Key Concepts in Crime and Society

Professor Ross Coomber is teaches Criminology at Griffith University, Australia.  Dr. Joseph Donnermeyer is a Professor of Rural Sociology at Ohio State University.  Professor Karen McElrath is a Professor of Criminal Justice at Fayetteville State University. John Scott, PhD, is a Professor in the School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Science at the University of New England. His primary research interests are in the fields of sociology (sociology of gender, health and sexuality) and criminology (sociology of deviance and social control). A common theme in his research has been a concern with marginalized social populations and the development of critical and interpretive perspectives to understand the experiences of and social reactions to such populations. He specializes in qualitative methodologies, especially interviews and focus groups.

A crucial text for whetting the academic appetite of those studying criminology at university. The comprehensive engagement with key crime and deviance debates and issues make this a perfect springboard for launching into the complex, diverse and exciting realm of researching criminology.

• SECTION ONE: UNDERSTANDING CRIME AND CRIMINALITYCrime (definition of)Deviance (definition of)Crime in pre-industrial society; crime in modern societies; crime in post-modern societyThe criminal justice systemSocial construction of crime and devianceCrime and theorySocial Control, Governance and GovernmentalityResearching crimeCrime statisticsPrevalence, incidence and incident of crimeRisk from crimeRisk of becoming criminally involved: why do people commit crimeFear and the fear of crimePoverty and exclusionVictims of crimeNormalisationGender and crimeYouth and crimeRace/ethnicity and crimeWhite collar/middle class and corporate class crimeSECTION TWO: TYPES OF CRIME AND CRIMINALITYHuman trafficking/slaverySex workVictimless crimeDrug related crime and violenceGangsEnvironmental crime and green criminologyRural crimeInternet/cyber crimeState CrimeWar CrimeTerrorismViolence/Interpersonal ViolenceSECTION THREE: RESPONSES TO CRIMECrime and the MediaMoral PanicsPolice and PolicingDeterrence and PreventionPunishmentPrisonsRehabilitationAlternatives to Imprisonment