Introduction to Criminal Justice: Practice and Process
Third Edition
Learning Objectives
As a result of reading this chapter, you will be able to
- Explain the importance of criminology and how research contributes to public policy
- Distinguish between the classical and positivist schools of criminology and their explanations for criminality
- Explain how biological and physical traits have been used to explain criminality
- Describe how social structures in society— characteristics of urban environments and access to legitimate opportunities—create conditions conducive to crime
- Distinguish between three types of theories—learning, control, and labeling—that represent social process explanations of crime
- Explain why social conflict theorists believe that crime is a product of powerful groups who dominate less powerful groups to protect their interests
- Summarize the assumptions of feminist theories and how rates of female offending have changed over time
- Describe environmental criminology theories that explain why crime occurs
- Explain the three primary methods for measuring crime and advantages and disadvantages of each