The contents of this book include the Marxist theories on state and law, the radical concept of crime, incipient radicalism: conflict and labeling approaches, the causes of crime: a radical view, traditional contributions to radical criminology, the radical perspective on policing, the American court system: a justice model, a critical interpretation of punishment and corrections,and the policy implications of the radical position.
"... no understanding of crime and control is complete with-out an informed insight into the ways in which power and equality shape social and concrete realities. At once accessible and sophisticated, The New Primer in Radical Criminology succeeds in providing such insight both to the professional criminologist and to the beginning student. We are fortunate that Primer ... will continue to serve as an invaluable survey of critical criminology's theoretical and research contributions."Prof. Francis T. Cullen, Distinguished Research Professor, University of Cincinnati
The third edition of this text defines radical criminology as a way of doing criminology that frames the problem of crime in terms of class, race, gender, culture and history. Whereas the preceding edition, published in 1989, viewed social class as the central focus of radical criminology, over the past decade the scope of radical criminology has expanded to include race, gender, culture, history, post-modernism and left-realism, among other movements.
"Over the past five decades, prominent criminologist Gregg Barak has worked as an author, editor, and book review editor; his large body of work has been grounded in traditional academic prose. His new book, Chronicles of a Radical Criminologist, while remaining scholarly in its intent, departs from the typical academic format. The book is a a first-person account that examines the linkages between one scholar's experiences as a criminologist from the late 1960s to the present and the emergence and evolution of radical criminology as a challenge to developments in mainstream criminology. Barak draws upon his own experiences over this half-century as a window into the various debates and issues among radical, critical, and technocratic criminologies. In doing so, he revisits his own seminal works, showing how they reflect those periods of criminological development. What holds this book together is the story of how resisting the crimes of the powerful while struggling locally for social justice is the essence of critical criminology. His six chapters are divided into three parts-academic freedom, academic activism, and academic praxis-and these connected stories link the author's own academic career in Berkeley, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Chicago; Alabama; Ann Arbor, Michigan; and across the United States. Barak's eventful scholarly life involved efforts to overcome laws against abortion and homosexuality; to formalize protective practices for women from domestic violence and sexual assault; to oppose racism and classism in the criminal justice system; to challenge the wars on gangs, drugs, and immigrants; and to confront the policies of mass incarceration and the treatment of juvenile offenders"--
The concept of critical criminology – that crime and the present day processes of criminalization are rooted in the core structures of society – is of more relevance today than it has been at any other time. Written by an internationally renowned scholar, Contemporary Critical Criminology introduces the most up-to-date empirical, theoretical, and political contributions made by critical criminologists around the world. In its exploration of this material, the book also challenges the erroneous but widely held notion that the critical criminological project is restricted to mechanically applying theories to substantive topics, or to simple calling for radical political, economic, cultural, and social transformations. This book is an essential source of reference for both undergraduate and postgraduate students of Criminology, Criminal Theory, Social Policy, Research Methodology, and Penology.
This book critically explores the development of radical criminological thought through the social, political and cultural history of three periods in Ancient Greece: the Classical, the Hellenistic and the Greco-Roman periods. It follows on from the previous volume which examined concepts of law, legitimacy, crime, justice and deviance through a range of Ancient Greek works including epic and lyrical poetry, drama and philosophy, across different chapters. This book examines the three centuries that followed which were very important for the history of radical thinking about crime and law. It explores the socio-political struggles and how ruptures produced breaks in knowledge production and developed the field of deviance and social control. It also examines the key literature, religions and philosophers of each period. The gap between social consensus and social conflict deepened during this time and influenced the theoretical discourse on crime. These elements continue to exist in the theoretical quests of the modern age of criminology. This book examines the links between the origins of radical criminology and its future. It speaks to those interested in the (pre)history of criminology and the historical production of criminological knowledge.
Coming of age at the Berkeley School of Criminology -- Life as a young criminologist -- Academic activism -- Doing public criminology -- Doing newsmaking criminology -- Doing multidisciplinary criminology -- Academic praxis -- Integrating criminology -- Globalizing criminology.
This book critically explores the development of radical criminological thought through the social, political and cultural history of the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. It follows on from the previous volume which examined Classical Greece until the emergence of the early Christian movement in the Roman empire. Through separate chapters, it discusses the key literature (myths, fairy tales and Shakespeare), religions and philosophers of the era, and the development of early radical views and issues over time. This book examines the links between the origins of radical criminology and its future. It speaks to those interested in the (pre)history of criminology and the historical production of criminological knowledge, drawing on Criminology, Sociology, Classics, History, Philosophy, Ancient Literature and Politics.
In 1973 The New Criminology was published and quickly established itself as a key textbook in criminology, casting a major influence over a generation of scholars. It has remained in print ever since. This volume, published twenty-five years later, traces the major developments in the field including feminism, postmodernism, critical criminology and realism. The articles are by leading authorities from Britain, the United States and Australia and include Stan Cohen, Elliott Currie, Pat Carlen and Kerry Carrington as well as separate commentaries by the three original authors themselves: Ian Taylor, Paul Walton and Jock Young.
These original essays introduce students to the complex and influential field of critical criminology. It presents many of the theories of critical criminology — Marxist, Feminist, Left Realist, Postmodern, Constitutive, Peacemaking, and Restorative Justice — and explores how, despite their distinctions, each theory is rooted in radical criminology, and all are critical of mainstream criminology.
