Essential Criminology

by Stuart Henry, Desiré J. M. Anastasia

Overview

This significantly expanded edition of Essential Criminology covers the broadest range of criminological theories—the essential criminological theories—from longstanding ones such as classical theory and strain theory to recently introduced ones such as ultra-realism and green cultural criminology. Whether all are “essential” depends on one’s theoretical stance. The value of this text is its carefully designed comparative analysis, which helps readers consider their relative contribution to the field. 

Originally designed as an alternative to lengthy and expensive introductory texts, Essential Criminology provides a concise, yet comprehensive overview of the field. The book offers a clear, structured, student-friendly, critical analytical examination of the nature of crime, theories of crime causation, and their criminal justice policy implications. Causal theories covered range from micro-level classical and rational choice to biological psychological, social learning, social control, and interactionist perspectives, to macro-level social ecology, anomie/strain, conflict, Marxist, feminist, and postmodernist theories. Over its 26-year history the book has added new theoretical perspectives as these have gained prominence. New to this edition are chapters on critical and ultra-realism, and critical green criminology and discussions of zemiology, critical race theory, and quantum holographic criminology. The authors have also expanded some theoretical frameworks that had previously been underdeveloped such as opportunity theory, subcultural theory, and social constructionism.

Essential Criminology contextualizes criminology in the globally interdependent 21st century, addressing the crimes of terrorism, global pandemics, and climate change. With its cutting-edge updates, illustrative real-world examples, and student-friendly study tools, including analytically comparable summary charts exposing each theory's ontological assumptions, this text was designed primarily for undergraduate criminology courses, but has also been adopted by community colleges and graduate programs in criminology, sociology, and political science.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367760731
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/08/2025
Edition description:	5th ed.
Pages:	516
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Stuart Henry, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus of Criminology and Criminal Justice at San Diego State University where he was Director of the School of Public Affairs (2006-2017). He is the author/coauthor of 37 books and 125 articles in academic journals and book chapters. His published co-authored works include: Social Deviance (2019), Responding to School Violence (2014), Criminological Theory (2006), and Constitutive Criminology: Beyond Postmodernism (1996).

Desiré J. M. Anastasia, Ph.D., is Professor of Sociology at Metropolitan State University of Denver and Instructor of Criminal Justice at San Diego State University. She is the co-author of four books and three articles in academic books and book chapters. Employed as a teaching scholar, she has instructed over 240 sections of courses in Sociology, Criminology, and Criminal Justice.

 

Table of Contents

1. What is Crime? Defining the Problem

2. What is Criminology? The Study of Crime, Criminals, and Victims

3. Crime and Criminology in a Global Context?

4. Measuring Crime: How Criminologists Obtain Data on the Extent of Crime and Victimization

5. Classical, and Neoclassical Theories: Crime as Free Will– Myth or Reality?

6. Rational-Choice, and Routine Activities Theories: Crime as Opportunity

7. Biological, Physiological, and Biosocial Theories: "Born to Be Bad"

8. Psychoanalytical, Personality Traits, and Learning Explanations: Criminal Minds

9. Socio-Psychological and Cognitive Learning Theories: "Stinking Thinking"

10. Neutralization and Moral Disengagement Theories: “Everybody Does it”

11. Social Control, Social Bonding, and Self-Control Theories: “Poor Parenting"

12. Developmental and Life-Course Theories: Crime Over Time

13. Labeling and Social Constructionist Theories: Reaction to Social Control

14. Social Ecology and Social Disorganization Theories: Crimes of Place

15. Anomie and Strain Theories: The Sick Society

16. Subcultural Theories and Cultural Criminology: Cultures of Crime

17. Conflict and Radical Criminology: Capitalism as a Criminogenic Society

18.  Critical Criminology: Power and Difference in Postmodern Society

19. Feminist Criminology: Patriarchy, Gender, and Crime

20. Critical Realist and Critical Green Criminology: Grounding Critical Criminology    

21. Integrated Criminology: Toward a Unified Criminology

Editorial Reviews

Theories are presented comprehensively, intelligently, systematically, fairly, and with proper critical evaluation.”

Paul Leighton, Eastern Michigan University, US.A.

"Essential Criminology brings a breath of fresh air to my course at the same time it provides the materials to cover a very important but very difficult topic: theorizing about crime itself."

Sandra Quinn, St. Ambrose University, U.S.A.

"No other text on theories of crime can compete with Essential Criminology's precise coverage of core theories in crime causation or with its seductive encouragement to actively engage the respective theories. This book will not only appeal to students but also to those seeking a comprehensive, critical reference text."

Dragan Milovanovic, Northeastern Illinois University, U.S.A.

From the Publisher