Product Description

Taken from published reviews: " Dr Blackburn has written a remarkably good book; indeed, the best book on the topic from either side of the Atlantic I have read. the breadth of the author s knowledge is nothing short of encyclopaedic. Not only psychology developmental and social, as well as clinical but also psychiatry, biology, philosophy, and law are addressed in this volume. Finally, the book is written with clarity, economy, and a lucid style. It is as inviting and user–friendly as any work of such complexity can be. I hope that it will find its way into psychiatry residency training programmes as well. It could do wonders for replacing turf–battles with common ground." Criminal Behaviour & Mental Health " The scholarly breadth and accuracy of this work are remarkable. There seems to be no important contribution to our psychological understanding of crime which Blackburn has omitted to discuss, including those approaches from sociological and social psychology which are frequently neglected in straightforward psychological treatments. Moreover, all approaches are intelligently and sympathetically discussed." Expert Evidence " The volume is infused with the author s enthusiasm for a social cognitive perspective on offending behaviour, but he also robustly defends the utility of the notion of personality traits. Overall, this book brings together a vast array of research and theory examined from the perspective of the clinician involved with the individual. It will almost certainly become the key background text for post–graduate courses teaching forensic psychology and would be a valuable addition to the bookshelf of any clinician with forensic concerns." Clinical Psychology Forum " This is undoubtedly an important book. The end result is a book of excellent quality, which I recommend most warmly to clinical psychologists, and indeed, to anybody who is interested in criminological psychology ." Behaviour Research and Therapy " This author is to be congratulated for having produced this impressive volume. It provides a comprehensive review which is critical yet well–balanced. It assumes no prior familiarity with the field, and specialists from many different disciplines will learn a great deal from it." Criminal Law Review

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #77516 in Books
• Published on: 1995-08-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 506 pages

From the Back Cover
Taken from published reviews: "…Dr Blackburn has written a remarkably good book; indeed, the best book on the topic—from either side of the Atlantic—I have read. … the breadth of the author’s knowledge is nothing short of encyclopaedic. Not only psychology—developmental and social, as well as clinical—but also psychiatry, biology, philosophy, and law are addressed in this volume. Finally, the book is written with clarity, economy, and a lucid style. It is as inviting and user–friendly as any work of such complexity can be. … I hope that it will find its way into psychiatry residency training programmes as well. It could do wonders for replacing turf–battles with common ground." Criminal Behaviour & Mental Health "…The scholarly breadth and accuracy of this work are remarkable. There seems to be no important contribution to our psychological understanding of crime which Blackburn has omitted to discuss, including those approaches from sociological and social psychology which are frequently neglected in straightforward psychological treatments. Moreover, all approaches are intelligently and sympathetically discussed." Expert Evidence "…The volume is infused with the author’s enthusiasm for a social cognitive perspective on offending behaviour, but he also robustly defends the utility of the notion of personality traits. …Overall, this book brings together a vast array of research and theory examined from the perspective of the clinician involved with the individual. It will almost certainly become the key background text for post–graduate courses teaching forensic psychology and would be a valuable addition to the bookshelf of any clinician with forensic concerns." Clinical Psychology Forum "…This is undoubtedly an important book. …The end result is a book of excellent quality, which I recommend most warmly to clinical psychologists, and indeed, to anybody who is interested in ‘criminological psychology’." Behaviour Research and Therapy "…This author is to be congratulated for having produced this impressive volume. It provides a comprehensive review which is critical yet well–balanced. It assumes no prior familiarity with the field, and specialists from many different disciplines will learn a great deal from it." Criminal Law Review

Customer Reviews

concise and straight to the point
The psychology of criminal conduct is a must have for anyone with an interest in forensic psychology. The book offers a sound basis for research into crime not only from a psychological perspective but also from disciplines such as psychiatry, law biology and philosophy. The contents include an introduction into the criminal justice system, theories of criminal behaviour and treatment of offending behaviour. Blackburn's writing style eases the novice reader into understanding the theory and interventions of criminal behaviour, whilst also aiding the more advanced reader to develop a greater understanding of applied forensic psychology. Despite the complexity of the topic, Blackburn write with the reader in mind; each section is clearly identifies ensuring the reader can access each specific area of interest with considerable ease.

Comprehensive, clear and concise
Blackburn's The Psychology of Criminal Conduct must be considered one of the most important standard texts on the subject of criminal psychology - if not the most important. It is certainly comprehensive and broad, while maintaining a clear, concise and lucid style that helps the professional and casual reader alike.
It is refreshing to read a book on criminal psychology that does not rely on, as some do, outdated sociological prejudices and post-war research. And with the deep understanding of the topic that can only be acquired by a practising clinician. Blackburn's sources are contemporary and in-context, and cover the full range of research and theory. And the knowledge base drawn from is as broad as it is deep, encompassing biological, sociological, and jurisprudential sources in addition to psychological theory. So much so, that the different professionals involved in any case work or study in this area can reasonably regard the book as common ground.
Fully indexed and with over 70 pages of references, the book serves equally as a primer, or reference. This really is a must-have for any serious student or any professional with an interest in the subject.
From classification to intervention ethics, and from treatment to forensics, this work covers the lot.