William S. Laufer – författare

This sixth volume of Advances in Criminological Theory is testimony to a resurgent interest in anomie-strain theory, which began in the mid- 1980s and continues unabated. Contributors focus on the new body of empirical research and theorizing that has been added to the anomie tradition that extends from Durkheim to Merton. The first section is a major, 75-page statement by Robert K. Merton, examining the development of the anomie-and-opportunity-structure paradigm and its significance to criminology., The Legacy of Anomie Theoy assesses the theory''s continuing usefulness, explains the relevance of Merton''s concept of goals/means disparity as a psychological mechanism in the explanation of delinquency, and compares strain theory with social control theory. A macrosociological theoretical formulation is used to explain the association between societal development and crime rates. In other chapters, anomie is used to explain white-collar crime and to explore the symbiotic relationship between Chinese gangs and adult criminal organizations within the cultural, economic, and political context of the American-Chinese community.

This sixth volume of Advances in Criminological Theory is testimony to a resurgent interest in anomie-strain theory, which began in the mid- 1980s and continues unabated. Contributors focus on the new body of empirical research and theorizing that has been added to the anomie tradition that extends from Durkheim to Merton. The first section is a major, 75-page statement by Robert K. Merton, examining the development of the anomie-and-opportunity-structure paradigm and its significance to criminology., The Legacy of Anomie Theoy assesses the theory''s continuing usefulness, explains the relevance of Merton''s concept of goals/means disparity as a psychological mechanism in the explanation of delinquency, and compares strain theory with social control theory. A macrosociological theoretical formulation is used to explain the association between societal development and crime rates. In other chapters, anomie is used to explain white-collar crime and to explore the symbiotic relationship between Chinese gangs and adult criminal organizations within the cultural, economic, and political context of the American-Chinese community.

New Directions in Criminological Theory focuses on new approaches to theory construction, with particular emphasis on reformulations and new applications of existing paradigms. It includes an assessment of labeling theory, demonstrating how the approach could become part of a more comprehensive explanation of crime. A case is made for studying crime in terms of the social context in which crimes are conceived, interpreted, and negotiated. The debate between crime-general and crime-specific approaches is further amplified. A rethinking of Hirschi''s control theory is presented. The volume includes theoretical discussions of spouse abuse, of punishment, and of power-control models. Additional chapters examine theoretical advances in corporate illegality, employee theft, and the alcohol/crime syndrome.These original contributions include: Charles F. Wellford and Ruth A. Triplett, ''The Future of Labeling Theory''; Austin T. Turk, ''A Proposed Resolution of Key Issues in the Political Sociology of Law''; David Weisburd and Lisa Maher, ''Contrasting Crime-General and Crime-Specific Theory''; Sally Simpson, ''Strategy, Structure, and Corporate Crime''; Edward W. Sieh, ''Employee theft''; Robert Nash Parker, ''Alcohol and Theories of Homicide''; Kimberly L. Kemph, ''The Empirical Status of Hirschi''s Control Theory''; Jeffrey Fagan, ''The Social Control of Spouse Assualt''; Marc Le Blanc and Aaron Caplan, ''Theoretical Formalization, A Necessity''; Michael J. Lynch, ''Control Theory and Punishment''; Gary F. Jensen, ''Power-Control vs. Social-Control Theories of Common Delinquency''; John Hagan, A.R. Gillis, and John Simpson, ''The Power of Control in Sociological Theories of Delinquency.''

New Directions in Criminological Theory focuses on new approaches to theory construction, with particular emphasis on reformulations and new applications of existing paradigms. It includes an assessment of labeling theory, demonstrating how the approach could become part of a more comprehensive explanation of crime. A case is made for studying crime in terms of the social context in which crimes are conceived, interpreted, and negotiated. The debate between crime-general and crime-specific approaches is further amplified. A rethinking of Hirschi''s control theory is presented. The volume includes theoretical discussions of spouse abuse, of punishment, and of power-control models. Additional chapters examine theoretical advances in corporate illegality, employee theft, and the alcohol/crime syndrome.These original contributions include: Charles F. Wellford and Ruth A. Triplett, ''The Future of Labeling Theory''; Austin T. Turk, ''A Proposed Resolution of Key Issues in the Political Sociology of Law''; David Weisburd and Lisa Maher, ''Contrasting Crime-General and Crime-Specific Theory''; Sally Simpson, ''Strategy, Structure, and Corporate Crime''; Edward W. Sieh, ''Employee theft''; Robert Nash Parker, ''Alcohol and Theories of Homicide''; Kimberly L. Kemph, ''The Empirical Status of Hirschi''s Control Theory''; Jeffrey Fagan, ''The Social Control of Spouse Assualt''; Marc Le Blanc and Aaron Caplan, ''Theoretical Formalization, A Necessity''; Michael J. Lynch, ''Control Theory and Punishment''; Gary F. Jensen, ''Power-Control vs. Social-Control Theories of Common Delinquency''; John Hagan, A.R. Gillis, and John Simpson, ''The Power of Control in Sociological Theories of Delinquency.''

This volume speaks to the fundamental issues inherent in trying to understand the who-what-where-and-whys of corporate crime. Only in addressing these larger issues does it become possible to begin to integrate the study of corporate crime into the larger criminological theory literature. A collection of chapters by experts in the field grapples with three deceptively simple questions:

In the first section, chapter authors wrestle with what it means for a corporation to have agency enough to commit a violation of law as well as what philosophies of punishment might apply when there is no body to jail. The second section focuses attention on the often unnamed, ambiguous, or even ignored victims of corporate crime. Many authors in this section take a broad view of “victimization,” speaking to the ways in which the intentional acts of corporations produce negative consequences for individuals and society at large through both the violation of law and the use of corporate power to produce laws that do not problematize corporate behavior. The third section turns to issues in corporate offending research, including the circumstances that beget offending, how corporations may be thought to have “life courses,” and the role of the State in structuring criminal opportunity. The editors wrap up the volume by proposing a framework for developing a more comprehensive system of criminal responsibility for corporate actors.

The chapters in this volume underscore the failures of the current system and are intended to inspire readers to push for change. This important work will be of interest to a wide range of criminologists and has potential to shape the future of corporate crime theory and research. It is ideal for use in graduate seminars and upper-level undergraduate courses.

This volume speaks to the fundamental issues inherent in trying to understand the who-what-where-and-whys of corporate crime. Only in addressing these larger issues does it become possible to begin to integrate the study of corporate crime into the larger criminological theory literature. A collection of chapters by experts in the field grapples with three deceptively simple questions:

In the first section, chapter authors wrestle with what it means for a corporation to have agency enough to commit a violation of law as well as what philosophies of punishment might apply when there is no body to jail. The second section focuses attention on the often unnamed, ambiguous, or even ignored victims of corporate crime. Many authors in this section take a broad view of “victimization,” speaking to the ways in which the intentional acts of corporations produce negative consequences for individuals and society at large through both the violation of law and the use of corporate power to produce laws that do not problematize corporate behavior. The third section turns to issues in corporate offending research, including the circumstances that beget offending, how corporations may be thought to have “life courses,” and the role of the State in structuring criminal opportunity. The editors wrap up the volume by proposing a framework for developing a more comprehensive system of criminal responsibility for corporate actors.

The chapters in this volume underscore the failures of the current system and are intended to inspire readers to push for change. This important work will be of interest to a wide range of criminologists and has potential to shape the future of corporate crime theory and research. It is ideal for use in graduate seminars and upper-level undergraduate courses.

Criminology has developed strong methodological tools over the past decades, establishing itself as a competitive and sophisticated social science. Despite and perhaps because of its emphasis on matters of design, methodology, and quantitative analysis, criminology has had few significant advances in theory. Advances in Criminological Theory is the first publication exclusively dedicated to the dissemination of original work on criminological theory. It was created to overcome the neglect of theory construction and validation in existing criminological publications, as well as to further the free exchange of ideas, propositions, and postulates. This first volume of the series meets this challenge.

Criminology has developed strong methodological tools over the past decades, establishing itself as a competitive and sophisticated social science. Despite and perhaps because of its emphasis on matters of design, methodology, and quantitative analysis, criminology has had few significant advances in theory. Advances in Criminological Theory is the first publication exclusively dedicated to the dissemination of original work on criminological theory. It was created to overcome the neglect of theory construction and validation in existing criminological publications, as well as to further the free exchange of ideas, propositions, and postulates. This first volume of the series meets this challenge.