Criminology

Illustrating how criminological ideas and research can be put into practice, "Criminology in Action" features include real-world examples of research along with discussions of how scholarship can influence policy. For example, Chapter 8 turns the spotlight on the Center for Restorative Justice program, which uses nonviolent restorative techniques to help people avoid criminal prosecution, while Chapter 6 highlights the Rainier Scholars program, an educational enrichment program that offers a pathway to college graduation and career development for students of color in Greater Seattle.

"Crime of the Century" features present actual crimes that help to illustrate chapter concepts. Crimes covered include the Petit family murders, the case of whistleblower Edward Snowden and the St. Paul School rape involving Owen Labrie and Chessy Prout, two students at an elite private prep school in New Hampshire.

Maximizing study time and course success, chapter learning objectives spell out what students should learn in each chapter and are reinforced through their linkage to end-of-chapter summaries as well as text ancillary materials.

Each chapter ends with an extensive critical thinking feature that asks students to react to an actual or hypothetical case that is complex and multifaceted. For example: A social program offers financial aid to a sexual assault victim so the perpetrator can be restored to society and get on with his life. Is this a legitimate way to promote healing or merely a bribe?

Updated with the latest issues, cases and examples, the 8th Edition provides insightful discussions on current topics influencing the field of criminology, including the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on crime rates, the death of George Floyd and its aftermath, Jeffrey Epstein and human trafficking, sexual assaults on campus and the Brock Turner case, internet extortion, the threat of ransomware and more.

Drawing from the most recent research available, the text gives students valuable insights into issues that are critical to the field, including empirical evidence of racial bias in the justice system (Chapter 1), trends in gun violence (Chapter 2), whether crime can be deterred by security devices (Chapter 4), the effect of a criminal record on college acceptance (Chapter 7) and findings about why it is so hard to desist from crime (Chapter 9).