"Introduction to Criminal Justice" is the first textbook to approach theories and practices of criminal justice from a sociological perspective. It empowers students to develop expertise in criminal justice and understand how its central tenets are informed by broader sociological principles and concepts, such as power, race, gender, and class.
This text is organized around five themes: justice, police, courts, corrections, and crime control. Offering both foundational and contemporary texts, theoretical and empirical discussions, and quantitative and qualitative approaches, the readings underscore the inextricable relationship between social structures and the criminal justice system. This comprehensive text will expose students to some of the best thinking and research in the field.

"Introduction to Criminal Justice" is the first textbook to approach theories and practices of criminal justice from a sociological perspective. It empowers students to develop expertise in criminal justice and understand how its central tenets are informed by broader sociological principles and concepts, such as power, race, gender, and class.
This text is organized around five themes: justice, police, courts, corrections, and crime control. Offering both foundational and contemporary texts, theoretical and empirical discussions, and quantitative and qualitative approaches, the readings underscore the inextricable relationship between social structures and the criminal justice system. This comprehensive text will expose students to some of the best thinking and research in the field.

Stucky argues, using insights from political resource theory, that the local political context (form of government, city council structure and partisanship of elections) affects the ability of citizens to make their concerns heard in local government and, consequently, their ability to organize against crime. Additionally, he argues that local political systems that are more susceptible to citizen pressure will have relatively more police. These hypotheses are tested on U.S. cities with 25,000 or more residents in 1991. Results suggest that the effect of social disorganization on crime rates depends on the local political system. Results also suggest that the relative size of police departments in 1991 varies by local political context.

Many textbooks provide summaries and critiques of criminological theories, which are often supported by empirical evidence. However, this evidence is only as good as the research methods that were used to generate it. Where do these "facts" come from, and how reliable are they?
Researching Theories of Crime and Deviance offers a critical evaluation of the research methods that generate data, bridging the gap between theory and research in the study of crime and deviant behavior. This unique resource challenges students to carefully appraise--rather than blindly accept--the research techniques that are used to produce theories and scholarship.
In clear and engaging language, noted criminologists Charis E. Kubrin, Thomas D. Stucky, and Marvin D. Krohn assess the various research methods that have been used to test nine theoretical perspectives of crime. As they examine the processes and challenges of conducting theoretically directed research, the authors focus on sampling, measurement, and analytical issues. Coverage includes:
* Rational Choice/Deterrence Theory
* Trait Theories
* Social Disorganization Theory
* Anomie/Strain Theory
* Social Learning Theory
* Social Control Theory
* Labeling Theory
* Conflict Theory
* Integrated Theory
A dynamic and compelling text, Researching Theories of Crime and Deviance demystifies the research process, encouraging students to become better informed readers and researchers. It serves as an excellent resource for criminological theory courses, graduate-level research methods courses, and seminars that take a close look at the development of criminological theory and/or methods.