20 Best Criminology Books- Expert’s View On the biggest Crimes Of All The Time

With the increasing crime globally the interest in criminology is also increasing. Understanding criminology requires a lot of effort until and unless you get proper guidance. New paper, television, or radio there are various means that provide you with regular stuff of crime on a daily basis that includes crime such as robbery, murder, kidnapping, cybercrime, and more. Observing so many crimes globally many question raise in your mind, for example, how does it happen? why do people commit the crime? how can it be controlled? what measures can be taken to protect yourself from the crime? and more.

Well, if you have questions in your exploring mind this article is your answer, now wondering does this article contains all the answers, well a big NO. This exclusive article comprises of the loophole to your curiosity, it contains the best criminology books to understand the mindset of criminals, how the specific crime took place and all the unanswered questions in your mind. So get ready to acknowledge the best criminology books that can open mind pores and make you a non-professional detective.

20 best books on criminology books for beginners to professionals

The War on Cops-How the New Attack on Law and Order Makes Everyone Less Safe

Author: Heather Mac Donald 

Published In: 2016

the war of cops: best criminology books

When you talk about books on criminology you cannot skip this gem. This book is on violent crime that has been rising sharply in many American cities after two decades of decline. This book involves the expansion of mac Donald’s groundbreaking and controversial reporting on the Ferguson effect and the criminal-justice system. Everybody might have heard the phrase that either raise your voice or stand with who is rising Mac Donald is that voice that stands for many residents of high-crime neighborhoods who want proactive policing. This suspense and criminology book is a call for a more honest and versed deliberation about policing, crime, and race, before the public safety gains of the last twenty years are lost. So if you are a fan of criminology this book is a must for your bookshelf.

Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology

Author: Michael G. Maxfield, Earl R. Babbie 

Published In: 1994

This wondrous book features the real-world examples and extensive exploration of qualitative methods, the market-leading Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology collectively informs about the scholarship and accuracy. This book also involves the controversial essence of Earl Babbie’s best-selling The Practice Of Social Research with Mike Maxfield’s expertise in criminology and criminal justice. The author has effectively worked on the most comprehensive, authoritative introduction to criminal justice research and intensified with new and compelling examples such as cannabis cultivation, violence prevention, research, applications, and built-in study tools. This is the best engagement for the who loves to read DOING research.

Women, Gender, and Crime-A Text/Reader- Third Edition

Author: Stacy L. Mallicoat 

Published In: 2018

When you talk about gender discrimination and gender crime Women, Gender, and Crime: A Text/Reader, Third Edition is what you are talking about. This book addresses the major issues like gender, crime, and criminal justice in context through edited research articles enhanced by brief authored sections. The article petitioned in the book is specifically demonstrated the application of the concepts presented in the text. This book is great influence that takes measures on transformative feminist criminology, human trafficking, gender-specific programs for juveniles, the impact of social ties on long term recidivism, social relationships and group dynamics for female inmates, and more. Updated statistics, graphs, and tables have brought trends in criminology which is highly appreciated by the readers. The book also contains updated case studies present compelling examples that connect concepts to real-life occurrences by covering key issues, such as, sexual victimization at military academies, stalking on college campuses, pregnancy and policing, and self-care for victim advocates. 

CrimComics Issue 1-Origins of Criminology

Author: Krista S. Gehring, Michael R. Batista 

Published In: 2016

CrimComics is way new approach towards criminological theory by that engages students with impactful, highly observed and visualized embellished texts. CrimComics contains various issues that focus on the traces the development of the theory referencing it with social and political context not only that it also illustrates its application to the real world. This is an amazing book to understand the origins of criminology and is specifically designed for students with the review questions and key terms featured on the last page of each issue.

Fundamentals of Criminology-New Dimensions, Second Edition

Author: Kelly Frailing, Dee Wood Harper 

Published In: 2013

This second edition is all about comprehensive and coherent introduction to the discipline of criminology. The title itself is self-explanatory that focuses on significant theories of crime causation, classic and current empirical tests of those theories, and the strengths and weaknesses and policy implications of each.

The book explores significant terms like victimology, defines types of crime, and provides current crime rates, trends over time, and theoretical explanations, as well as exploring connections between criminology and criminal justice policy and a number of persisting issues for coupled disciplines. The book includes new dimensions in this edition that include an updated list of facts about crime, expanded theories of victimization, the misuse of prescription drugs, the new definition of rape from the FBI, rape and sexual assault on campus, and, perhaps most exciting, an entirely new chapter on crime in specific contexts and emerging criminologies. This book is worthy enough for the one who has the ability and desire to pose important questions for the future of both criminology and criminal justice.

Criminology-Connecting Theory, Research and Practice

Author: Aida Y. Hass, Chris Moloney, William J. Chambliss 

Published In: 2011

Criminology-Connecting Theory, Research and Practice is a comprehensive overview of crime in American society, including the nature and meaning of crime and American criminal law as well as the scientific study of crime. This book holds the theory, research, and practice are the heart and soul of criminology. Not only that the book also offers a balanced introduction to criminology, demonstrating the value of understanding the relationships between criminological theory, research, and practice in the study of crime and criminal behavior. The author practiced the case studies and thought-provoking features that encourage students to create a critical perspective and also provide a foundation for understanding criminology as a systematic apparently indoctrinated science. This know it all book involves all the aspects of crime that require spotlight and healing attention.

Criminology-Theories, Patterns, and Typologies

Author: Larry J. Siegel 

Published In: 1983

Criminology-Theories, Patterns, and Typologies is the best selling book that delivers the most coherent, in-depth analysis of criminological theory and crime typologies possibly explicating you how criminology correlates with criminal justice policy. The book involves the unbiased presentation of theories, issues, and controversies. Dr. Siegel not only encourages you to weigh the evidence and form your own conclusions but helps you explore your won way of thinking.

The text also includes cutting-edge seminal research, up-to-the-minute policy, numerous new references, and new material on the legalization of marijuana, ISIL and terrorism, mass shootings, cybercrime, green crime, and transnational crime.  The author provokes you to put extra study efforts through chapter objectives, focus on end-of-chapter reviews, key concepts, concepts summary tables, and newsworthy examples and definite tools that can really help you to apply the concepts in the real world.

LooseLeaf for Criminology

Author: Freda Adler, William S Laufer, Gerhard O. W Mueller

Published In: 2017

LooseLeaf for Criminology include the twenty-first-century criminology case studies. This book contains various editions and the 9th Edition opens with an overview of criminology and its meaning and goes on to discuss the world of crime, types of crime, criminal behavior, and the criminal justice system. The author offers a great understanding to the students on this complex matter. The course offers a smartbook, ents to master, an adaptive reading and study experience which guides students to master, recall, and apply key concepts while providing automatically-graded assessments.

This is book is a must-read to understand the current scenario of the crime, criminal behavior and justice policies.

Research Methods in Crime and Justice

Author: Brian L. Withrow

Published In: 2013

Research Methods in Crime and Justice, 2nd Edition, is a contemporary guide for undergraduate Criminal Justice Research Methods courses. The material comprises of fundamental teaching issues such as how to show students that success as criminal justice practitioners is linked to their acquisition of research skills. The author demonstrates that research skills aren’t just vital to university academic researchers but to thriving criminal justice practitioners as well.

This book provides the examples throughout the text rely on research that is conducted by, on behalf of, or relevant to criminal justice practitioners to engage readers like no other. Research Methods in Crime and Justice emphasizes extensive persistence of determination, qualitative research methods, measurement and evaluation research methods. The mentioned downloadable journal articles ensure students begin to think critically about research and intellectually turn out to be a scholar.

Leading Theories Of Delinquent Behavior And Criminology

Author: Rajub Bhowmik

Published In: 2017

Leading Theories of Delinquent Behavior and Criminology covers major theories of crime, delinquent behavior, and criminology. This introductory primer criminology book demonstrates the contemporary uses of each criminological theory and summarizes the major points of each. The text primarily focuses on providing students with the uncomplicated elucidation of each theory’s fundamental concepts and perspectives. This book offers a fruitful approach to understanding major theories of crime, delinquent behavior, and criminology.

Feminist Criminology through a Biosocial Lens, Second Edition

Author: Anthony Walsh, Jamie C. Vaske 

Published In: 2011

Why always and everywhere males commit more criminal acts than females? heard the term but does not know the answer. Well, Feminist Criminology through a Biosocial Lens is the book based on the single most important fact that criminology theories must be able to explain. Feminist criminology has multiple attempts to be explained as it relies on conceptual and theoretical tools from a single discipline that is sociology. The author tries to explain the gender differences in crime from the sociological perspective. It shows the reasons that it may not be possible because it excludes biological sex, the powerful underlying base of gender. The book comprises the example that can clarify the scenario and perception of about female criminals. This exceptional account resembles the feminist criminology in general and biosocial perspective that there is nothing illiberal about it and that biology can be a very powerful ally for criminology. The book ranges on terms such as sociology, anthropology, psychology, behavioral and molecular genetics, the neurosciences, and evolutionary biology to attempt to answer the gender ratio problem. This is a must-read in order to understand violence, rape, feminist criminology and is recommended to each person to notice the crime against women and done by women.

The Roots of Danger-Violent Crime in Global Perspective

Author: Elliott Currie 

Published In: 2009

Crime is vital and so as performed globally by numerous criminals. Well, it is the fact that crime doesn’t see caste creed gender, locality, region or country. Though some societies are relatively safe and peaceful whereas, in others, violent crime is a pervasive and devastating fact of life. In The Roots of Danger: Violent Crime in Global Perspective is an explanation and is the answer to the question raised globally that why some societies around the world are more violent than others. The book opens up with the explanation on violent crimes and discussing how they are measured, account then presents a variety of theories on the phenomenon of violent crime, theories that don’t work are also mentioned as it is examined by own. The book concludes with the future of violence in the light of social, economic, and political changes that are transforming global society. Throughout the text, the author has given effective examples from around the world that specifies the similarity between roots of violence across the globe. Concise, accessible, and affordable text is designed to take a deep dive in diverse courses based on crime taking place globally.

Criminology Today-An Integrative Introduction

Author: Frank Schmalleger 

Published In: 1995

Criminology Today: An Integrative Introduction is a study of criminology that offer students clear, contemporary, and comprehensive introduction to criminology that stimulates analytical thinking about the causes of crime and crime-prevention strategies.  The book helps you to see and analyse the link between crime theories and crime policies. Updated account not only contains new information, theories, and statistics but also includes new stories about the 2015 mass shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC. A new Annotated and Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht. Instructor’s Edition is also available that can help instructors to create instantly and effortlessly helpful lecture notes, discussion ideas, and class assignments. This book is a continuous experience and provides an interactive learning environment for students.

Criminological Theory-The Essentials

Author: Stephen G. Tibbetts

Published In: 2011

Criminological Theory: The Essentials, Third Edition works on a brief and thorough overview of classic and up-to-date criminologists and their theories. This book involves the theory in the context of the author’s examined policy implications brought about by theoretical viewpoints to demonstrate, the book features the practical application of theories to contemporary social problems.

Its third edition is entirely dedicated to feminist perspectives and introduces you to feminist models of crime while underscoring the importance of examining the related research. The account also offers the case studies that help you to apply the theories to discuss. Coverage involves crucial and critical topics that address important issues such as the influence of employment on criminal behavior, the success of school programs in diminishing negligent behavior, and federal sentencing guidelines in regard to crack versus powder cocaine. With, statistics, graphs, and tables the book is easy to understand trends in criminology. Coverage of critical topics has been expanded throughout to introduce you to important issues, such as the influence of employment on criminal behavior, the success of school programs in reducing delinquent behavior, and federal sentencing guidelines concerning crack versus powder cocaine. Statistics, graphs, and tables have all been updated to demonstrate the most recent trends in criminology.

The Crime Book-Big Ideas Simply Explained

Author: DK

Published In: 2017

The Crime Book is a significant guide that on criminology, that focuses on the most infamous cases of all time, from serial criminals to mob lynching to war crimes and the list goes on. This crime book is a complete study of international true crime history. The author unwraps the shocking accounts through infographics and in-depth analysis that imparts key detail and experience. The account demonstrates the science, persuasion, and sociology of criminal behavior. You tend to read profiles of villains, victims, and detectives by understanding human psychology. The book focuses to learn about the clue and follow the end to end investigation and study the police and detective work of each case. The book comprises of the cases of kidnapping, murder and much more.

This Crime account is a complete abstract for crime aficionados to add to their compilation. The set of award-winning books collectively involves erudition required for readers-students, families, or crime readers obsessive to work on the mind to think out of the box.

Forensic Child Psychology-Working in the Courts and Clinic

Author: Matthew Fanetti, William T. O’Donohue, Rachel Fondren-Happel, Kresta N. Daly

Published In: 2014

This effective guide focuses on children in the criminal justice system. An account solely intended to train psychology, criminology, and social work scholars to work with minors in the criminal justice system. Not only in the courtroom but also clinical clients—Forensic Child Psychology presents current research. The author proves to be an outstanding expert in child psychology, forensic interviewing, and criminal prosecution. This book provides accurate information about children involved in legal proceedings, preparing professionals that involve Children who are victims of crime,

Children who are perpetrators of crime, Children who are witnesses of crime. Coverage includes topics mandated reporting, the structure of puerile justice and advocacy systems that not enough book also contains sidebars, summaries, glossaries, and study questions to aid with material education. This book is an invaluable source for readers who are willing to understand child psychopathology in psychology or deal into social work, nursing, and criminal justice and education.

Criminology-The Core

Author: Larry J. Siegel

Published In: 1992

 Larry Siegel is hands down the best-selling author in Criminal Justice. He beautifully showcases the real-life stories of crime, criminals, and the most passionate debates in the field. His work involves clear, engaging, and completely current theories and that never disappoints readers. This 4th edition involves four-colour paperback that is very much concise and affordable.

His account efficiently practices real-world material to engage readers and illuminates concepts and theories, equipping students with a solid foundation in modern criminology. This book involves all realistic coverage of all sides of an issue without taking a political or theoretical position and provides a broad view of the incorporative nature of the domain. The edition focuses on the latest insights of political crime, terrorism, cybercrime, human trafficking and many other topics. With video cases, career scenarios, visual summaries and more students can practice and master techniques and key concept and more.

Essential Criminology

Author: Mark M. Lanier

Published In: 1998

In the fourth edition of Essential Criminology, authors Mark M. Lanier, Stuart Henry, and Desiré 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.

Toward a Unified Criminology-Integrating Assumptions about Crime, People and Society

Author: Robert Agnew

Published In: 2011

There are many questions in which crime is wrapped like Why crimes are committed? How to control crime? well, it is true that answers are not perfect and work on the same. All theories and summaries lie under assumptions built by the factors that include the nature of the crime, free will, human nature, and society. 

These assumptions have a significant impact on criminology that include factors like what criminologists study, the causes they investigate, the control strategies they recommend, and how they test their theories and estimate crime-control strategies. This is an amazing book to understand the mentality of a criminologist and their approach and thought process towards crime. This book highly focuses on research, perspectives, methods of data collection to understand the range of crime and criminology.

Today’s White-Collar Crime-Legal, Investigative, and Theoretical Perspectives

Author: Hank J. Brightman 

Published In: 2009

Well, it is no surprise that there are crimes which take place as a white-collar crime such as corruption, misuse of government office, nepotism, and bribery and more. This book takes a deep dive on crimes of white-collar people that corrupts society commits the crime of forgery. The book comprises of the basic theories and typologies usually encountered offences on might be the basis by many people such as fraud, forgery, embezzlement, and currency counterfeiting all the terms mentioned are counted under the white-collar crime. This account focuses on investigative tools and analytical techniques that can be utilized by students that wish to pursue careers in this field. The book shares complicated connections between the misuse of power and abuse of trust for example misuse of government office, nepotism, and bribery and the realm of corporate corruption. This practical book is a must-read to understand the crime stated by reputative personnel and their take on misusing the trust shown to them by common people. So if you are willing to be an income tax officer add this book to your bookshelf.

Conclusion

Criminology is a vast term and contains a lot of information to hold in your mind. Studying criminology doesn’t only contains informative content but is proved to be really helpful to protect yourself from being a victim. And that is not enough criminology make you understand the mindset of the criminal and what can be the consequences of a criminal mind. Studying criminology can sharpen your mind and you can be the one to find out the serial killer standing in the crowd and is a mess for the society sound’s great!

The above-stated books in this article are the best criminology books in order to understand crime, theories, illustration and strategies. These amazing and practical books are designed by renowned authors that can be really helpful to understand the mind of a criminal, how to understand and stop the crime before taking place. Most of you might have planned to join the FBI or thought to become a professional detective these books are really helpful in your profession.

This article consolidates the collection of handpicked practical and best criminology books that can change your perception towards crime and crime spots as these books are skilled with techniques, theories and strategies in order to understand criminology. Do let us know in the comment section how you liked this article and if you have any queries or suggestions, you can ask them by commenting below.

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