ABSTRACT
Introduction This chapter addresses the historical development of criminological theory. Just as criminal behaviors have evolved with time (see Chapter 2), so too has society’s understanding of its causes. A few key points set the context for this chapter:
• Predominant explanations of crime have varied over time. • The history of criminological thought can be roughly divided into four eras: presci-
entic, classical, positivist, and postmodern. • While these eras represent key changes in the prevailing explanations of criminal
behavior across time, the eras are not clearly demarcated-to a greater or lesser extent, the core beliefs developed in each era continue to shape discussions of crime and crime causation.
