This carefully revised third edition of Criminal Psychology offers a vital, up-to-date account of the wide range of psychological contributions to the understanding of criminals and crime, its investigation, the legal processes of dealing with offenders, and helping victims.
The book provides insights into cognitive, developmental, and social theories of a diverse range of crimes, including domestic abuse, burglary, fraud, rape, murder, and terrorism. It also discusses the psychological contributions to policing, criminal investigations and court processes, and gives consideration to securing reliable testimony and rehabilitation in prisons. The third edition complements the topics established in earlier editions with the addition of current and emerging issues in the study of criminal psychology, including cybercrime, new forms of fraud and developments in organised crime, as well as the future of crimes and their psychology. The well-illustrated text is packed with pedagogical features that bring this fascinating subject to life, including boxes highlighting key topics, description of research methods, further reading and suggested essay titles.
Offering a comprehensive, accessible, contemporary introduction, the book shows that many aspects of psychology are essential for understanding criminals and their actions, the investigation of crime and court procedures. This is the ideal text for students across psychology, criminology, socio-legal studies and law, as well as everyone who wishes to gain an overview of criminal psychology.
1. Psychology and the Criminal Process
Section 1. The Basis of Criminality
2. Biological Explanations of Crime
3. Psychological Explanations of Crime
4. Social Explanations of Crime
Section 2. Varieties of Crime
5. Acquisitive Crime
6. Domestic Violence
7. Sexual Offences
8. Homicide and Serial Killing
9. Gangs, Organised Crime and Terrorism
Section 3. Interacting with Criminals
10. Interviewing and Testimony
11. Detecting Deception and Fraud
12. Psychology and Investigations
Section 4. Areas of Application
13. Police Psychology
14. Psychology in Court
15. Psychology in Prison
16. Concerning Victims
17. The Future of Psychology and Crime
Biography
David Rowlands is a Research Fellow at the University of Leeds, UK, with interests in the policing of vulnerable people, addiction and offender rehabilitation.
David Canter is Emeritus Professor at The University of Liverpool, UK, having researched and published widely on psychology and crime.
"In this thoughtfully updated edition of a key criminal psychology text, the authors provide an engaging, accessible, and thorough introduction to application of psychology to crime and criminal behaviour and our responses to it. This book deserves to be on the bookshelf of any Psychology or Criminology undergraduate studying this important topic."
Samantha Lundrigan, Director of the Policing Institute for the Eastern Region (PIER) and Professor of Criminology, Anglia Ruskin University, UK.
