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    Introduction to Criminology: An Equity Lens

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    Jessica René Peterson, Southern Oregon University

    Taryn VanderPyl, Western Oregon University

    Mauri Matsuda, Portland State University

    Jennifer Moreno, Western Oregon University

    Curt Sobolewski, Portland State University

    Copyright Year:

    Publisher: Open Oregon Educational Resources

    Language: English

    Formats Available

    Conditions of Use

    Attribution Attribution
    CC BY

    Table of Contents

    • About this Book
    • Chapter 1: Introduction to Criminology
    • Chapter 2: Measuring Crime
    • Chapter 3: Origins of Criminology
    • Chapter 4: Biological and Psychological Understandings of Criminal Behavior
    • Chapter 5: Social Structural and Strain Theories
    • Chapter 6: Social Learning, Interactionist, and Subcultural Theories
    • Chapter 7: Social Control and Life Course Theories
    • Chapter 8: Critical and Feminist Approaches to Criminology
    • Chapter 9: The Future of Criminology
    • Glossary

    Ancillary Material

    • Instructor Course Packs
    • About the Book

      Introduction to Criminology provides a foundation for understanding the origins, evolution, and current status of criminological theories. This textbook explains the field of criminology and influential theories in context, with real-life examples and activities. All content is delivered through a lens of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Each chapter includes bold-faced key terms with definitions and cross-references that link backward and forward to important concepts. Students can also engage with the content through discussion questions and supplemental resources at the end of each chapter.

      About the Contributors

      Authors

      Dr. Peterson is an Assistant Professor in the Criminology and Criminal Justice Department at Southern Oregon University and an honorary adjunct lecturer and research associate at the University of New England in NSW, Australia. Her primary research and teaching interests include policing, discretionary decision-making by actors in the criminal justice system, rural crime and justice, and crime and media. She is the co-editor of the Bristol University Press “Research in Rural Crime” book series and co-editor of the International Journal of Rural Criminology.

      Dr. Taryn VanderPyl is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Sciences at Western Oregon University. She has been working with and learning directly from people impacted by the criminal justice system for over a decade. Dr. VanderPyl’s research focuses on interventions within and legislation concerning juvenile and adult corrections that affect reentry and recidivism, as well as addressing social hostility toward those with justice system involvement. Her earlier experiences as a high school special education teacher and consultant, as well as a foster parent, have contributed to her research and activism regarding disproportionate representations of vulnerable and marginalized populations in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. Her work on affecting the outcomes of youth and adults in these systems has led to participation in numerous academic, behavioral, and reintegration programs in both juvenile and adult correctional facilities with a priority on emphasizing the voices of those seldom heard. Dr. VanderPyl is the author of Corrections 360: A Look at Corrections from All Angles and co-editor of Exploitation and Criminalization at the Margins: The Hidden Toll on Unvalued Lives. She has presented on behalf of her research participants and fellow change agents at multiple national and regional criminal justice conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals across various related fields of study. 

      Mauri Matsuda is an Assistant Professor at Portland State University. She holds a PhD in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland, College Park. Her research focuses on developmental, life-course criminology and the intersection of alcohol/drugs, crime, and criminal justice. She teaches courses on theories of crime and justice, crime control strategies, and juvenile justice.

      Jennifer Moreno is a non-tenure-track Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Sciences at Western Oregon University. She earned her juris doctorate at Creighton University School of Law in Omaha, Nebraska, and worked as a police officer in Arizona for about ten years. Her research areas include gender issues in policing, emotional intelligence/trauma support for law enforcement, and online pedagogy.

      Curt Sobolewski received his BA from Indiana University, MA from Baylor University, and PhD in sociology from Arizona State University. He is an Associate Professor in the Criminology and Criminal Justice Department at Portland State University and specializes in the study of sexual behavior, terrorism, and popular culture.

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