ABSTRACT

This book offers an accessible and comprehensive introduction to Criminology in Ireland. Logically structured and clearly written, this book explores theory and empirical research through real-life examples from an Irish context. Engaging and challenging, this book encourages critical thinking about, and understanding of, crime and crime control in Ireland, North and South.

The book covers the canon of criminological theory, from classical and psychological approaches right through to the contemporary. It offers an overview of the Irish criminal justice system, including the police, prisons and alternatives to punishment. It covers key criminological themes such as victims and victimology, gender, the drug trade and its regulation, terrorism and political violence, and desistance and the life course. Key features include:

  • Critical assessment of key criminological theories, which are later woven into discussions of key thematic areas;
  • Case studies of historical and contemporary Irish events, including the Magdalene laundries, gangland feuds and the decriminalisation of drugs;
  • Extensive reading lists of key academic texts and relevant Irish literature, movies, music and art.

This book is the only comprehensive criminology textbook specifically designed for the Irish undergraduate curriculum. It is essential reading for all criminology students in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and will also be of interest to postgraduates and academics looking for an overview of Irish Criminology.

1.Introduction  2.A Brief History of Criminology  Part 1: The Criminal Justice System  3.The Irish Criminal Justice System  4.Policing in a Modern Society  5.Prisons  Part 2: Criminological Theory  6.Early Classical and Positivist Criminology  7.Psychological Criminology  8.The Chicago School  9.Anomie and Strain Theories  10.US Subcultural Theories  11.British Subcultural Theories  12.Labelling and Symbolic Interactionism  13.Control Theories  14.Rational Choice, Routine Activity and Situational Crime Prevention  15.Left Realism  16.Right Realism and the Underclass  17.Foucault: Punishment and Governmentality  18.Cultural criminology  Part 3: Thematic Areas  19.Gender and Feminist Criminology  20.Victims and Victimology  21.Desistence from Crime  22.The Regulation and Trade of Illicit Drugs  23.Terrorism and Political Violence