The Handbook of Crime and Criminology serves as a foundational reference for students, researchers, and professionals in the field. Its primary goal is to map the vast and complex landscape of criminal behavior and societal responses to it. The text gathers contributions from leading scholars, each an expert in a specific niche, ensuring the material presented is both current and authoritative. This collaborative effort results in a single volume that captures the depth and breadth of contemporary criminological thought. The work is structured to move from core concepts to specialized applications. Early chapters typically establish the groundwork, defining crime and introducing the primary theoretical frameworks that explain its causes. These range from biological and psychological perspectives to sociological theories focusing on social structures, learning, and control. This foundational knowledge equips the reader with the essential tools for analyzing criminality from multiple angles. Following the theoretical groundwork, the handbook shifts its focus to different types of crime. It dedicates substantial sections to violent offenses, property crime, and white-collar criminality, distinguishing their unique characteristics and causal pathways. Further exploration delves into organized crime, terrorism, and cybercrime, reflecting the evolving nature of threats in a modern, interconnected world. This structure allows for a detailed examination of the specific contexts in which various crimes occur. A significant portion of the book is dedicated to the criminal justice system itself. It provides a critical analysis of the three main pillars: policing, the judiciary, and corrections. The handbook examines the realities of law enforcement practices, the complexities of court procedures and sentencing, and the goals and consequences of imprisonment and community supervision. It addresses the profound challenges these institutions face, including issues of discretion, disparity, and effectiveness. The final sections of the handbook often turn toward crime prevention and control. It reviews various strategies, from community-based initiatives and situational crime prevention to punitive measures and rehabilitation programs. The effectiveness and ethical implications of different policies are weighed, encouraging readers to think critically about what works and what the trade-offs might be in the pursuit of public safety. This section connects academic research directly to real-world application and policy-making.
Timothy Rodriguez is an associate professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). His work focuses on the systems and policies that shape the American criminal justice landscape. He is a recognized expert in the field, contributing significantly to scholarly discussions on policing, court processes, and correctional institutions. Rodriguez’s research often examines how legal and administrative decisions affect individuals and communities. He pays close attention to the factors that lead to disparities within the justice system. His studies provide empirical data on how laws are enforced and how different groups experience the justice process. This work places him among a group of scholars dedicated to evidence-based assessments of current practices. His expertise is prominently featured in the Handbook of Crime and Criminology. This reference work serves as a key resource for students, researchers, and practitioners. Rodriguez’s contributions to the handbook synthesize complex research topics into clear, accessible chapters. He covers essential themes such as the causes of criminal behavior, the effectiveness of crime prevention strategies, and the operations of the criminal justice system. His writing in this volume demonstrates his ability to communicate detailed findings to a broad audience. At UTEP, Rodriguez teaches courses that introduce students to the core concepts of criminology and the workings of the justice system. He guides students through the theories that explain crime and the real-world application of those theories. His classroom approach emphasizes critical thinking about the goals and outcomes of crime control policies. He encourages students to consider the social context in which crime occurs and the role of institutions in responding to it. Beyond the Handbook of Crime and Criminology, Rodriguez has published his work in leading academic journals. His articles appear in publications dedicated to criminology, criminal justice policy, and legal studies. This body of work addresses specific questions about police behavior, judicial discretion, and the impact of incarceration. He remains active in ongoing research projects that seek to inform public debate and improve justice system practices. Through his teaching, writing, and research, Timothy Rodriguez provides a grounded perspective on crime and society’s responses to it.
Preface Chapter 1. Introduction to Criminology Positivist School and Scientific Criminology Routine Activity Theory and Crime Opportunity Chapter 2. Historical Development of Criminological Thought Defining Criminology as a Field of Inquiry Pre-Enlightenment Understandings of Crime Classical School of Criminology Positivist School and Scientific Criminology Lombroso and Criminal Anthropology Ferri and Social Defense Durkheim and Sociology of Crime Chicago School and Urban Sociology Merton and Strain Theory Sutherland and Differential Association Matza and Delinquency and Drift Labeling Theory and Social Reaction Critical Criminology and Marxist Approaches Feminist Criminology Left Realism and Crime Prevention Peacemaking Criminology Rational Choice and Routine Activity Theories Life-Course and Developmental Criminology Chapter 3. Classical and Positivist Schools of Criminology Foundations of Classical Criminology Cesare Lombroso and Criminal Anthropology Charles Goring and Statistical Criminology Biosocial Criminology Contemporary Approaches Labeling Theory and Societal Reaction Deterrence Theory Research Chapter 4. Biological Theories of Crime Foundations of Biological Positivism in Criminology Molecular Genetics and the Search for Crime Genes Biosocial Approaches and Gene-Environment Interaction Policy Implications of Biological Criminology Chapter 5. Psychological Theories of Criminal Behavior Foundations of Psychological Criminology Critiques and Limitations of Psychodynamic Theories Cognitive Theories and Criminal Thinking Patterns Attachment Theory and Delinquency Biosocial Theories of Criminal Behavior Psychological Assessment in Criminal Justice Forensic Psychology and Legal Applications Chapter 6. Sociological Theories: Strain and Anomie Foundations of Strain Theory in Criminology Merton’s Strain Theory and Social Structure Critiques and Limitations of Merton’s Theory Strain and Crime over Life Course Strain Theory and Policy Implications Strain Theory across Cultures Chapter 7. Social Learning and Differential Association Social Learning Theory in Criminology Differential Association as Core Concept Empirical Testing of Social Learning Theory Cross-Cultural Applications of Social Learning Theory Social Learning and Gender Differences in Crime Integration with other Theoretical Perspectives Social Learning and Sexual Offending Chapter 8. Labeling Theory and Deviance Social Construction of Deviance Social Psychology of Labeling Moral Enterprise Perspective Labeling Theory and the Critique of Correctionalism Labeling Theory and Critical Criminology Labeling Theory and Mental Illness Labeling Theory and Restorative Justice Legacy of Labeling Theory in Contemporary Criminology Chapter 9. Critical Criminology and Conflict Perspectives Foundations of Critical Criminology Labeling Theory and Moral Enterprise Critical Race Criminology Anarchist Criminology Late Modernity and Crime Prison Abolition and Critical Prison Studies Critical Criminology and Corporate Crime Critical Criminology and Drug Policy Critical Criminology and Mental Health Critical Criminology Contributions and Legacy Chapter 10. Feminist Criminology Exclusion of Women from Traditional Criminology Development of Feminist Epistemologies in Criminology Gender and Crime Patterns Trends in Female Offending Feminist Theories of Crime Causation Social Learning and Differential Association Intersectionality and Crime Feminist Research on Victimization Women and Criminal Justice Processing Chapter 11. Routine Activity and Rational Choice Theories Foundations of Rational Choice Theory in Criminology Deterrence Theory and Rational Choice Critiques and Limitations of Rational Choice Chapter 12. Life-Course and Developmental Criminology Defining Life-Course and Developmental Criminology Intellectual Origins and Historical Development Concepts in Developmental Criminology Chapter 13. Cultural Criminology Foundations of Cultural Criminology Moral Panics and Folk Devils Urban Space and Cultural Criminology Southern Criminology and Cultural Perspectives Green Cultural Criminology Chapter 14. Environmental Criminology Foundations of Environmental Criminology Situational Crime Prevention and Opportunity Reduction Crime Pattern Theory and Spatial Analysis Geographic Profiling and Offender Location Environmental Criminology and Urban Design Role of Technology in Environmental Criminology Future of Environmental Criminology Chapter 15. Measurement of Crime and Official Statistics Foundations of Crime Measurement International Crime Statistics and Comparisons Age and Crime Statistics Victimization Surveys and their Methodology Administrative Data from Criminal Justice Agencies Future of Crime Measurement Chapter 16. Victimization Surveys and Dark Figure of Crime Origins and Development of Victimization Surveys Methodological Foundations of Victimization Surveys Chapter 17. Types of Crime: Violent Offenses Defining Violent Crime in Criminological Perspective Violence and Mental Illness Firearms and Violence Consequences of Violence for Communities Chapter 18. Property Crime and Economic Crime Property Crime in Criminological Context Distribution and Patterns of Property Crime Motor Vehicle Theft and its Decline Economics of Property Crime White-Collar Crime as Economic Offense Property Crime and the Criminal Justice System Chapter 19. Organized Crime and Transnational Criminal Networks Defining Organized Crime Mafia and Traditional Organized Crime Structures Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Environmental Crime and Natural Resource Exploitation Organized Crime and Legitimate Economy Transnational Organized Crime Networks Organized Crime Control Strategies International Cooperation against Organized Crime Organized Crime and Public Health Organized Crime Analysis Summary Bibliography Index
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