Steven Briggs - Criminology For Dummies

Criminology For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2021936467

ISBN 978-1-119-77319-1 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-77321-4 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-77320-7

1 Cover

2 Title Page

3 Copyright

4 Introduction About This Book Foolish Assumptions Icons Used in This Book Beyond the Book Where to Go from Here

5 Part 1: Defining and Measuring Crime Chapter 1: Entering the World of Crime Defining the Terms: What Crime Is and How You Measure It Recognizing the Various Costs of Crime Considering Categories of Crime Figuring Out What Makes Someone Commit a Crime Waging a War against Crime Bringing Criminals to Justice Chapter 2: What Is Crime? Understanding the Two Categories of Criminal Activity Identifying Elements of a Criminal Law Linking Criminal Behavior to Cultural Mores Chapter 3: How Crime Is Measured and Why It Matters Gathering Crime Stats: How Much Crime Is There? Putting Crime Stats to Use Considering the Costs of Crime Chapter 4: Helping Those in the Wake of Crime: Victims Looking at the Historical Treatment of Victims Identifying the Impact of Crime on Victims Pinpointing Who Is Likely to Be Victimized Expanding Victim Services in the 21st Century Observing the Laws That Protect Victims’ Rights

6 Part 2: Identifying Types of Crime Chapter 5: Getting Violent: Crimes of Force Identifying Types of Violent Crimes Defining Homicide Attacking or Threatening Someone: Assault and Battery Forcing Sexual Contact: Rape, Sodomy, and Child Molestation Taking Property under the Threat of Violence: Robbery Kidnapping Pinpointing Causes of Violence Chapter 6: Hitting You in the Pocketbook: Property Crimes Categorizing Types of Theft Defining Property Damage Looking at the Causes of Property Crime Chapter 7: Dressing Sharp and Stealing Big: White-Collar Crimes Identifying Types of White-Collar Crime The Challenges of Investigating White-Collar Crime Prosecuting and Punishing White-Collar Crime Chapter 8: A Group Effort: Organized Crime and Gangs Grasping the Basics of Organized Crime Obsessing over the Italian Mafia Identifying Other Ethnic-Based Organized Crime Groups Looking at What Organized Crime Groups Do Fighting Organized Crime Getting an Inside Scoop on Criminal Gangs Chapter 9: Tackling a Worldwide Problem: The Narcotics Trade The Global Workings of Dealing Drugs Treating Drug Users Working to Prevent Drug Abuse Chapter 10: Front-Page News: Terrorism Structuring Terrorist Threats Recognizing Types of Terrorist Threats in the U.S. Acting Out of Hate: Distinguishing Hate Crimes Fighting Back against Terrorism

7 Part 3: Figuring Out Who Commits Crimes and Why Chapter 11: What Factors Lead to Crime? Noting Personal Characteristics That Many Criminals Share Looking at the Impact of Societal Conditions on Crime Studying the Impact of Atmospheric Changes Chapter 12: Regarding Crime as a Rational Decision: Rational Choice Theory Taking a Quick Tour through Classical Theory Calculating the Benefits and Drawbacks of Crime Creating Rational Deterrents to Crime Examining the Limits of Rational Choice Theory Chapter 13: Looking at Society’s Role in Crime Introducing Social Disorganization Theory Studying Strain Theory Considering Social Learning Theories Delving into Social Control Theories Chapter 14: Can Your Mind or Body Make You a Criminal? Biological Positivism: Trying to Link Appearance to Crime Wrestling with the Influence of Genetics Blaming the Brain Struggling with Mental Illness Dealing with a Personality Disorder Chapter 15: Critical Criminology: Theories off the Beaten Path Considering Someone a Criminal: Labeling Theory Exploring Feminist Theory Examining Leftist Realism: A Response to Law and Order Making Peace with Peacemaking Theory Seeking Healing through Restorative Justice

8 Part 4: Fighting Crime Chapter 16: Battling Crime at the Local Level Keeping the Streets Clean: The Players at the Local Level Thinking about Theories of Policing Chapter 17: Tackling Crime at the Federal Level Sorting through the Alphabet Soup of Federal Agencies Coordinating Federal and Local Efforts Chapter 18: Solving Crimes: The Process Responding to a Crime Scene Using Special Crime-Fighting Tools and Techniques

9 Part 5: Prosecuting and Punishing Crime Chapter 19: Seeking Justice in Court: The Players and Their Roles Prosecutors: Guardians of Safety Defense Attorneys: Guardians of Liberty Trial Judges: Overseeing the Justice Process Appellate Judges: Setting Legal Precedents Chapter 20: Finding the Truth: Pleading Guilty or Going to Trial Keeping It Local: Municipal Courts Movin’ On Up: State Court Systems Affecting the Whole Nation: The Federal Court System Negotiating a Plea Agreement Suppressing Evidence (or Not): The Pretrial Hearing Facing a Jury (or a Judge): The Process Chapter 21: Punishing the Guilty: Why and How Society Does It Understanding Theories of Punishment and Incarceration Placing Defendants in Custody Facing Challenges in the Prison System Placing Defendants on Probation Debating the Death Penalty Chapter 22: Examining the Juvenile Justice System Looking Back: The Historical Treatment of Juveniles Why Juveniles Are Treated Differently Walking through the Juvenile Justice Process Treating a Juvenile like an Adult Eyeing Modern Trends in Juvenile Justice