Encyclopedia of criminology /

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Bibliographic Details
Imprint:New York : Routledge, 2005.
Description:3 v. (xxxii, 1900 p.) ; 29 cm.
Language:English
Subject:Criminology -- Encyclopedias.
Criminology.
Reference works.
Encyclopedias.
Format: Print Book
URL for this record:http://pi.lib.uchicago.edu/1001/cat/bib/5182994
Hidden Bibliographic Details
Other authors / contributors:Wright, Richard A. (Richard Alan), 1953-
Miller, J. Mitchell.
ISBN:1579583873 (set : alk. paper)
1579584659 (vol. 1 : alk. paper)
1579584667 (vol. 2 : alk. paper)
1579584675 (vol. 3 : alk. paper)
Notes:Includes bibliographical references and index.
Review by Choice Review

After years of seeming neglect, criminology is experiencing a major reference publishing boom. Encyclopedia of Criminology and Deviant Behavior, ed. by Clifton D. Bryant (4v., 2001), received widely favorable reviews, and Encyclopedia of Crime & Justice, ed. by Joshua Dressler (2nd ed., 4v., CH, Jun'02, 39-5554), has since become a standard reference work in the field. Wright and Miller's encyclopedia deserves a place on the shelf next to its illustrious predecessors. Intended for scholars and literate nonprofessionals, their source provides an authoritative, multidisciplinary overview of traditional and contemporary topics in the field. Wright and Miller's editorial decisions are flawless. More than 500 essays contributed by more than 300 international scholars fall into 12 major substantive areas in the discipline, including criminal behavior (124 essays), the justice system (121), criminal law (61), theories of criminal behavior (49), and prominent figures in the field (44). Although Encyclopedia of Crime & Justice covers 250 topics in greater depth, Wright and Miller cover broad topics under numerous separate entries rather than in one general entry; for example, "Organized Crime" is the subject of 16 separate entries such as "Organized Crime: Russian Mafia." Each entry provides a select bibliography of classic and recent material. Cross-references to related entries are logical and numerous, and the inclusion of infrequently covered topics (e.g., "Occult Crimes," "Phrenology," "Demonology") is also impressive. This reference source is destined to become a standard in the field. ^BSumming Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduates and higher. D. K. Frasier Indiana University--Bloomington

Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review

Routledge's encyclopedic offering for the discipline of criminology is a worthy addition to the field. Through more than 525 signed essays written by scholars and experts, the encyclopedia presents the latest research in this multidisciplinary field as well as traditional concepts, theories, and issues. It moves beyond the theoretical to address the practicalities of the criminal justice system: law enforcement, the courts, and corrections. All entries include a list of "References and Further Reading" as well as cross-references to related entries. Alphabetical and thematic lists of entries are provided as well as a comprehensive index. The thematic list identifies areas of emphasis: correlates of criminal behavior such as age, gender, and race; concepts in criminal law such as double jeopardy and self-defense; cross-cultural and global systems and trends; history of criminology and of legal and criminal justice traditions (e.g., Ecclesiastical law and justice, Hindu legal traditions0 ); the justice system ( Arrest,0 Parole0 ); ways of measuring crime ( Recidivism, Uniform Crime Reports0 ); professional issues ( Corrections: careers; Publications in criminal law0 ); prominent figures; theories and types of criminal behavior; and victimization. Encyclopedia of Criminology0 is the third multivolume encyclopedic work on this topic to be published in the last three years. Macmillan's Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice0 (2001) was quickly followed by Sage's Encyclopedia of Crime and Punishment0 (2002). The Sage work concentrates on the field of criminal justice, while criminology is the focus of the other two encyclopedias. While the Macmillan and Routledge sets have many similarities, the Encyclopedia of Criminology 0 is unique in its biographic coverage of figures ranging from Freda Adler to J. Edgar Hoover. It also provides greater international and comparative coverage, with nearly 30 essays on crime and justice in specific countries or regions in addition to essays on topics such as international crime statistics and trends and discussion of the international context in entries such as Appeals and post-trial motions 0 and Bail: right to0 . Legal traditions, measures of crime, and theories of criminal behavior each receive significantly more attention in Ency0 clopedia of Criminology, which has twice as many entries as the Macmillan work. On the other hand, entries in the Routledge work are generally of slightly shorter length and have fewer references than comparable entries in the Macmillan title. Recommended for high-school, college and university, and public libraries, particularly those that do not have the Macmillan encyclopedia. --Jan Lewis Copyright 2005 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review

Compiled by a group of American academics and carried to completion by Miller (director, Drug & Addictions Graduate Studies Program, Univ. of South Carolina) after the untimely death of its lead editor, sociologist Wright, this A-to-Z of criminology is somewhat similar to four recent multivolume sets: Sage's Encyclopedia of Crime and Punishment and Encyclopedia of Law Enforcement, Routledge's Encyclopedia of Criminology and Deviant Behavior, and Macmillan's Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice. In well over 500 three- to four-page entries, it gives more space to theories and theoretical perspectives than its competitors but less to what may seem topical, e.g., the entry "Weapons of Mass Destruction" is much more substantial in the Encyclopedia of Law Enforcement. Criminology typically eschews the legal and administrative approach, and this work lacks the customary tables of cases, but its articles do mention salient court cases. Many also include a separate section on the legal bases of, for instance, alcohol use, forcible rape, and larceny. While there are articles on agencies, such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, the articles on criminal justice in countries like Russia and regions like Scandinavia are not as detailed as in other sets. However, a unique seven-page section on web resources is a welcome addition. Bottom LineWhile this encyclopedia has merit, it will struggle to stand out in a crowded field. Besides those references listed above, there are many others on criminal justice: Facts On File's The Encyclopedia of Unsolved Crimes and The Encyclopedia of International Organized Crime, Sage's Encyclopedia of White Collar and Corporate Crime, and Greenwood's Encyclopedia of Cold War Espionage, Spies and Secret Operations. Only the most comprehensive collections will attempt to buy all of them. As for this title, it is only recommended as an optional purchase for specialized collections.-Janice Dunham, John Jay Coll. of Criminal Justice Lib., CUNY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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