Criminology for the Police

Book excerpt: This book offers an applied approach to criminology suitable for prospective police officers. It covers the fundamentals of criminological knowledge, theory and research, and their relevance to policing. The book is split into two parts, the first introducing the basics of criminology, and the second connecting criminological research to police practice. It focuses on the principles of evidence-based practice and encourages students to think critically about the issues covered. Core content includes the following: A history of policing in England and Wales, through a criminological lens. An overview of the literature on police culture, bias and discretion. A review of the challenges of applying criminological insights to policing, and the impact of the College of Policing code of ethics on police practice. An exploration of the challenges of contemporary policing, including complex crime, transnational investigation, digital and organised crime. A critical overview of evidence, and public sources of evidence. An examination of the contested definitions and perspectives on Evidence-Based Policing. An introduction to criminological research, including quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods. A review of problem solving in policing, including SARA and Atlas models. This book is essential reading for all students studying degrees in Professional Policing, as well as students of criminology engaged in criminal justice knowledge and practice.