The Craft Of Criminology Summary

As John Laub makes clear in his book The Craft of Criminology (2002), Hirschi perhaps has done more than any other delinquency theorist in terms of bringing the family and family relations into the discussion. Loeber and Stouthamer-Loeber (1986) reviewed the family variables that are related to juvenile delinquency. Their review indicates that such variables as poor family functioning and inadequate childrearing practices play a role in delinquency. But that doesn’t mean that most theories pay homage to these important variables. In fact, just the opposite is true, especially in sociological theories (Laub, 2002). Hirschi’s social control theory changed that.