9781931719346
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.49/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Why Do Criminals Offend? written by Robert Agnew and published by Roxbury Publishing Company. This book was released on 2005 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This book focuses on what is probably the most frequently asked question about crime: Why do criminals offend? Renowned criminologist Robert Agnew draws on a broad range of crime theories and the latest research to present a general theory of crime and delinquency, rich with student-accessible examples. The general theory integrates the essential arguments from social learning, social control, self-control, strain, labeling, social support, bio-psychological, and other theories. And it draws on the latest research examining the relationship between crime, individual traits, and the social environment--including family, school, peer, and work environments.Agnew's general theory is concise and written at a level readily accessible to undergraduates. It provides a good sense of the major causes of crime and how they mutually influence and interact with one another to affect crime. Key points are illustrated with examples from qualitative and quantitative research, and each chapter ends with a set of thought-provoking discussion questions.While the book focuses on explaining why some individuals are more likely than others to offend, the general theory is also used to explain group differences in crime rates and patterns of offending over the life course. Further, the theory is used to evaluate current efforts to control crime and suggest new crime control initiatives."--Back cover.