Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book defines theory as any statement or set of statements that attempts to explain, understand, or predict a phenomenon. It examines mass incarceration in an historical context, arguing that it is simply a new form of racial social control directed toward black bodies. The book covers classical theoretical debates. It chronicles the clash between what we think of as the "classical school" in criminology with the "positive school." The book focuses on the work of the great sociologist Edwin Sutherland. It details the "great debates" between the criminal career vs. propensity theorists. The book provides background and context for the great debate and explains in detail the issues that were at stake. It highlights some recent debates in criminology and related fields.