In the fourth edition of "Essential Criminology," authors Mark M. Lanier, Stuart Henry, and Desire J.M. Anastasia build upon this best-selling critical review of criminology, which has become essential reading for students of criminology in the 21st century.
Designed as an alternative to overly comprehensive, lengthy, and expensive introductory texts, "Essential Criminology" is, as its title implies, a concise overview of the field. The book guides students through the various definitions of crime and the different ways crime is measured. It then covers the major theories of crime, from individual-level, classical, and rational choice to biological, psychological, social learning, social control, and interactionist perspectives. In this latest edition, the authors explore the kind of criminology that is needed for the globally interdependent twenty-first century. With cutting-edge updates, illustrative real-world examples, and new study tools for students, this text is a necessity for both undergraduate and graduate courses in criminology.

Crime, Justice, and Social Control explores formal and informal dimensions of social control and demonstrates that law and the criminal justice system are set within the wider context of social control. Combining theory with key policy issues, the text addresses the challenges facing criminal justice practitioners, researchers, and elected officials. Part I outlines the origins and types of social control from a sociological perspective. Parts II through V build on these foundational theories by further exploring adjudication and sentencing, policing and investigations, and correctional policies and issues. Each section raises key questions under discussion by academics, policymakers, and elected officials, and helps students understand the complexity and range of challenges faced by those involved in the criminal justice process. The revised second edition features readings on the topics of moral panics, undocumented persons and border policing, private and public policing, racial profiling, wrongful convictions, mass incarceration, prisoner reentry, and the criminalization of school discipline in the United States. Crime, Justice, and Social Control is suitable for introductory courses in criminal justice, as well as courses in social control and criminal justice policy.

Crime, Law, and Justice provides students with a comprehensive introduction to the field of criminal justice and the criminal justice system. Based on both criminological research and theoretical analysis, the anthology addresses crime in society, victimization, criminological theories, policing and law enforcement, and more. Students read articles on the politics of criminological research, historical and contemporary perspectives on policing, and criminal prosecution. Specific chapters address the due process of law, plea bargaining, juvenile justice, and the current scale of imprisonment in the United States. The second edition features new readings on probation, parole, and community corrections; plea bargaining; criminal profiling; bail; and the politics of victimization. Crime, Law, and Justice asks critical questions about the criminal justice system, encouraging students to consider why it functions as it does and if there are ways to improve it. The text is suitable for introductory courses in criminology and criminal justice. It is also a valuable tool for classes in sociology, police administration, and criminal or constitutional law.