Criminological Theories is an anthology of previously published articles and book focuses on the major theories, past and present, that inform criminology today.

Designed for upper-level senior and graduate criminological theory courses, this text thoroughly examines the ideas and assumptions underlying each major theoretical perspective in criminology. It lays bare theorists' ideas about human nature, social structure, social order, concepts of law, crime and criminals, the logic of crime causation and the policies and criminal justice practices that follow from these premises. The book provides students with a clear critical, analytic overview of criminological theory that enable enformed evaluative comparisons among different theorists.

In Criminological Theories, the noted criminologist Ronald Akers provides thorough description, discussion, and appraisal of the leading theories of crime/delinquent behavior and law/criminal justice - the origin and history of each theory and its contemporary developments and adherents. Akers offers a clear explanation of each theory (the central concepts and hypotheses of each theory as well as critical criteria for evaluating each theory in terms of its empirical validity). Researchers and librarians, as well as general readers, will find this book a very useful tool and will applaud its clear and understandable exposition of abstract concepts.

First Published in 1997. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The developmental and life-course perspective in criminology came to prominence during the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s a number of theories were developed to explain offending behavior over the life-course. This volume brings together theoretical statements, empirical tests and debates of these major theories within the developmental and life-course criminology perspective. In the first section of the book, original theoretical statements are provided and this is followed by a section which includes empirical tests of each of these theories conducted by researchers other than the original theorists. The final section of the book provides a summary of the major debates both within the developmental and life-course perspective and also between this perspective and others within criminology. This comprehensive volume provides an informative overview of the developmental and life-course perspective in criminology.

Offering a rich introduction to how scholars analyze crime, this Fifth Edition of the authors’ clear, accessible text moves readers beyond often-mistaken common sense knowledge of crime to a deeper understanding of the importance of theory in shaping crime control policies. This thoroughly revised edition covers traditional and contemporary theory within a larger sociological and historical context and now includes new sources that assess the empirical status of the major theories, as well as updated coverage of crime control policies and their connection to criminological theory.

An anthology of 24 essays on major developments in contemporary criminological theory

In order to understand the perpetuance of crime, multiple influences in offenders’ lives must be considered. Criminological Theory: A Life-Course Approach explores criminal and anti-social behavior by examining important factors occurring at each stage of life. This collection of cutting-edge scholarship comprehensively covers life-course antisocial behavior ranging from prenatal factors, to childhood examples of disruptive behavior, delinquency, and adult crime. Diverse research from internationally recognized experts on criminal behavior brings readers towards a sharpened understanding of crime and the prevailing life-course approach.

Criminological Theory: The Essentials, Fourth Edition by Stephen G. Tibbetts and Alex R. Piquero is a brief yet comprehensive overview of the major concepts and perspectives of the key theories in the evolution of criminology. Putting criminological theory in context, the acclaimed authors examine policy implications brought about by theoretical perspectives to show students the practical application of theories to contemporary social problems. The new edition has been thoroughly updated with the latest theoretical extensions and empirical research, with links made to specific theories and recent events.

Across America, crime is a consistent public concern. The authors have produced a comprehensive work on major criminological theories, combining classical criminology with new topics, such as Internet crime and terrorism. The text also focuses on how criminology shapes public policy.