Criminological Theories: Introduction and Evaluation

Book Description

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.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best.......2004-06-30

A few years ago I carefully compared several texts on criminology, particularly looking for one that might address not theories, but also the extent to which they are supported by empirical evidence. This book was among the best, in terms of thoroughness, and in terms of analytical clarity (another is a text by Vold and others, and a third is by Shoemaker).

A Good Resource for Comps.......1998-12-06

This book gives a great overview of the major theories in criminology today. The author outlines each theory, assessing how well it has been supported by empirical evidence. Of course, you walk away with a postive feeling about social learning theory, which suprise!suprise! is his own pet theory. I don't hold that against him; he evaluates his own theory as rigorously as the rest. He may just be a bit more energetic about stressing its empirical support. :) Not only a great resource for studying for comprehensive exams but a good book for an undergraduate or graduate course on criminology. I recommend it highly!

Trade-Offs: An Introduction to Economic Reasoning and Social Issues

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Short and sweet.
Excellent.
Great text
Good stuff - and a good read
The economics of policy

Trade-Offs: An Introduction to Economic Reasoning and Social Issues
Harold Winter
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Economic Policy & Development | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Learning Economics
Sex, Drugs and Economics: An Unconventional Intro to Economics

ASIN: 0226902250

Book Description

When economists wrestle with issues such as unemployment, inflation, or budget deficits, they do so by incorporating an impersonal, detached mode of reasoning. But economists also analyze issues that, to others, do not typically fall within the realm of economic reasoning, such as organ transplants, cigarette addiction, smoking in public, and product safety. Trade-Offs is an introduction to the economic approach to analyzing these controversial public policy issues.

Harold Winter provides readers with the analytical tools needed to identify and understand the trade-offs associated with these topics. By considering both the costs and benefits of potential policy solutions, Winter stresses that real-world policy decision making is best served by an explicit recognition of as many trade-offs as possible.

Intellectually stimulating yet accessible and entertaining, Trade-Offs will be appreciated by students of economics, public policy, health administration, political science, and law, as well as by anyone who follows current social policy debates.

Customer Reviews:

Short and sweet........2007-06-23

This no non-sense, straight to the point book demonstrates clearly that no solutions exist to any social situation. There are only trade-offs. I especially liked his argument that there may be too little smoking in the world.

Winter clearly understands that pleasure, life, and many other things do indeed have a dollar value associated with them. Ignoring this exposes you to a variety of logical flaws, leading to false or misleading solutions.

Excellent........2006-07-27

Excellent, EXCELLENT book.

Though, I beg to ask, why is it so short?

I started recommending this to students. And then told them not to waste their time with "Freakonomics".

Great text.......2006-05-23

For the past 6 months or so, I have been frantically searching for a text I can use for a second year policy econ course for non-majors. I'd found nothing that covered the range of topics I wanted or at the appropriate level. This text is perfect; I wish I'd found it before the uni bookstore's cut off date! Each chapter would have to be supplemented with additional readings to provide the appropriate depth, but the coverage is almost perfect for the kind of course I'm teaching. Strongly recommended.

Good stuff - and a good read.......2006-02-23

I like it! Economics made easy and fun, a la "Freakonomics."

The economics of policy.......2006-02-09

'Trade-offs' is a good introduction to the economic analysis of policy, with a message clearly conveyed by its title: There are trade-offs for every (public) policy. Excellent for explaining economic analysis to people with little background in economics.

Disagree with the previous reviewer's comparison with Freakonomics: Though both are good, Freakonomics describes things that are at the frontier of current economic research (in an amazingly clear way). So, Freakonomics offers both clarity and novelty, while (at least for most people educated in economics), Trade-Offs mostly offers the former.

I would have given Trade-Offs a four star, but I think it is a bit too short for the money.

Average customer rating:

A rare pleasure
Highly recommended to serious readers

Marxism and Law (Marxist Introductions)
Hugh Collins
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Law and the Rise of Capitalism
The Politics of Law: A Progressive Critique

ASIN: 0192851446

Book Description

In this introduction to Marxism and the law, Hugh Collins presents a unified and coherent view of Marxism, which he uses to examine the specific characteristics of legal institutions, rules, and ideals. He pays particular attention to the place of ideology in law, the distinction between base and superstructure, and the destiny of law in a Communist society. His principal theme is the Marxist critique of the ideal of the Rule of Law. He argues that the main purpose of a Marxist theory of law is to expose the belief in the Rule of Law as being a subtle and pervasive ideology which serves to obscure the structures of class domination within the State. The author frequently subjects the Marxist approach to criticism and he shows that many of the Marxist claims about law are unproven or misconceived. The book is written in straightforward non-technical language which requires no knowledge of either Marxism or law.

Customer Reviews:

A rare pleasure.......2006-08-28

That is, to have a general opponent of Marxism in a certain field deal with Marxist views and analysis in such a clear and fair manner. In this case it is Hugh Collins, Fellow of Brasenose College (not particularly known for its radical tendencies) at the time and now a specialist in contract law at the London School of Economics who analyses the possibilities for a Marxist theory of bourgeois law, and he does so with skill and subtlety.

Collins compares various possibilities for a coherent and effective Marxist theory of law, drawing on historical materialism, alienation, class instrumentalism and various other general Marxist 'tools'. This allows him to approach the subject in a manner that becomes increasingly complex and in-depth, as in forming a general theory from these building blocks he is capable of assessing the internal consistency each step of the way. In so doing he rejects the simplistic views of G.A. Cohen and Evgeny Pashukanis, as well as criticizing Lenin and Engels (the latter wrongly attributed) for relying too much on class struggle alone as the determinant factor.

Collins in the end arrives at a comprehensive view that seems to be along the lines of Engels' actual conception of the relation between the legal superstructure and the economic basis, as seen in his letter to Conrad Schmidt (Oct. 27, 1890). Since Collins is surprisingly competent at assessing the value and use of various Marxist terms and tools, he can use the theory of relative autonomy to launch some serious criticisms at the application of Marxism to law in general, which I do not find compelling enough to change my mind but which are certainly worth examining for any radical interested in legal philosophy. It is rare enough to have opponents of Marxist theory make coherent and to-the-point counterarguments, so this deserves a wider reading, to which the reprint should hopefully contribute. It is also helpful for non-specialists that the writing is clear and concise in the best English traditions, and the book is less than 150 pages of actual text.

Highly recommended to serious readers.......2000-08-22

Few books in circulation deal specifically with Marxism and law, probably because the former assigns the latter a distinctly subordinate role among society's real determinants. In Marxian thinking, law has neither autonomy in practice - being an extention of class interest - nor autonomy in theory - being hopelessly intertwined with nonlegal structures. Bourgeois theorists, on the other hand, treat law as possessing the necessary degree of autonomy that their studies require. Collins hopes to fill the current gap in scholarship created by Marxism' general neglect of legal theory, and succeeds admirably.

Book Description

Read Chapter One.

"Unlike other theorists, these people mean to change the world, not merely to 'ascertain how society organizes itself along racial lines and hierarchies, but to transform it for the better.' This book has served as my introduction to a field I wish I had started to cultivate and harvest much earlier."
—Bloomsbury Review

For well over a decade, critical race theory the school of thought that holds that race lies at the very nexus of American life has roiled the legal academy. In recent years, however, the fundamental principles of the movement have influenced other academic disciplines, from sociology and politics to ethnic studies and history.

And yet, while the critical race theory movement has spawned dozens of conferences and numerous books, no concise, accessible volume outlines its basic parameters and tenets. Here, then, from two of the founders of the movement, is the first primer on one of the most influential intellectual movements in American law and politics.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xv

Foreword by Angela Harris xvii

I Introduction 1

A. What Is Critical Race Theory? 2

B. Early Origins 3

C. Relationship to Other Movements 4

D. Principal Figures 5

E. Spin-off Movements 6

F. Basic Tenets of Critical Race Theory 6

G. How Much Racism Is There in the World? 9

H. Organization of This Book 11

Questions and Comments for Chapter I 13

Suggested Readings 138

Glossary of Terms 141

Index 157

About the Authors 167

Customer Reviews:

Enlightening.......2005-07-11

This is an excellent introduction to critical race theory. Well-written and supported by fascinating examples, it provides an insightful introduction to the school of thought of which Richard Delgado was one of the founders. The reviewer who found it poorly supported and insighting hate is quite misguided, for this introduction does not draw enormous conclusions but rather makes humble suggestions. It is not surprising that it made the reviewer feel uncomfortable, for nobody likes to admit to his/her racisms, which is actually one of Delgado's ideas. Racism is too loaded of a word and this society needs to develop more vocabulary to describe such emotions/feelings.

Horribly twisted and disgusting.......2005-07-09

This book not portrays every white person in America as a racist, but does so in a racist manner itself. The book cites almost no facts to prove its assertions that whites are inwardly racist because of their being white, and that radical measures such as affirmative action across the board (in jobs, schooling, housing, etc.) needs to become common practice to "overcome the disadvantages of being Black." The book claims to want to help all poor members of society, but mentions poor whites only in passing. The book does not effectively prove any of its claims, instead using obviously exaggerated and unlikely examples to make a point. This book only incited anger in me, not sympathy for the "poor Black man."

Eye-opening! A Safe and Non-Threatening Introduction.......2004-04-12

This book will change the way you view race and ethnicity in America. The authors present material and concepts that have come out of critical race theory in a readable format that is accessible to everyone. Although you may be confused about how to pin down precisely what "critical race theory" is (unfortunately, the authors don't really explain the overarching concept very well), you will be exposed to a plethora of new and radical (?) ideas that no other book or class will likely have introduced you to, such as interest convergence, which is the idea that a law will only change in favor of blacks when it is also perceived as being favorable by whites for whites. There are plenty of anecdotes, cases, and questions to keep you on your toes. This book is written in such a way so that any introductory class in history or sociology could utilize the book. I highly recommend it to professors and instructors of these courses, or to the general reader interested in race in America. Agree or disagree with them, you can't come away from the ideas in this book without thinking, and you'll never look at the legal system in the United States in quite the same way again.

Introduction to Criminology: Theories, Methods, and Criminal Behavior (with InfoTrac)

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Introduction to Criminology: Theories, Methods, and Criminal Behavior (with InfoTrac)
Frank E. Hagan
Manufacturer: Wadsworth Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0534534449

Book Description

Formerly a Nelson Hall title, this text is a comprehensive introduction to the study of criminology, excluding additional chapters on the criminal justice system (police, courts, and corrections) as can be found in some texts. INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINOLOGY avoids an overly legal and crime control orientation. It concentrates on the vital core of criminological theory--theory, method, and criminal behavior. Hagan investigates all forms of criminal activity, such as occupational crime, political crime, and environmental crime. He explains the methods of operation, the effects on society, and how various theories account for criminal behavior.

An Introduction to Law and Social Theory

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An Introduction to Law and Social Theory
Reza Banakar , and Max Travers
Manufacturer: Hart Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Law | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1841132098

Book Description

This book introduces a wide range of sociological traditions, and how they can be used in investigating law and legal institutions.

Law in a Market Context: An Introduction to Market Concepts in Legal Reasoning

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Law in a Market Context: An Introduction to Market Concepts in Legal Reasoning
Robin Paul Malloy
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Law and Market Economy: Reinterpreting the Values of Law and Economics
Logic for Lawyers : A Guide to Clear Legal Thinking
Frontiers of Legal Theory

ASIN: 052101655X

Book Description

Robin Paul Malloy examines the way in which people experience the intersection of law, markets, and culture. He demonstrates the implications and the ambiguities of law in a market society through case examples, illustrative fact patterns, and problems based on hypothetical situations. His analysis provides a complete and accessible introduction to a vast array of economic terms, concepts, and ideas--making this book a valuable primer for anyone interested in understanding the use of market concepts in legal reasoning.

The Concept of a Legal System: An Introduction to the Theory of the Legal System

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The Concept of a Legal System: An Introduction to the Theory of the Legal System
Joseph Raz
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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Binding: Hardcover

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The Authority of Law
Practical Reason and Norms

ASIN: 019825363X

Book Description

What does it mean to assert or deny the existence of a legal system? How can one determine whether a given law belongs to a certain legal system? What kind of structure do these systems have, that is--what necessary relations obtain between their laws? The examination of these problems in this
volume leads to a new approach to traditional jurisprudential question, though the conclusions are based on a critical appraisal, particularly those of Bentham, Austin, Kelsen, and Hart.

Connecting Law and Society: An Introduction to Research and Theory

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Connecting Law and Society: An Introduction to Research and Theory
Robert L. Kidder
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall College Div
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0131678094

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