Vold's Theoretical Criminology

The standard text in the field, Vold's Theoretical Criminology is universally known by scholars in the discipline. Taking a largely historical approach, it discusses both classic and contemporary theories, presenting historical context and empirical research for each one.Vold's is a classic, trusted for decades as the definitive, comprehensive source of criminological theories. One of the marks of its success is that its usage spansintroductory and upper-level courses; it is even used in graduate-level courses. The writing style is crisp, clear, and easy to understand but not watered down.

It is the 'gold standard' regarding theory. I trust it more than any other source. There isnothing wasteful here; no glossy photos that increase the cost of the text; no unnecessarysidebars that pad the book. I used this book 19 years ago when I first started teaching to draft my lectures. I still use it today...should be the essential reading text for anyone who takes crime and its control seriously" -Jarrett Lovel
The writing style is easy to read and follow. The author(s) do not use academic jargon whichcan be difficult for students to understand. The style is consistent throughout the book. Ibelieve it would generate student interest and sustain it throughout the chapters...it is a great book that covers all the important topics and would be very engaging for students." -Shelly McGrath, University of Alabama
I have never found a theory book as good as Vold's, so I only use this one...This text is foundational as it covers the central themes in criminology. It provides essential analyses of research as it takes stock with all theories presented in the text. The writing style is more academic and higher order than most textbooks. But that is exactly why I like it." -Maria Velez
I would say it is a great textbook for lower-level criminology courses. Students will find it easy to understand. It is organized well and covers the field of criminology quite well."-Michelle Emerson
Comprehensive theoretical coverage and now includes an example of theory applied to amajor criminal justice debate (crime decline) ...Data driven and empirical assessments of each theory...Fair assessments (among the least biased texts by a leading theorist) ... Vold's is the best upper-level criminological theory book on the market." -Nancy A. Morris
A well-written, concise primer perfect for an introduction to criminological theory with a rare deep consideration of conflict, critical and radical theory ... From my perspective, thepedagogical approach is quite good. I know some may like more bells and whistles, but I prefer straight, to-the-point text. The key terms and discussion questions are good (and sufficient without going overboard)... I think it's one of the key strengths of the is book that it's wellwritten. Moreover, it's concise and easily digestible (while at the same time offering adequate depth and breadth). From my experience, it definitely generates and sustains student interest. -Scott Vollum, U of Minnesota Duluth
The writing style is appropriate for my students. It is not so advanced that students willconstantly run across unfamiliar words but at the same time it is not 'dumbed down' to a very low level...clear and readable, includes a lot of current research, includes theories not found in other books...The coverage of personality tests is very interesting and includes material that is not usually found in other books." -Ellen Cohn, Florida International U.

Jeffrey B. Snipes: Ph.D. SUNY Albany, J.D. Stanford, Professor of Criminal Justice Studies at San Francisco StateThomas J. Bernard: Ph.D. SUNY Albany, Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Penn State (deceased)Rick Trinkner, Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State UniversityPhoenix, AZ

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