Overview

Why do people commit crimes? How can crime be prevented? And what can society and criminal justice professionals do to implement constructive responses to criminal behavior? Summarizing what he has learned about crime and criminals during his long career, one of social work's most distinguished theoreticians speculates about the factors that lead to crime and considers what we can do to prevent and respond to it meaningfully. Criminal Lessons is based on more than thirteen thousand cases in which Frederic G. Reamer has been involved as a parole board member, a role that was supplemented by his earlier experiences working in a federal correctional facility, a state penitentiary, and a forensic unit in a state psychiatric hospital. Reamer presents an original and compelling typology of crime that classifies offenders on the basis of the circumstances that led to their offenses. He isolates seven categories, tracing crime to desperation, greed, rage, revenge, frolic, addiction, or mental illness. Using actual case studies to illustrate these patterns of 'criminal circumstances,' Reamer presents a model for the prevention of, and response to, crime and throughout the book offers recommendations related to social services, criminal justice, and public policy.

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9780231129305

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Reviews

This is the first book to include an original criminal typology that systematically integrates circumstances, situations, and central life themes that lead to certain types of crimes. This absolute gem of a book provides a vast wealth of insights on seven primary categories of crimes including etiological and motivational factors, environmental and situational influences, and the full range of treatment alternatives. This is the best book I have read in a long time bridging qualitative research on thousands of offenders and ex-offenders with practical implications. It is a 'must read' for every criminal justice and forensic social work professional. -- Albert R. Roberts, Editor-in-Chief<p>Professor of Criminal Jus, Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention Journal

This is the first book to include an original criminal typology that systematically integrates circumstances, situations, and central life themes that lead to certain types of crimes. This absolute gem of a book provides a vast wealth of insights on seven primary categories of crimes including etiological and motivational factors, environmental and situational influences, and the full range of treatment alternatives. This is the best book I have read in a long time bridging qualitative research on thousands of offenders and ex-offenders with practical implications. It is a 'must read' for every criminal justice and forensic social work professional. -- Albert R. Roberts, Editor-in-ChiefProfessor of Criminal Jus, Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention Journal

Author Information

Frederic G. Reamer is professor of social work at Rhode Island College. The author or editor of twelve books, he received the Council of Social Work Education's award for recent distinguished contributions in social work.

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