Criminology For Dummies

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Your thorough guide to comprehending and combating crime

Are you fascinated by criminology, forensics, and detective work? This you-are-there guide takes you deep into the world of crime, giving you a better understanding of the dark recesses of the criminal mind and how law enforcement officials investigate crime. You'll gain real-world knowledge of the reasons for and consequences of crime, the way society responds to it, and, most important, how crime can be prevented.

Enter the world of crime -- understand what crime is, how it is measured, and the various ways crime affects victims and society

Identify different types of crime -- from white-collar crime to organized crime to terrorism, examine the nature of crime and why certain criminals are attracted to specific crimes

Know who commits crimes, and why -- explore different theories that attempt to explain why people commit crimes

Take it to the streets -- follow law enforcement officials and federal agencies as they chase and apprehend the bad guys

Seek justice -- meet the key players in the criminal justice system and see why and how the guilty are punished

Deal with juveniles -- know the differences between adult and juvenile systems, realize why youths are treated differently, and review modern methods for treatment

Open the book and find:

Common criminal traits

The causes of violent crimes

Recent efforts to secure victims' rights

The processes used to solve crimes

A step-by-step walkthrough of the criminal justice process

Ways to recognize and fight back against crime

Jobs in the criminal justice field

Ten notorious, unsolved crimes

Author(s): Steven Briggs
Series: For Dummies
Edition: 1

Language: English

Criminology FOR Dummies®
Contents at a Glance
Table of Contents
Introduction
About This Book
Conventions Used in This Book
What You’re Not to Read
Foolish Assumptions
How This Book Is Organized
Icons Used in This Book
Where to Go from Here
Part I: Defining and Measuring Crime
Chapter 1: Entering the World of Crime
Defining the Terms: What Crime Is and How You Measure It
Recognizing the Various Costs of Crime
Considering Categories of Crime
Figuring Out What Makes Someone Commit a Crime
Waging a War against Crime
Bringing Criminals to Justice
Chapter 2: What Is Crime?
Understanding the Two Categories of Criminal Activity
Identifying Elements of a Criminal Law
Linking Criminal Behavior to Cultural Mores
Chapter 3: How Crime Is Measured and Why It Matters
Gathering Crime Stats: How Much Crime Is There?
Putting Crime Stats to Use
Considering the Costs of Crime
Chapter 4: Helping Those in the Wake of Crime: Victims
Looking at the Historical Treatment of Victims
Identifying the Impact of Crime on Victims
Pinpointing Who Is Likely to Be Victimized
Expanding Victim Services in the 21st Century
Observing the Laws That Protect Victims’ Rights
Part II: Identifying Types of Crime
Chapter 5: Getting Violent: Crimes of Force
Identifying Types of Violent Crimes
Defining Homicide
Attacking or Threatening Someone: Assault and Battery
Forcing Sexual Contact: Rape, Sodomy, and Child Molestation
Taking Property under the Threat of Violence: Robbery
Kidnapping
Pinpointing Causes of Violence
Chapter 6: Hitting You in the Pocketbook: Property Crimes
Categorizing Types of Theft
Defining Property Damage
Looking at the Causes of Property Crime
Chapter 7: Dressing Sharp and Stealing Big: White-Collar Crimes
Identifying Types of White-Collar Crime
The Challenges of Investigating White-Collar Crime
Prosecuting and Punishing White-Collar Crime
Chapter 8: A Group Effort: Organized Crime and Gangs
Grasping the Basics of Organized Crime
Obsessing over the Italian Mafia
Identifying Other Ethnic-Based Organized Crime Groups
Looking at What Organized Crime Groups Do
Fighting Organized Crime
Getting an Inside Scoop on Criminal Gangs
Chapter 9: Tackling a Worldwide Problem: The Narcotics Trade
The Global Workings of Dealing Drugs
Treating Drug Users
Preventing Drug Use
Chapter 10: Front-Page News: Terrorism
Recognizing Types of Terrorist Threats
Facing International Terrorist Threats
Dealing with Domestic Antigovernment Groups
Focusing on Single-Issue Terrorists
Fighting Back against Terrorism
Part III: Figuring Out Who Commits Crimes and Why
Chapter 11: What Factors Lead to Crime?
Noting Personal Characteristics That Many Criminals Share
Looking at the Impact of Societal Conditions on Crime
Studying the Impact of Atmospheric Changes
Chapter 12: Regarding Crime as a Rational Decision: Rational Choice Theory
Taking a Quick Tour through Classical Theory
Calculating the Benefits and Drawbacks of Crime
Creating Rational Deterrents to Crime
Examining the Limits of Rational Choice Theory
Chapter 13: Looking at Society’s Role in Crime
Introducing Social Disorganization Theory
Studying Strain Theory
Considering Social Learning Theories
Delving into Social Control Theories
Chapter 14: Can Your Mind or Body Make You a Criminal?
Biological Positivism: Trying to Link Appearance to Crime
Wrestling with the Influence of Genetics
Blaming the Brain
Struggling with Mental Illness
Dealing with a Personality Disorder
Chapter 15: Critical Theory: Theories off the Beaten Path
Labeling Someone a Criminal
Exploring Feminist Theory
Examining Leftist Realism: A Response to Law and Order
Making Peace
Seeking Healing through Restorative Justice
Part IV: Fighting Crime
Chapter 16: Battling Crime at the Local Level
Keeping the Streets Clean: The Players at the Local Level
Thinking about Theories of Policing
Chapter 17: Tackling Crime at the Federal Level
Sorting through the Alphabet Soup of Federal Agencies
Coordinating Federal and Local Efforts
Chapter 18: Solving Crimes: The Process
Responding to a Crime Scene
Using Special Crime-Fighting Tools and Techniques
Part V: Prosecuting and Punishing Crime
Chapter 19: Seeking Justice: The Players and Their Roles
Prosecutors: Guardians of Safety
Defense Attorneys: Guardians of Liberty
Trial Judges: Overseeing the Justice Process
Appellate Judges: Setting Legal Precedents
Chapter 20: Finding the Truth: Pleading Guilty or Going to Trial
Keeping It Local: Municipal Courts
Movin’ On Up: State Court Systems
Affecting the Whole Nation: The Federal Court System
Negotiating a Plea Agreement
Suppressing Evidence (Or Not): The Pretrial Hearing
Facing a Jury (Or a Judge): The Process
Chapter 21: Punishing the Guilty: Why and How Society Does It
Understanding Theories of Punishment and Incarceration
Placing Defendants in Custody
Facing Challenges in the Prison System
Placing Defendants on Probation
Debating the Death Penalty
Chapter 22: Examining the Juvenile Justice System
Taking a Look Back: The Historical Treatment of Juveniles
Why Juveniles Are Treated Differently
Walking through the Juvenile Justice Process
Treating a Juvenile like an Adult
Eyeing Modern Trends in Juvenile Justice
Part VI: The Parts of Tens
Chapter 23: Ten Jobs to Consider in Criminal Justice
Police Officer
Corrections Officer
Forensic Scientist
Computer Forensic Specialist
Crime and Intelligence Analysts
Probation Officer
Juvenile Counselor
Crime Victim Advocate
Legal or Law Enforcement Secretary
Court Reporter
Chapter 24: Ten Notorious, Unsolved Crimes
The JonBenet Ramsey Murder
The Sam Sheppard Case
The Zodiac Killer
The Murder of Robert Blake’s Wife
The Murder of Seattle Prosecutor Tom Wales
The D. B. Cooper Hijacking
The Black Dahlia Murder
The Jack the Ripper Killings
The Disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa
The Murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G.
Index