Few subjects provoke as much public fascination and political concern as crime and criminality. Criminology is an ideal textbook for undergraduate students approaching the subject for the first time. It examines a wide range of topics, including historical and contemporary understandings of crime and criminal justice; different forms of crime - from street crime to state crime; who commits crime and who are the victims of crime; and how society and state agencies respond to crime and disorder.
The contributions to the book offer clear, accessible introductions to the main topics and issues of criminology and the book includes questions, summaries, further reading guidance, useful web links, and tables and diagrams throughout. The second edition contains a new chapter on criminological research to provide students with an overview of the different research methods used in the study of criminology. All chapters have been fully revised and updated to incorporate recent developments in the field, including changes in criminal justice policy.