Paper Summary:

This paper reviews, in chronological order, four significant criminological theories - early biological theory as championed by Cesare Lombroso, ecological theory as made popular by the Chicago School, Merton's Economic Strain theory, and feminist criminological theory emphasizing a "gendered" approach to understanding crime - and illustrates how each succeeding theory was either indebted to the one before it or produced in response to the one which came before. Every bit as meaningfully, the paper takes a closer look at the social or intellectual trends/fashions which made it possible for new, divergent theories to achieve prominence even when pre-existing theories seemed unshakable in their primacy. Ultimately, the paper concludes that the field of criminology is fertile, evolutionary and ceaselessly dynamic.

Outline:
Abstract
Criminological Theories: The Emergence and Evolution of Four Theoretical Explanations for Crime

From the Paper:

"Quite simply, whatever its shortcomings, early biological theory was a welcome respite from doctrinaire "free will" explanations of crime which had largely dominated the intellectual landscape up until the last quarter of the nineteenth century. In light of this fact, his work should be understood and appreciated within its historical context and not judged wholly by the criminological standards of today."
"Although his contribution to criminology was most welcome, it was not long before a number of academics began to call his findings into question. The most famous of all these dissenters was not an individual, per se, but a school. Specifically, criminologists in the Department of Sociology at the University of Chicago became the chief advocates of a new criminological theory known as ecological crime theory ..."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Lauerma, Hannu. (2005). Editorial: Crime and punishment - and cognitive deficits. Journal of Psychiatry, 59(4): 229-30.
• O'Connor, Thomas R. (2004). Crime theories. Criminal Justice Mega-Links. Retrieved September 16, 2006, from <http://faculty.ncwc.edu/toconnor/111/111lect03.htm>
• O'Connor, Thomas R. (2006). Strain theories in Criminology. Criminal Justice Mega-Links. Retrieved September 16, 2006, from <http://faculty.ncwc.edu/TOConnor/301/301lect09.htm>
• Zimring, Franklin E. (1981). Kids, groups, and crime: some implications of a well-known secret. Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology, 72(3): 867-85.

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