In the Fourth Edition of “Criminological Theories: Introduction, Evaluation, and Application, ” Ronald L. Akers and new coauthor Christine S. Sellers provide a concise but thorough review and appraisal of the leading theories of crime and criminal justice. Based on the widespread success of the first three editions, this landmark book has been updated and revised to keep current changes with changes in the development, testing, integration, and application of important criminological theories.
The Fourth Edition continues its focus on evaluating the principal criminological theories, chiefly on the basis of their empirical validity as demonstrated through relevant research. The Fourth Edition also enhances the review and empirical evaluation of classic and contemporary applications of each theory that were incorporated into the Third Edition.
The book’s breadth of coverage, combined with its relatively modest length, allows its adoption either as the principal or supplemental text in courses on theories of crime, delinquency, and deviance.