Criminology is a diverse discipline. Luckily there are several foundation works that will help you to gain an understanding of what the study of criminology involves and how the discipline intersects with the criminal justice system. Your lecturers are likely to suggest an introductory text—something to cover the basics. If not a text book, then they may provide you with a list of suggested readings covering key topics and approaches. Our suggestions here are websites and works that we think will help you to grasp what criminology is about and may challenge your thinking about the discipline. Finding the books and articles will also give you some practice in navigating your institution’s library and information services.
Books
Mills C. 2000. The Sociological Imagination. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bosworth, M. & Hoyle, C. (eds.) What is Criminology? Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Young, J. 2011. The Criminological Imagination. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Journal articles
Austin, J. 2003. ‘Why Criminology is Irrelevant’ Criminology & Public Policy 2(3), 557-564.
Hill, R. & Robertson, R.L. 2003. ‘What sort of future for critical criminology’. Crime, Law & Social Change, 39:1, 91–115.
Jeffery. C.R. 1977. ‘Criminology: Whither or Wither?’. Criminology 15:3, 283–286.
Walklate, S. 2016. ‘Whither Criminology: Its Global Futures?’. Asian Journal of Criminology, 11:1, 47–59.
There are also several podcasts relating to crime. The podcast ‘Criminal’ is a bit unique because it explores ‘crime’ from multiple perspectives and tells the story of how people have been affected and involved in a host of ‘wrongs’. You can find the podcast website at http://thisiscriminal.com/
