Introduction to critical criminology

This free course, Introduction to critical criminology, provides a brief introduction to critical criminological thinking. It defines the ways in which critical criminologists take a 'critical stance' on the fundamental concepts, practices and institutions associated with crime and criminal justice systems.

• Introduction
• Learning outcomes
• Mainstream or standard criminology
• Classical school of criminology
• Positivist school of criminology
• Positivism and causality
• The development of critical criminology
• The inheritance of radical criminology
• What does it mean to be critical?
• Critical analysis: Two examples
• Violence
• Governing through crime
• Key features of critical criminology
• Conclusion
• References
• Further reading
• Acknowledgements