A General Theory of Crime

A General Theory of Crime PDF

Author: Michael R. Gottfredson

Publisher:

Published: 1990

Total Pages: 297

ISBN-13: 9780804717731

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By articulating a general theory of crime and related behavior, the authors present a new and comprehensive statement of what the criminological enterprise should be about. They argue that prevalent academic criminology—whether sociological, psychological, biological, or economic—has been unable to provide believable explanations of criminal behavior. The long-discarded classical tradition in criminology was based on choice and free will, and saw crime as the natural consequence of unrestrained human tendencies to seek pleasure and to avoid pain. It concerned itself with the nature of crime and paid little attention to the criminal. The scientific, or disciplinary, tradition is based on causation and determinism, and has dominated twentieth-century criminology. It concerns itself with the nature of the criminal and pays little attention to the crime itself. Though the two traditions are considered incompatible, this book brings classical and modern criminology together by requiring that their conceptions be consistent with each other and with the results of research. The authors explore the essential nature of crime, finding that scientific and popular conceptions of crime are misleading, and they assess the truth of disciplinary claims about crime, concluding that such claims are contrary to the nature of crime and, interestingly enough, to the data produced by the disciplines themselves. They then put forward their own theory of crime, which asserts that the essential element of criminality is the absence of self-control. Persons with high self-control consider the long-term consequences of their behavior; those with low self-control do not. Such control is learned, usually early in life, and once learned, is highly resistant to change. In the remainder of the book, the authors apply their theory to the persistent problems of criminology. Why are men, adolescents, and minorities more likely than their counterparts to commit criminal acts? What is the role of the school in the causation of delinquincy? To what extent could crime be reduced by providing meaningful work? Why do some societies have much lower crime rates than others? Does white-collar crime require its own theory? Is there such a thing as organized crime? In all cases, the theory forces fundamental reconsideration of the conventional wisdom of academians and crimina justic practitioners. The authors conclude by exploring the implications of the theory for the future study and control of crime.

An Analysis of Michael R. Gottfredson and Travish Hirschi's A General Theory of Crime

An Analysis of Michael R. Gottfredson and Travish Hirschi's A General Theory of Crime PDF

Author: William J Jenkins

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2017-07-05

Total Pages: 83

ISBN-13: 1351350056

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Michael R. Gottfredson and Travish Hirschi’s 1990 A General Theory of Crime is a classic text that helped reshape the discipline of criminology. It is also a testament to the powers of clear reasoning and interpretation. In critical thinking terms, reasoning is all about presenting a solid and persuasive case – and as many people instinctively understand, the most persuasive reasoning is that which bases itself on a single, simple hook. In Gottfredson and Hirschi’s case, this hook was what has come to be known as the “self-control theory of crime” – the idea that the tendency to commit crime is directly related to an individual’s level of self-control. While the dominant schools of thought of the time tended to focus on crime as the product of complex environmental factors, with little attempt to unify different theories, Gottfredson and Hirschi sought to interpret things so as to provide a single overarching concept that explained why crimes of all sorts were committed. Moreover, while other theories of crime concentrated on understanding and explaining specific types of law-breaking, the self-control model could, in Gottfredson and Hirschi’s view, be seen as the basis for understanding the root cause for all crime in all contexts. While such simplicity inevitably attracted as much criticism as agreement, subsequent studies have provided real-world corroboration for the General Theory’s persuasive reasoning.

Modern Control Theory and the Limits of Criminal Justice

Modern Control Theory and the Limits of Criminal Justice PDF

Author: Michael R. Gottfredson

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2020

Total Pages: 297

ISBN-13: 0190069805

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Modern Control Theory and the Limits of the Criminal Justice develops and extends the theory of self control advanced in Gottfredson and Hirschi's classic work A General Theory of Crime. Since it was first published, their general theory has been among the most discussed and researched perspectives in criminology. This book critically reviews the evidence about the theory, contrasting it with alternative perspectives, and argues in favor of prevention efforts during early childhood to deal with the many problems facing the criminal justice system in America.

Control Theories of Crime and Delinquency

Control Theories of Crime and Delinquency PDF

Author: Michael Gottfredson

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-11-30

Total Pages: 281

ISBN-13: 1351323709

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For the past twenty to thirty years, control theories of crime have been at the center of theoretical development in criminology. Key to the control theory perspective is the notion that crime is an inherently individual act, and its explanation requires that we focus on the characteristics of individuals who commit crimes. Consequently, control theory focuses on such issues as self-control and social control. The contributions to this volume explicate and extend the application of control theory. It is divided into three general areas. Part 1 focuses on key assumptions and components of control theories. Contributors discuss the notion of learning, or socialization, in the context of control theory and the effects that families, peers, and the criminal justice system have on self-control, social ties, and criminal behavior. Part 2 applies control theory to areas typically assumed to be out of the domain of self-control theory and social control theory, such as gender differences in crime, domestic violence, and group crime. Considering control theory's emphasis on explaining individual criminal acts, these chapters suggest an interesting area of development by highlighting the possibility that differences in crime across or within groups may begin with individual characteristics and then making inferences about groups and group processes. Part 3 approaches the explanation of crime cross-nationally and at the macro-level. Although the authors take different approaches, they all illustrate that a theory of crime does not require culture-specific elements in order to be a valid cross-cultural explanation. Contributors to this volume include: Robert Agnew, Todd Armstrong, Leana Allen Bouffard, Augustine Brannigan, Chester Britt, Barbara Costello, Maja Dekovic, Matt DeLisi, Michael Gottfredson, Henriette Haas, Kelly H. Hardwick, Travis Hirschi, Marianne Junger, Martin Killias, Helen Mederer, Kevin Thompson, and Alexander Vazsonyi.

An Analysis of Michael R. Gottfredson and Travish Hirschi's A General Theory of Crime

An Analysis of Michael R. Gottfredson and Travish Hirschi's A General Theory of Crime PDF

Author: William J Jenkins

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2017-07-05

Total Pages: 115

ISBN-13: 1351351842

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Michael R. Gottfredson and Travish Hirschi’s 1990 A General Theory of Crime is a classic text that helped reshape the discipline of criminology. It is also a testament to the powers of clear reasoning and interpretation. In critical thinking terms, reasoning is all about presenting a solid and persuasive case – and as many people instinctively understand, the most persuasive reasoning is that which bases itself on a single, simple hook. In Gottfredson and Hirschi’s case, this hook was what has come to be known as the “self-control theory of crime” – the idea that the tendency to commit crime is directly related to an individual’s level of self-control. While the dominant schools of thought of the time tended to focus on crime as the product of complex environmental factors, with little attempt to unify different theories, Gottfredson and Hirschi sought to interpret things so as to provide a single overarching concept that explained why crimes of all sorts were committed. Moreover, while other theories of crime concentrated on understanding and explaining specific types of law-breaking, the self-control model could, in Gottfredson and Hirschi’s view, be seen as the basis for understanding the root cause for all crime in all contexts. While such simplicity inevitably attracted as much criticism as agreement, subsequent studies have provided real-world corroboration for the General Theory’s persuasive reasoning.

The Craft of Criminology

The Craft of Criminology PDF

Author: John H. Laub

Publisher: Transaction Publishers

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 390

ISBN-13: 9780765801425

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Travis Hirschi is one of the most cited criminologists of the twentieth century, yet it is remarkable how little is known about his life and career. Known as spokesperson for social control theory, Hirschi has been a controversial figure. He has challenged popular theories in criminal career research as well as the need for longitudinal studies of offenders and criminal justice policies. For Hirschi, ideas are always tied to the mode of investigation and the mode of investigation is always tied to substantive concerns. Thus, substantive theoretical contribution and research methodology have been the twin driving forces throughout his career. John Laub's introduction combines a discerning account of Hirschi's life and work, accompanied by an interview with the author. He divides the volume into four parts. Part 1, "Methodological Issues," includes two essays, "Principles of Causal Analysis" and "False Criteria of Causality in Delinquency Research," coauthored with Hanan C. Selvin, "The Methodological Adequacy of Longitudinal Research on Crime," coauthored with Michael R. Gottfredson, and Hirschi's "Procedural Rules and the Study of Deviant Behavior." Part 2, "Causes and Correlates of Crime and Delinquency," encompasses Hirschi's "A Control Theory of Delinquency," "Causes and Prevention of Delinquency," and "Family Structure and Crime"; with Rodney Stark, "Hellfire and Delinquency"; with Michael J. Hindelang, "Intelligence and Delinquency: A Revisionist Review"; with Michael Gottfredson, "Age and the Explanation of Crime." Part 3, "A General Theory of Crime," consists of "The Distinction between Crime and Criminality," "The Generality of Deviance," "Causes of White Collar Crime," and "Control Theory and the Life Course Perspective," all coauthored with Michael R. Gottfredson. Part 4, "Critiques of Theories and Research in Criminology," consists of Hirschi's "Separate and Unequal is Better," along with "The True Value of Lambda Would Appear to be Zero," "Rethinking the Juvenile Justice System," and "National Crime Control Policies," all coauthored with Michael Gottfredson.

Handbook of the Sociology of Morality

Handbook of the Sociology of Morality PDF

Author: Steven Hitlin

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2010-10-17

Total Pages: 592

ISBN-13: 1441968962

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Human beings necessarily understand their social worlds in moral terms, orienting their lives, relationships, and activities around socially-produced notions of right and wrong. Morality is sociologically understood as more than simply helping or harming others; it encompasses any way that individuals form understandings of what behaviors are better than others, what goals are most laudable, and what "proper" people believe, feel, and do. Morality involves the explicit and implicit sets of rules and shared understandings that keep human social groups intact. Morality includes both the "shoulds" and "should nots" of human activity, its proactive and inhibitive elements. At one time, sociologists were centrally concerned with morality, issues like social cohesion, values, the goals and norms that structure society, and the ways individuals get socialized to reproduce those concerns. In the last half-century, however, explicit interest in these topics has waned, and modern sociology has become uninterested in these matters and morality has become marginalized within the discipline. But a resurgence in the topic is happening in related disciplines – psychology, neurology, philosophy, and anthropology - and in the wider national discourse. Sociology has much to offer, but is not fully engaged in this conversation. Many scholars work on areas that would fall under the umbrella of a sociology of morality but do not self-identify in such a manner, nor orient their efforts toward conceptualizing what we know, and should know, along these dimensions. The Handbook of the Sociology of Morality fills a niche within sociology making explicit the shared concerns of scholars across the disciplines as they relate to an often-overlooked dimension of human social life. It is unique in social science as it would be the first systematic compilation of the wider social structural, cultural, cross-national, organizational, and interactional dimension of human moral (understood broadly) thought, feeling, and behavior.

Social Control and Self-Control Theories of Crime and Deviance

Social Control and Self-Control Theories of Crime and Deviance PDF

Author: L.Edward Wells

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-07-05

Total Pages: 551

ISBN-13: 1351548506

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Control theories have dominated criminological theory and research since the 1969 publication of Hirschi's seminal work on the social bond. Social control and self-control theorists are unique in suggesting that patterns in criminal behaviors are better explained by variations in social constraints rather than by individual motivational impulses, thus indicating that their main concerns are the explication and clarification of the techniques, processes, and institutions of informal social control. The four major sections of this volume focus on: the similarities and differences among the major contributors to the early developmental stage of social control theory; the central importance of parents, peers, and schools in the creation of informal control mechanisms and their link to crime and delinquency; the theoretical underpinnings of self-control theory, including empirical tests and criticisms; and theoretical integrations of social control and self-control theories with various motivational theories of crime and delinquency.

The Generality of Deviance

The Generality of Deviance PDF

Author: Travis Hirschi

Publisher: Transaction Publishers

Published:

Total Pages: 310

ISBN-13: 9781412836968

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The Generality of Deviance advances the idea that all forms of deviant, criminal, reckless, and sinful behavior have one thing in common: the tendency to pursue immediate benefits without concern for long-term costs. The editors argue, and the contributors confirm, that such disparate behaviors as smoking, auto accidents, burglary, and rape are similar in that they all involve disregard for their inevitable consequences: poor health, injury, loss of freedom, shame, or disrepute. The chapters here show how various forms of deviance relate to one another and can be explained by a common theory involving self-management. The editors illustrate how the idea of self-control challenges the psychological concept of aggression and provides a more useful alternative for understanding deviant behavior. They also apply the theory to the family, showing how this institution is central to crime control. Other contributors bring fresh perspectives to a variety of topics: the uncanny similarities between victims of car accidents and perpetrators of crime; the connection between drugs and crime; feminist explanations of rape; gender differences in crime rates; drunk drivers among high school students; and the progression of a delinquent's life from adolescence to adulthood. In short, this book makes a convincing case that it is a waste of intellectual effort and public funds to treat different forms of crime and deviant behavior as distinct problems. Studied collectively, various crimes may be seen to have the same causes and, hence, one cure. The Generality of Deviance will be a significant and provocative addition to the libraries of criminologists, psychologists, and sociologists, those attempting to solve as well as to identify problems.

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