ABSTRACT

Closing the Integration Gap in Criminology: The Case for Criminal Thinking offers a multi -stage model of theory integration that organizes verified risk factors around the construct of criminal thinking to provide an exemplar working paradigm for criminology. In the model, once relevant risk factors have been identified, they are organized into triads —three-variable networks of antecedent, mediating, or moderating effects—and then those triads are combined into clusters of thematically related constructs.

While debate continues to rage over how to handle the burgeoning number of theories in criminology, little significant progress has been made in reducing the number of criminological theories. This book argues that theoretical integration is vital to the continued viability of criminological theory and to the growth and development of criminology as a scientific discipline. It posits that criminal thinking may be useful as a core variable in constructing a useful integrated theory for criminology, and maps out a plan for scholars to organize information for further study.

The innovative theoretical approach in this book is essential reading for students, academics, and researchers in both criminology and forensic psychology concerned with the reduction of crime via scientific inquiry.

part I|2 pages

Integration in Criminology

chapter Chapter 1|5 pages

An Integrated Theory of Crime

Vital Mission or Fool’s Errand?

chapter Chapter 3|15 pages

The Latent Structure of Crime-Related Constructs

chapter Chapter 4|20 pages

Risk Factors, Triads, and Elaboration

part II|2 pages

Integrating with Criminal Thinking

chapter Chapter 5|6 pages

Lies, Cons, and Carnival Games

Understanding Criminal Thinking

chapter Chapter 6|12 pages

The Mask of Deception

Defining Criminal Thinking

chapter Chapter 7|23 pages

Nature of the Beast

Assessing Criminal Thinking

chapter Chapter 8|18 pages

Criminal Thinking as a Risk Factor

chapter Chapter 9|20 pages

Criminal Thinking in Triads

chapter Chapter 10|17 pages

Criminal Thinking and the Elaboration Process

chapter Chapter 11|18 pages

Applying Integrated Theory

Practice and Policy

chapter Chapter 12|8 pages

You Are What You Think