paper
Writing assignment instructions are posted below in attachment, please read everything carefully. Also, rubric is posted check it so u complete everything right.
2 full pages, not including the title or references.
Writing Tips:
Below are some tips and a resource that will help all of you on the writing assignments.
Use the grading rubric as an outline guide for your paper.
The primary purpose of the writing assignments is to demonstrate that you understand the theories well enough to apply them to real-world situations. For the “Explanation of the crime from two different perspectives purported by two different theories of crime” part of the grading rubric, I would suggest that you choose two different theories that you have read about and are applicable to the article that is given for the respective writing assignment. Next, I would advise using the following format for each theory: state the theory, provide a definition, and apply the tenets of the theory to the case/situation in the article. Follow the same format for the second theory that you choose.
To properly organize the paper, I would use headings and subheadings that have content that is proportionate to the points awarded in the grading rubric. For example, if something is worth a total of 3 points out of 7, it should have the most content, and the concepts should be thoroughly articulated within that section. Also, remember to cite your sources and use proper APA format for the reference page and in-text citations.
Assignments Rubric (General):Rubrics specific to each assignment is included in the assignment.
Concept
Points
Identification of the type of crime
.5
Theoretical explanation of why the offender may have committed the crime
2
Demonstrate the nexus between crime and prosecution
1
Explanation of the crime from two different perspectives purported by two different theories of crime
3
Grammar and other language mechanics, length, submission on time, and format
.5
Total
7 Writing Assignment One
Based on the theories you have learned, write a two-page, double spaced paper on the case
located below. This assignment is to build upon the theories that you have learned in Module 1.
It will help you evaluate your knowledge of the concepts you are expected to have learned at
the end of this module. It will help you describe theories and apply them to real life situations.
Your paper should discuss the elements of crime and recognize the origins of criminal behavior
depicted in this case. Using two different views of crime and two different explanations of
crime in the context of different criminological schools of thought, explain the crime that Shane
Jensen committed.
Be sure to review the grading rubric before starting this assignment. The contents of the paper
should be tailored to fulfilling the requirements set out in the grading rubric.
Watch video and read excerpt below:
Video Link:
https://www.wftv.com/news/local/florida-man-wanted-for-carjacking-arrested-after-stealing-
fhp-cruiser-on-turnpike-troopers-say/945970926
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – A man wanted in connection with a carjacking in Clearwater was
arrested Thursday in Osceola County after troopers say he stole a Florida Highway Patrol car and
led law enforcement on an 11-mile pursuit.
Clearwater police identified 22-year-old Shane Jensen, of Largo, as the suspect in a carjacking in a
Home Depot parking lot Wednesday morning. Police said he threatened a teenager out of a truck
with a stolen hammer and then drove off.
More than 24 hours later, troopers spotted a medically distressed pedestrian along the Florida
Turnpike in Okeechobee County. A trooper said he stopped to help the man, later identified as
Jensen. When the trooper walked away to get some water for Jensen from a road ranger, troopers
said Jensen got into the troopers patrol car and drove off.
As Jensen drove northbound, Osceola County sheriffs deputies deployed stop sticks, which
troopers said Jensen avoided before coming to a stop in the median.
Troopers said they arrested Jensen after he fled into the woods.
Jensen is facing charges of stealing a patrol car and reckless driving in addition to any pending
charges out of Clearwater. Criminological Theory
S e v e n t h E d i t i o n
Frank P. Williams III
Professor Emeritus,
California State UniversitySan Bernardino
Marilyn D. McShane
330 Hudson Street, NY, NY 10013
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Williams, Franklin P., author. | McShane, Marilyn D., author.
Criminological theory / Frank P. Williams III, Professor Emeritus,
California State University-San Bernardino, Marilyn D. McShane, University of Nevada-Reno.
Seventh edition. | Boston : Pearson, [2016] | Includes index.
LCCN 2016040819| ISBN 9780134558899 | ISBN 0134558898
LCSH: Criminology.
LCC HV6018 .W48 2016 | DDC 364.2dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016040819
ISBN-10: 0-13-455889-8
ISBN-13: 978-0-13-455889-9
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
http://www.pearsoned.com/permissions
http://www.pearsoned.com/permissions
https://lccn.loc.gov/2016040819
iii
COnTEnTS
Preface vii
Chapter 1 IntroduCtIon 1
Introduction to Theory 1
What Is Good Theory? 3
Kinds of Theory 6
Social Context and Theory 8
Theory, Research, and Policy 9
A Note on Evidence, Theory, and Reality 10
Summary 10 Questions and Weblinks 11 Related
Websites 11 Bibliography 11
Section I the roots of Criminology
Chapter 2 the ClaSSICal SChool 13
Introduction 13
The Heritage of the School 13
The Perspective of the School 15
Classification of the School 17
Summary 18 Epilogue: Current Directions and Policy
Implications 19 Questions and Weblinks 20 Related
Websites 21 Bibliography 21 Research
Bibliography 21
Chapter 3 the PoSItIve SChool 25
Introduction 25
The Heritage of the School 26
The Perspective of the School 26
Classification of the School 30
Summary 30 Epilogue: Current Directions and Policy
Implications 31 Questions and Weblinks 34 Related
Websites 35 Bibliography 35 Research
Bibliography 37
Section II the Foundations of american Criminology
Chapter 4 the ChICago SChool 40
Introduction 40
The Heritage of the School 40
The Perspective of the School 42
Classification of the School 47
Summary 47 Epilogue: Current Directions and Policy
Implications 48 Questions and Weblinks 50 Related
Websites 50 Bibliography 50 Research
Bibliography 52
Chapter 5 dIFFerentIal aSSoCIatIon theory 55
Introduction 55
iv Contents
The Heritage of the Theory 55
The Theoretical Perspective 57
Classification of the Theory 60
Summary 60 Epilogue: Current Directions and Policy
Implications 61 Questions and Weblinks 62 Related
Websites 62 Bibliography 63 Research
Bibliography 64
Chapter 6 anomIe theory 65
Introduction 65
The Heritage of the Theory 66
The Theoretical Perspective 68
Classification of the Theory 70
Summary 70 Epilogue: Current Directions and Policy
Implications 71 Questions and Weblinks 73 Related
Websites 74 Bibliography 74 Research
Bibliography 75
Section III Building on the Foundation
Chapter 7 SuBCulture theorIeS 77
Introduction 77
The Heritage of the Theories 77
Cohens Subculture of Delinquency 79
Cloward and Ohlins Differential Opportunity Theory 81
Other Subculture Theories 84
Summary 86 Epilogue: Current Directions and Policy
Implications 87 Questions and Weblinks 89 Related
Websites 89 Bibliography 89 Research
Bibliography 90
Chapter 8 laBelIng theory 92
Introduction 92
The Heritage of the Theory 93
The Theoretical Perspective 94
Classification of the Theory 99
Summary 100 Epilogue: Current Directions and Policy
Implications 100 Questions and Weblinks 103 Related
Websites 103 Bibliography 103 Research
Bibliography 104
Section Iv modern Criminology
Chapter 9 ConFlICt theory 107
Introduction 107
The Heritage of the Theory 107
The Theoretical Perspective 108
Classification of the Theory 115
Summary 115 Epilogue: Current Directions and Policy
Implications 116 Questions and Weblinks 118 Related
Websites 118 Bibliography 118 Research
Bibliography 120
Contents v
Chapter 10 gender-BaSed theorIeS 122
Introduction 122
The Heritage of the Theory 122
The Theoretical Perspective 124
Classification of the Perspective 130
Policy Implications 131
Questions and Weblinks 131 Related
Websites 131 Bibliography 132 Research
Bibliography 134
Chapter 11 SoCIal Control theory 136
Introduction 136
The Heritage of the Theory 137
The Theoretical Perspective 138
Classification of the Theory 143
Summary 143 Epilogue: Current Directions and Policy
Implications 144 Questions and Weblinks 145 Related
Websites 146 Bibliography 146 Research
Bibliography 147
Chapter 12 SoCIal learnIng theory 150
Introduction 150
The Heritage of the Theory 150
The Theoretical Perspective 151
Classification of the Theory 155
Summary 156 Epilogue: Current Directions and Policy
Implications 157 Questions and Weblinks 158 Related
Websites 158 Bibliography 158 Research
Bibliography 159
Chapter 13 ratIonal theorIeS 162
Introduction 162
The Heritage of the Theory 162
The Theoretical Perspective 163
Classification of the Theory 166
Summary 166 Epilogue: Current Directions and Policy
Implications 167 Questions and Weblinks 168
Related Websites 168 Bibliography 168 Research
Bibliography 169
Section v Contemporary Perspectives
Chapter 14 ContemPorary theorIeS oF ProCeSS 173
Introduction 173
The Heritage of Contemporary Theory 173
Modern Strain Theory 174
Modern Social Control Theory 175
Modern Developmental Theories 178
Summary 181 Questions and Weblinks 181 Related
Websites 182 Bibliography 182 Research
Bibliography 184
vi Contents
Chapter 15 ContemPorary IntegratIve and CrItICal
theorIeS 191
Introduction 191
The Heritage of Contemporary Theory 192
Integrative Theories 194
Postmodern Theories 198
Conclusions 201
Questions and Weblinks 204 Related
Websites 204 Bibliography 204 Research
Bibliography 206
Index 209
vii
PREFACE
As its title implies, this book is about the major sociological theories of crime. While there are
other approaches to the study of crime, since the 1920s, criminology has been oriented toward
sociology. There is, however, some coverage of biological and psychological theories of crime
and delinquency in the third chapter, and comments on the contributions of these perspectives are
interspersed throughout, where appropriate. Nonetheless, we still intend the book to be represen-
tative of what criminological theory has been because a course in criminological theory is mainly
a course in history.
When we first developed the concept of this text, there was but one criminological theory
text on the market and that one was 30 years old (George Volds Theoretical Criminology, pub-
lished in 1958). Perhaps most importantly, there was no extant treatment of the importance of
situating a theory in its own time and context in order to appreciate and understand its meanings
and nuances. Thus, we set about to produce a text which, we hoped, would provide undergradu-
ates with a brief but clear description of the most well-known criminological theories and simul-
taneously include a method of understanding those theories. After that beginning in 1988,
criminological theory texts have become commonplace and, it seems, almost all now discuss the
context surrounding the development of the various theories. This is a good thing.
We continue to hear from students and colleagues who have used the first six editions that
many graduate students find the text valuable as a primer or as a study guide in their theory
classes and for studying for comprehensive exams. The research references included in this edi-
tion are a valuable resource for a graduate student writing a research paper, thesis, or disserta-
tion, or preparing for qualifying exams. As before, we have included updates in each of the
chapters and a final chapter discussing current theory. The intent of the first edition was to focus
on traditional theories, and we only briefly mentioned contemporary versions in the concluding
chapter. In the second and third editions, we added chapters that summarized a number of new
theoretical directions. However, as time goes on and theory testing and integration continues, we
have found it necessary to split some of these concluding chapters into their own distinct theo-
retical areas. In this edition, Chapter 14 covers contemporary social process approaches.
Chapter 15 discusses the broader context of integrative theories as well as metatheory.
The format of the first six editions has been retained in most chapters. We include a discus-
sion of the social and intellectual heritage of the theory, highlight and explain the perspective and
major concepts of the theory, and summarize and list the theorys major points. The lists of major
points are intended to clarify earlier commentary and to demonstrate the logical connections
among the various elements of each theory. The chapter summaries may also serve as review
material for examinations. Graduate students may find the major points helpful in determining
the background assumptions of the theories, comparing theories, and locating hypotheses for
empirical testing. We realize that a discussion of a theorys major concepts, major points, and
then a summary is somewhat redundant but our own experience from 40 years of teaching the-
ory to all levels of students is that it helps retention and understanding. Many of our students
have told us that this is not merely our perception.
New to this editioN
The bibliographies once again have been expanded to include a number of related sources
that would be useful to those doing research in a particular theoretical area. These are
called Research Bibliographies and they follow the general references section.
In most chapters, we have included and updated brief biographies of the major theorists.
We believe that it will interest the student to see the similarities and differences between
the theorists careers and how becoming a criminologist is not always a deliberate or dedi-
cated path.
The chapter on gender-based theories has been expanded and updated to include research
on the gender gap.
viii Preface
The list of informative weblinks at the end of each chapter has been expanded and updated.
In particular, the Ted Talks can be used for exercises in class, and other links for research-
ing special assignments. Students are also encouraged to find relevant websites on their
own.
The examples of how theory can be seen and applied today have once again been updated
to draw on current events and incidents from the news with which students might be
familiar.
The final chapter is now an overview of various contemporary theoretical perspectives and
a commentary on issues in modern theory. In addition, some deleted materials from earlier
editions have been returned, as per requests.
As in the earlier editions, we attempt in most chapters to provide a classification of the theoreti-
cal perspective. These areas of the book continue to draw the most discussion. In one sense, we
find this appropriate. There are so many methods of classifying theories that it is inevitable that
instructors and others who use the text would find some conflict with their own positions. Rather
than hide such conflicts, we believe it is more instructive to bring them out into the open for
students. Thus, we continue to provide theory classifications and encourage instructors to tell
students how and why their approaches differ from ours.
And as always, we welcome any feedback on the book. The numerous versions of each
form of theory, as well as the various perspectives on them, make critical commentary inevitable.
Since this book is designed primarily to be used, we invite readers, students, and teachers alike to
provide us with their ideas on how to make it even more useful. We feel very fortunate that we
were able to acquire firsthand the comments and advice of some of the original authors of the
theories. Our sincere gratitude and heartfelt appreciation goes out to the many distinguished
criminologists, some of whom are no longer with us, who patiently offered us their insights and
commentary. At this point, we also realize the special nature of opportunities that will never
again occur with many who helped us place things in context (frequently over beer or wine at a
conference bar, or in the case of the late Leslie Wilkins, a large glass of breakfast gin). We would
also like to thank our reviewers Addrain Convers, Marist College; John Curra, School of Justice
Studies/College of Justice & Safety/Eastern Kentucky University; Susan Hodge, University of
North Carolina at Charlotte; and Adam Trahan, University of North Texas. We would especially
like to recognize the continued support and guidance of scholars and colleagues Freda Adler,
Ron Akers, Jeff Ferrell, Mark Hamm, Rob Mutchnick, Hal Pepinsky, and Frank Scarpitti. Addi-
tionally, we would be remiss not to remember and express our appreciation for the wonderful
conversations we had with our late colleagues Al Cohen, Sy Dinitz, Gil Geis, Ray Jeffery, Al
Reiss, and Austin Turk. Finally, thanks are also in order to those who used our text in their
classes and provided us commentary, or otherwise helped with their ideas and thoughts, includ-
ing a number of very bright students and colleagues. And as is Richard Quinney, we are once
again grateful to the Lone Ranger (some of you will have an idea of how many beers have gone
under that particular bridge).
iNstRUCtoR sUPPLeMeNts
Instructors Manual with Test Bank. Includes content outlines for classroom discussion, teaching
suggestions, and answers to selected end-of-chapter questions from the text. This also contains a
Word document version of the test bank.
TestGen. This computerized test generation system gives you maximum flexibility in creating
and administering tests on paper, electronically, or online. It provides state-of-the-art features for
viewing and editing test bank questions, dragging a selected question into a test you are creating,
and printing sleek, formatted tests in a variety of layouts. Select test items from test banks
included with TestGen for quick test creation, or write your own questions from scratch. Test-
Gens random generator provides the option to display different text or calculated number values
each time questions are used.
PowerPoint Presentations. Our presentations are clear and straightforward. Photos, illustrations,
charts, and tables from the book are included in the presentations when applicable.
ALteRNAte VeRsioNs
eBooks This text is also available in multiple eBook formats. These are an exciting new choice
for students looking to save money. As an alternative to purchasing the printed textbook, students
can purchase an electronic version of the same content. With an eTextbook, students can search
the text, make notes online, print out reading assignments that incorporate lecture notes, and
bookmark important passages for later review. For more information, visit your favorite online
eBook reseller or visit www.mypearsonstore.com.
Trey Williams and
Marilyn McShane
Preface ix
http://www.mypearsonstore.com
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1
1
Introduction
Learning Objectives
Objective 1.1: Describe some of the characteristics of a good theory.
Objective 1.2: Summarize the various ways to classify criminological theories.
Objective 1.3: Explain the difference between a macro- and a microtheory.
Objective 1.4: Discuss the relationship between theory, research, and policy.
Objective 1.5: Explain what is meant by the social context of a crime theory.
IntroductIon to theory
The study of criminological theory is an opportunity to analyze and critique the way others have looked
at crime through history. Today, the quest to understand crime is as close to us as the latest newspaper
headlines and television reports. As we will see, however, theory is not just a popular belief, opinion, or
value-driven explanation. Instead, theory as we will discuss it here is a product of the scientific approach.
The effective use of theory is found in the everyday activities of the criminal justice system. Police
departments have designed their patrol patterns around various theories that predict criminal events.
Each day judges hand down sentences based on their understanding of the character of a defendant and
the environment in which that defendant lives. Jurors decide whether to give the death penalty based on
their assumptions about the future dangerousness of the defendant. Probation officers send their clients
to treatment programs to improve work skills or to resolve their use of drugs or alcohol. Prison authori-
ties attempt to instill discipline, teach proper work habits, and deter inmates from future criminality.
Finally, as reflected in the media, the public seems to attribute criminal behavior to such things as drug
use, a depressed economy, poor family life, the influence of bad friends, and, sometimes, even the immi-
gration and ethnic status of people. All of these activities and explanations are found in the implications
of various criminological theories over the past century.
As you can see, theory does not have to be abstract. Furthermore, and despite public opinion to the
contrary, theory is applicable to the real world. We all use theory as part of everyday life but normally
not the scientific versions of it. When you see a dark cloud in the sky and say that it is going to rain, you
have just expressed a theory. To be sure, it is a relatively simple theory, but it does express the relation-
ships among clouds in general, clouds that are dark, and the falling of drops of water from the sky. This
simple explanation meets two criteria for the simplest version of theory: (1) the use of objective evidence
and systematic observation and (2) a rational explanation of that evidence. In other words, we know
from many observations that dark clouds are systematically associated with rain, and a rational person
could assume that if dark clouds occur first, then rain will follow. Similarly, if you have ever been about
to go in a door when someone on the other side of door bursts through (and you were then hit in the face
by the door), you associate the sound of someone on the other side of a door as a reason to be cautious.
Here, you are theorizing on the basis of evidence (your past experience) that sounds indicating the pres-
ence of someone could be followed by their opening the door.
2 Chapter 1 Introduction
Theories can be very simple or very complex, depending upon the number and types of
relationships expressed by them. A more complex theory of rain would be that, under certain
circumstances, surface water evaporates and rises into the atmosphere. Certain atmospheric con-
ditions cause the water to condense, first into clouds and ultimately into drops of rain. The
complexity in this version of a theory of rain is in specifying the conditions and processes
involved in evaporation and condensation.
Theories can also be concrete or abstract. Theories about rain tend to be concrete, even if
complex. Theories about simple behaviors such as throwing a ball through a window also tend to
be concrete. Abstract theories, however, are more difficult to tie directly to reality. For instance,
Einsteins theory of relativity is an abstract concept. We have difficulty in directly testing the
concept that time gets slower the faster one travels, and certainly we cannot test velocities beyond
the speed of light. Similarly, theories about the effect of social structure on crime rates are
abstract. Social structure is an invented concept (we doubt that you have ever seen a social struc-
ture), and crime rates are a mathematical concept derived from dividing the number of crimes by
some standard population size.
The most important thing about theories is that we need them to live or to live better. Theo-
ries allow us to develop and test potential solutions to problems we encounter in life. True, some
of the problems are more critical than others, for example, addressing global warming versus
predicting who will win an Oscar. But we do need the many theories we have learned about our
environment to accumulate knowledge and effectively allocate resources. Imagine what life
would be like if you could never generalize about things, if every time you saw a cloud you had
to get wet to conclude that it was going to rain. And suppose you could not assume that a door
represents a way to enter a building. Theories, then, are really generalizations of a sort; they
explain how two or more events are related to each other and the conditions under which the
relationship takes place. For example, the statement that seat belts reduce deaths in automobile
accidents expresses a relationship between two events. The seat belts alone will not reduce
deaths, however. There must be a condition that they be worn (we could also add that the seat
belts have to be installed properly, worn correctly, etc.).
The way we express these generalizations, or think about things, depends on the form of
knowledge we are using at the time. We know things through experience (often referred to as
empirical knowledge), intuition, common sense, or science, or because someone important to
us (or even an important book) has told us so. The causes of crime, for instance, are assumed to
be known by everyone. They include broken homes, lack of religion, hanging around with the
wrong crowd, poor upbringing, and so forth. While you probably dont think of these explana-
tions as theories, they all are. At the same time, they are not good theories because they are too
simplistic. If they were correct, then everyone whose life has these causes would be criminal (or
delinquent), and, of course, we know that is not true. Even more important is the fact that such
theories also imply the reverse; that is, people who are raised in a good family environment, who
are religious, and who associate with the right people will not do anything criminal (or delin-
quent). This is not true either, since self-report studies (Akers, 1964; Gold, 1970; Reiss &
Rhodes, 1961; Short & Nye, 1958) tell us that most young people at one time or another do
things that are against the law. Unfortunately, public theories such as these are derived from
concepts of good and bad and contribute to the way we view others. One of the basic crimi-
nological truths is that there is generally no such thing as noncriminals and criminals. Every
person who has committed their first criminal act was previously a noncriminal and at the time of
that commission was not necessarily any different than previously. Thus, the assumption that we
know who is criminal and noncriminal is patently false.1 From this, you can imagine the com-
plexity required of any theory that purports to be a good explanation of behavior.
The problem with most of our day-to-day theories is they are often illogical or they are the
product of selective observations. They may work some of the time and even often enough to be
used as a general rule of thumb for making decisions. But when we need to be accurate or more
1 As with all statements, this is not universally true. There is a small group of people (criminological studies have consis-
tently put the percentage at 6% or so of the population, and mostly male) who consistently engage in criminal behavior.
Even so, predicting who they are and when their first delinquent/criminal act will occur is very difficult. Finally, there is
an exceedingly rare group of individuals who are simply dangerous and criminal; but, again, predicting who will be one
of these individuals is not within our capabilities.
Chapter 1 Introduction 3
careful about making policies, these theories will fail us. Human behavior is complex, and any
simplistic theory will be incorrect. Therefore, theories about crime and criminals tend to be com-
plex and are based on what we know (or in the case of older theories, what was known at the
time) from research on crime and criminals. This, then, is a characteristic of scientific theories
that is not normally shared by everyday theories. In fact, everyday theories are rather speculative
and are rarely based on careful observation and evidence. In this regard, many people mistake the
lay use of the word theoryas a speculative wondering about somethingfor scientific theory
and they think that scientists also use the word theory in the same way. Actually, the two uses
of the word are quite different.
In general, scientific theories reflect systematic observation (observation made through the
use of certain rules), repeated evidence, and careful logic. Indeed, scientific theories are fre-
quently factual but share a dislike for saying that they are proven. Even though the evidence
may have been in favor of a scientific theory for each of 1,000 tests, there is still the possibility
that the next test will not be supportive and that the theory needs to be modified. Theories as we
will discuss them here, then, are never provenprimarily because scientists are too conservative
and cautious to use that word. But, these theories are always supported by systematic observable
evidence. This notion that a theory must be proven to be valid is one of the main reasons that
nonscientists misunderstand theory. Scientists talk in terms of probability and, for them, a likeli-
hood of something being true 95% of the time is a (usually standard) minimum criterion for
accepting it. Thats the same thing as saying scientists prefer to have a maximum of 5% error in
their statements.2
Another issue in criminological theory lies in the sheer variety of behavior defined as crim-
inal. When we use the term crime, the r
