Criminal Behavior: A Psychological Approach, Global Edition, 11th edition

For undergraduate and graduate courses in criminal behavior, criminology, the psychology of crime, crime and delinquency, and forensic psychology.

A comprehensive psychological approach to criminal and antisocial behavior.

Building on a tradition of excellence, Criminal Behavior: A Psychological Approach is accurate, well-researched, contemporary, and comprehensive. It offers a detailed look at crime, what may lead to it, and how criminal behavior may be prevented — all from a psychological perspective. With a focus on serious crimes, particularly those involving violence, this text offers an all-inclusive look at a very complex field through effective and engaging material that has been classroom-tested for more than thirty years.

Now in the Eleventh Edition, you’ll find crucial updates relating to crime definitions and DSM-5 categories, as well as the most current statistics and recently proposed models and theories. Numerous topics — such as intimate partner violence, juvenile sex offending, terrorist recruitment, elderly abuse, and sexual burglary — now receive more extensive coverage than ever before.

• The complex factors influencing criminal behavior are highlighted and explored. The text investigates how psychological, social, economic, political, and ecological factors all play a role in affecting individual behavior. Treatment and prevention strategies are also thoroughly covered.
• Intuitive guidance through complex subject matter begins with the broad theoretical aspects of crime in the first half of the book, and continues to specific offense categories in the second half. The early chapters discuss individual and social risk factors, developmental principles, and the psychology of aggression — including its biological basis.

The Most Current Coverage

Important contemporary topics and relevant examples are covered in depth, engaging students and helping them connect theories and research to real-life situations.

• NEW! DSM-5 classifications are used as relevant, enabling students and professors to stay abreast of changes from prior DSM manuals.
• NEW! Coverage of intimate partner violence (IPV) is highlighted, and includes research on IPV in special populations — older individuals, law enforcement families, same-sex couples, and dating adolescents. It draws attention to a growing problem and the closer research attention given to this crime among different groups.
• NEW! Two chapters on sex offending have been extensively revised with the most current definitions, theories, and topics. This increases awareness of different forms of sexual assault — such as acquaintance rape, juvenile offending, and online offending — as well as preventive measures and treatment options.
• A complete chapter on psychopathy, arguably one of the most heavily researched topics in the psychology of crime, is included.
• Examples using the recent terrorist attacks, child abductions, cyberbullying, the Norway shooting spree, and the Aurora, Colorado incident pique students’ interest and keep them up to date on the world around them.

A Wealth of Valuable Learning Tools

Time-tested pedagogy and numerous text features help students organise and visualise important material, assess their knowledge, and maximise the learning potential.

• NEW! New models present key content in a highly accessible format.
  • NEW! Cumulative risk/cascade models, integrated throughout the book, help students envision the specific risk of developing antisocial behavior as well as the preventive factors that discourage it.
  • NEW! Models of terrorist psychology offer insight into why people join terrorist groups and provide new material on domestic terrorism. This contributes to the understanding of the major global concern, but also stresses the reality of domestic terrorism.
• NEW! Topical boxes, in every chapter, now include discussion questions. These boxes, often used by instructors as extra assignments, focus on hot topics — Internet-facilitated crime, corporate psychopaths, school safety drills, and more — encouraging debate and discussion among students. Boxes have one of three themes:
  • Contemporary issues (e.g., psychology’s role in interrogation)
  • Recent research (e.g., bystander apathy)
  • Programs (e.g., treatment for sex offenders)
• Valuable study tools help students set chapter goals, interpret core material, and assess their understanding. These tools include:
  • Chapter learning objectives
  • Numerous boxed features to highlight and expand on important topics
  • End-of-chapter review questions

• DSM-5 classifications are used as relevant, enabling students and professors to stay abreast of changes from prior DSM manuals.
• Coverage of intimate partner violence (IPV) is highlighted, and includes research on IPV in special populations — older individuals, law enforcement families, same-sex couples, and dating adolescents. It draws attention to a growing problem and the closer research attention given to this crime among different groups.
• Two chapters on sex offending have been extensively revised with the most current definitions, theories, and topics. This increases awareness of different forms of sexual assault — such as acquaintance rape, juvenile offending, and online offending — as well as preventive measures and treatment options.
• New models present key content in a highly accessible format.
  • Cumulative risk/cascade models, integrated throughout the book, help students envision the specific risk of developing antisocial behavior as well as the preventive factors that discourage it.
  • Models of terrorist psychology offer insight into why people join terrorist groups and provide new material on domestic terrorism. This contributes to the understanding of the major global concern, but also stresses the reality of domestic terrorism.
• Topical boxes, in every chapter, now include discussion questions. These boxes, often used by instructors as extra assignments, focus on hot topics — Internet-facilitated crime, corporate psychopaths, school safety drills, and more — encouraging debate and discussion among students. Boxes have one of three themes:
  • Contemporary issues (e.g., psychology’s role in interrogation)
  • Recent research (e.g., bystander apathy)
  • Programs (e.g., treatment for sex offenders)