Results by title

Biosocial criminology—and biosocial criminologists—focuses on both the environmental and biological factors that contribute to antisocial behavior. Importantly, these two domains are not separate parts of an equation but pieces of the same puzzle that fit together for a complete picture of the causes of crime/antisocial behavior. 

Fitting the Facts of Crime applies a biopsychosocial lens to the “13 facts of crime” identified by John Braithwaite in his classic book, Crime, Shame and Reintegration. The authors unpack established facts—about gender and sex, age, environment, education, class, social bonds and associations, stress, and other influences—providing both empirical research and evidence from biopsychosocial criminology to address the etiology behind these facts and exactly how they are related to deviant behavior.

With their approach, the authors show how biopsychosocial criminology can be a unifying framework to enrich our understanding of the most robust and well-established topics in the field. In so doing, they demonstrate how biological and psychological findings can be responsibly combined with social theories to lend new insight into existing inquiries and solutions. Designed to become a standard text for criminology in general, Fitting the Facts of Crime introduces key concepts and applies them to real-world situations.

Maturation is a way we evaluate others and ourselves. It serves as a guidepost for our own behavior, often starting in adolescence. In Grow Up, Will You? Michael Rocque considers maturation across the life-course, providing a cultural and scholarly history of maturation before demonstrating how components of maturation develop, how they can be influenced, and their consequences for behavior and other life outcomes. He shows how biology and psychology propel us towards adulthood, but also how milestones, like graduating or getting married, produce a point of maturation.

Looking at examples from pop cultural movies, such as Juno, where a pregnant teenager faces numerous challenges and is forced to grow up quickly, Rocque explains how maturity has been defined and how it evolves. Such examples address key issues related to maturation, including timing and social expectations. He also introduces scientific conceptualizations and breaks down ways of measuring.

Ultimately, Grow Up, Will You? offers practical knowledge, programs, and approaches that can positively influence human development while also protecting a sense of childhood. Now grow up, will you?