Overview

Travis Hirschi challenged many enduring conventions within criminology. His incisive critiques and exchanges with leading theorists managed to generate substantive advances not only for control theory but for the criminological perspective more broadly. This book offers an intellectual history of Hirschi’s contribution to the formative arguments that comprise the modern history of criminology. This book expands beyond a rendering of Hirschi’s publication record through the inclusion of biographical content. The book draws from original interviews with several scholars with whom he engaged in debate: Ronald Akers (social learning theory), Alfred Blumstein (career criminals), Delbert Elliott (theory integration), David Greenberg (critical theory and the age-crime curve), and Jackson Toby (social control). The book is framed around the paradox of science needing path breakers but often branding messengers as “controversial.” Hirschi showed resolve by advancing our understanding through “creative destruction” and Popperian falsification. His refrain was that knowledge is built not by accumulation and accommodation but by unapologetically erasing bias and weak logic. Despite his frequent professional disagreements, he maintained friendships because his dissent commanded respect. This book is essential reading for students and scholars interested in exploring the enduring legacy of this key thinker in criminology.

Full Product Details

9781138611832

Table of Contents

Reviews

Travis Hirschi's odyssey from Causes of Delinquency (1969) to General Theory of Crime (1990) to Modern Control Theory (2020) reflected his commitment to the revitalization of the basic theoretical and methodological assumptions of contemporary criminology. His prose was sometimes provocative, his visions unconventional, but his logic was always persuasive. His work was animated by the classic insights of Hobbes, Bentham and Beccaria, but the scholars with whom he crossed paths were a who's who of contemporary criminology. Dooley and Goodison have provided a compelling introduction to the life and work of one of the giants of American criminology. Augustine Brannigan, University of Calgary Beginning with Causes of Delinquency, Travis Hirschi (1935-2017) revolutionized how we understand, empirically test, and engage with criminological theory today. In Travis Hirschi, Dooley and Goodison have written a tour de force in historical criminology—bringing to life Hirschi the towering scholar and reminding us that criminology’s future is indeed in its past. Brandon C. Welsh, Dean’s Professor of Criminology, Northeastern University; author of Between Medicine and Criminology: Richard Cabot and the Making of the Cambridge-Somerville Youth Study Much has been written about Travis Hirschi in criminology, from his unique style, to his indelible imprint on theoretical contributions to criminology. Yet Dooley and Goodison offer something fresh, stimulating, and valuable to the field. This book not only provides the most comprehensive overview of Hirschi's career and work but does so in a way that at once challenges and contributes to traditional histories of criminology as a field and science as a way of advancing knowledge. Dooley and Goodison's book is a must have for anyone interested in crime, theory, and human behavior. Michael Rocque, Professor of Sociology and Associate Dean of Faculty, Bates College; co-author of Great Debates in Criminology

Author Information

Brendan D. Dooley is Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Mount St. Mary’s University. Since 2011 he has served as Project Director of the Oral History of Criminology Project. His research interests are in the sociology of knowledge, as applied to criminology. Sean E. Goodison has nearly 20 years of experience as a quantitative criminologist working directly with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to advance evidence-based policies and practices. His research interests include criminological theory, translational criminology, quantitative methods, and policing.

Tab Content 6

Countries Available