Criminal Behavior: A Psychosocial Approach (8th Edition)

This book approaches the understanding of delinquent and criminal behavior from a developmental, coginitive-behavioral, and psychological perspective. Viewing the juvenile and adult offender as being embedded and continually influenced by multiple systems, the book examines the risk and protective factors that are believed to influence the developmental pathways on the road to delinquency and crime. The 8th edition continues to be heavily researched in a style that allows the reader to follow the flow of the research literature. Most up-to-date psychological research and theories regarding criminal behavior are presented. Highlights how psychological, social, economic, political and ecological factors all play a role in influencing individual behavior. Looks at specific crimes from a psychological perspective: terrorism, sniper attacks, homicide and serial murder, cyber crime, white collar crime, identity theft, sex crimes, school violence, hate crimes, stalking, family violence, and drug crimes. Coverage of criminal profiling and crime scene analysis. Strategies for prevention and treatment of criminal behavior offered. New chapter on the treatment of juvenile offenders. Sections on juvenile offending added include: Juvenile Serial Murder, Juvenile Sex Offenders, Child Delinquents, Peer Rejection, School Failure, Language Deficiencies, Brain Development, Female Juvenile Sex Offenders, Current Juvenile Drug Use, & Juvenile Psychopathy. Professionals involved with the prevention and treatment of criminal behavior.

pp 391-392 "When a user is under the drug's (MDMA) effects, the user is often referred to as "rolling" because of the up-and-down rolling of emotions."

"Rolling" refers to the way eyes tend to move around when a person is on this drug. It has nothing to do with a supposed emotional rollercoaster. Furthermore, this drug causes no such flapping of emotions. MDMA causes one big up of euphoria and elation, followed by one big crash.

p 392. "Other adverse side effects of MDMA include heart, liver damage, strokes, and long-term brain injury." While nobody is saying this substance is healthful, the apparent neurotoxicity is a hotly debated issue. Long-term neurological damage has not been established. Most of the research behind these claims comes from George Ricaurte at Johns Hopkins, and his work has absolutely not been universally accepted.


Not a Bad Book   May 16, 2000
 9 out of 11 found this review helpful

This book is pretty good as a first text in a criminal psychology class. It has a lot of information about current and old research in the field. The only thing that keeps this book from being 4 or 5 stars, is the fact that it's pretty dry, and a little difficult to read.