Ideal for undergraduate courses in criminology--especially those taught from a critical perspective--Criminology: A Sociological Approach, Fifth Edition, is a comprehensive yet highly accessible introduction to the study of crime and criminological theory. Authors Piers Beirne and James W. Messerschmidt present the topic from a sociological standpoint, emphasizing the social construction of crime and showing how crime relates to gender, class, race, and age. Providing students with a strong theoretical foundation, the book also addresses historical, feminist, and comparative perspectives and highlights the major types of crime and victimization patterns.

PART I INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINOLOGY

CHAPTER 1 The Problem of Crime

CHAPTER 2 The Measurement of Crime

CHAPTER 3 Comparative Criminology

PART II CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY

CHAPTER 4 Inventing Criminology: Classicism, Positivism, and Beyond

CHAPTER 5 Social Structure, Anomie, and Grime

CHAPTER 6 Delinquent Subcultures, Subcultures of Delinquency, and the Labeling Perspective

CHAPTER 7 Social Learning Theory and Social ControlTheory

CHAPTER 8 The Conflict Tradition

CHAPTER 9 Feminist and Critical Criminologies

PART III INEQUALITIES AND CRIME

CHAPTER 10 Inequality, Crime and Victimization

CHAPTER 11 Property Crime

CHAPTER 12 InterpersonalViolence

CHAPTER 13 White-Collar Crime

CHAPTER 14 Political Crime