Introduction to Criminal Justice A Sociological Perspective [Hardcover]

Introduction to Criminal Justiceis the first textbook to approach theories and practices of criminal justice from a sociological perspective. It empowers students to develop expertise in criminal justice and understand how its central tenets are informed by broader sociological principles and concepts, such as power, race, gender, and class.

This text is organized around five themes: justice, police, courts, corrections, and crime control. Offering both foundational and contemporary texts, theoretical and empirical discussions, and quantitative and qualitative approaches, the readings underscore the inextricable relationship between social structures and the criminal justice system. This comprehensive text will expose students to some of the best thinking and research in the field.

Approaches the theories, organization, and practices of criminal justice from a sociological perspective so that students can simultaneously develop expertise in criminal justice and understand how issues related to the police, courts, and corrections are informed by broader sociological principles and concepts. This exceptional collection of readings, and the thoughtful and engaging introductions by the editors, will contextualize contemporary debates and enrich class discussions about the societal institutions, structures, and actors that together shape our criminal justice system. The best textbooks identify critical issues in the field and then provide thought-provoking, evidence-based studies that ground the issues in what we know. Kubrin and Stucky'sIntroduction to Criminal Justicedoes just this. Students are exposed to some of the best thinking and research produced by scholars with diverse ideas on how to prevent and control crime in our society. Charis E. Kubrin is Associate Professor of Criminology, Law and Society at the University of California, Irvine, and coeditor ofPunishing Immigrants: Policy, Politics, and Injustice(2012) andCrime: Real,