ABSTRACT
This introductory chapter is designed to illustrate the linkages between criminological theory and some major criminal justice strategies. It does so in order to make the important point that theory matters. Most criminal justice policies are, either implicitly or explicitly, justified by and grounded in particular theoretical formulations. In turn, every theory put forward to explain crime is premised upon a variety of beliefs about the nature of criminal behaviour (and human nature) and offers potential solutions. In certain circumstances, crime control policies and strategies change as theorising about crime changes. However, we should not expect any criminal justice system to operate solely through any one philosophical principle or theoretical position. Rather, we are more likely to encounter the simultaneous existence of a number of crime control strategies working alongside, or against, each other. Similarly, we should remain mindful that certain policies may be based on erroneous theoretical connections and are driven as much by political motivation as by theoretical purity or scientific assessments of ‘what works’.
