The Causes and Cures of Criminality / Edition 1

by Hans J. Eysenck, Gisli H. Gudjonsson

Overview

The title that the authors have chosen for this book, The Causes and Cures of Criminality, suggests that it may be just another book specu­ lating on the sociological evils that need to be put right for "everything in the garden to be lovely." If this is the expectation, the reader could not be more mistaken. The recurrent theme, in fact, is a strong accent on psychological experiments. Both authors have tackled the theoretical and practical side of crime through an exhaustive literature review of past experimental work. Hans J. Eysenck has concentrated on the constitutional and biological theory of criminality, whereas Gisli Gudjonsson has concerned himself more with a review of ongoing research into therapy and possible prevention of antisocial behavior. Part I goes into considerable detail on the causes of criminality, stressing much of the strangely neglected area of individual differences in personality. Research studies point to a very heavy involvement of heredity in the causation of criminality, but the authors are careful to acknowledge that much can be done environmentally to discourage a life of crime once those persons who are at risk have been identified.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781441932105
Publisher:	Springer US
Publication date:	12/25/2011
Series:	Perspectives on Individual Differences
Edition description:	Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1989
Pages:	309
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.03(d)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction.- 2. The Constitutional Theory of Criminality.- 3. Crime and Personality.- 4. Criminality, Heredity, and Environment.- 5. A Biological Theory of Criminality.- 6. The Function and Effectiveness of Sentencing.- 7. The Prevention and Treatment of Illegal Behavior.- 8. Sexual Deviations.- 9. Summary and Conclusions.- References.

Editorial Reviews

Expands psychological and some biological theories of the origins of crime, its varieties, and to effects of social and legal responses to it. Based primarily on previous statistical studies. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews