When Wilson and Herrnstein's "Crime and Human Nature" first appeared in 1985, it caused a major debate. American sociologists had generally ascribed crime to environmental factors, particularly poverty. Wilson and Herrnstein proposed that constitutional factors, coupled with poor parenting, were really the causes of crime. It was the first major examination of such factors since the early days of criminology. The authors proposed that the following constitutional factors predisposed an individual to crime:
1)Mesomorphic body type: There are three body types and mesomorphs are described as heavily built, either muscular or fat, and shorter than average. The authors don't even attempt to explain why this would predispose an individual to crime. But the statistics they use to back up this claim can't really be denied. Criminals are overwhelmingly mesomorphs with a slight emphasis to endomorphism (roundness) rather than ectomorphism (lean build). Stereotypes of criminals back up this claim: Think of the way famous mafiosos are built: John Gotti, Sammy Gravano, Tony Soprano, etc. Realizing that they can't explain why this affects crime, the authors simply state that it shows that constitutional factors matter; The other biological factors they describe are more straightforward.
2)Age: Criminals are predominantly young. Crime peaks from ages 16-25 and begins to descend downwards from thereon, although violent crime peaks from ages 24-28. Unlike body type, the authors seem to think they know why age causes crime, offering several possibilities. Young people have shorter time horizons, and are more interested in immediate gratification. Young people are less well off financially, have less dependents and so on. Few people would dispute age as a major factor in crime.
3)Sex: Men commit far more crimes than women, although the figures aren't completely clear as to how much more. An estimation of 90 percent seems likely. The question is why? Obviously men are more aggressive than women, but why do women commit crimes? The authors state that women commit crimes for the same reasons as men. As for why, all they can say is that for reasons both nature and nurture, men have different sex roles than women, and these affect crime.
4)Intelligence: Low intelligence, particularly the verbal component, seems to have a major impact on the criminal individual. The reasons are that those with low intelligence discount future events as being too far off to matter. They try and live for the moment. They may also be less able to grasp moral concepts.
5)Personality: Criminals differ on personality in nearly every study done on them. Criminals tend to be more aggressive, unafraid, assertive, impulsive and extroverted than others. They are also poorly socialized, meaning they display little regards for others feelings.
The authors are quick to note that constitutional factors are not only hereditary. They may also be affected by poor pre-natel care. Thus the genes alone don't dictate criminal behavior, but they do predispose an individual to crime. If those traits are reinforced by certain environmental factors, then criminal behavior may result.
By far the most important developmental factor, according to the authors, is parental style. Inconsistent and random discipline prevents a child from knowing when to expect punishment. The rules are not made clear, and the child never internalizes them. Furthermore, a cold parent does not produce the necessary attachment with their child that is important in later development. The child never develops a desire to please the parent or obey the rules. This pattern continues into adulthood. As far as developmental and environmental factors go, this is really the only one the authors point to as having a major impact. Indeed, they spend the next few chapters explaining why other factors don't matter, including schools, neighborhoods, labor markets, and television violence. Delinquents are likely to flock together in the schoolyard: A few rotten boys don't spoil the others. Certain kinds of neighborhoods attract certain kinds of people, and they point to an ecological fallacy: Ascribing the characteristics of an individual to the group where he lives. Labor markets only marginally affect crime, and the reasons are not entire clear yet. One environmental factor they do point to are durgs, specifically alcohol and heroin (the book came out before the crack epidemic broke in 1985, or surely crack would been included). These alter a persons time horizons and lead to impulsive behavior, as well as the need for money to support the habit. It is not clear how constitutional factors affect people in predisposing them to use drugs though. Perhaps they share some of the above constitutional traits.
After setting forth their model of criminal behavior as a choice that people make based on biological factors coupled with inadequate parenting, it seems only logical to expect policy suggestions on how to reduce crime. But they offer few. One reason is that since the book was both controversial and revolutionary, they were first interested in seeing their theory of criminal behavior become accepted. Since being written, it has indeed gained widespread acceptance, although it doesn't explain white-collar crime, and doesn't seem to explain organized crime either. The authors would counter that organized crime results from the same factors that they lay out in their general model. And it seems a valid point in explaining organized crime, who's members share many characteristics with petty criminals.
What is missing from the book is causation. After establishing an elegant an encompassing theory of crime which looks at both biological and environmental factors, the authors need to fill in the blanks. Most notably, why do mesomorphs show more criminal tendencies? And why do some men become criminals, while most don't? And how does one explain why women commit crimes? There is something notably missing here: How does one explain aggression, and the link between muscularity and aggressiveness?
Since 1985 researchers have closed in on the answer. It seems that the male hormone testoserone is responsible for aggression. Men with low testoserone claim to be tired, and unenergetic. After receiving the hormone, they say they feel better. No studies have been, however, to give men with high levels of testoserone more of the hormone for fear of uncontrolled behavior. Nonetheless, the correlation seems clear. It seems that mesomorphs, youths, and men all have higher testoserone than their counterparts. This explains their aggressive behavior. But even those three factors together cannot explain crime. Low intelligence, bad temperament, and poor parenting must also be factored in. A young man with high testoserone and a well adjusted personality will be highly successful. Indeed, society needs energetic young men to fight its wars, fight fires, and police the streets, among other jobs. It is only aggression in tandem with the other factors that is a problem.
Finally, we must address how to reduce crime, based on the model described here. One solution has been eugenics. The neo-Eugenics movement loved this book, using it to claim that crime is genetic, and to reduce crime all we have to do is sterilize criminals. While there is much in this book to support that claim, there will still be individuals born with these genetic traits. And most of all, society finds that solution abhorrent and unethical. I believe there are better ways to deal with criminals. If criminals are aggressive, impulsive, short-sighted young men, one way to deal with them is to slow them down. The tranquilizing effect of drug treatments would slow their impulses, and make them think before they act. No such drug has been introduced, but it seems like one could be not to far in the offing. Treatment programs like those offered by Stanton Samenow which help criminals by making them think about their every action, and what it will lead to in the future, could be done in tandem with drug treatment. By doing these things, along with strict policing, we can reduce crime greatly in our society.

Gilliland and James have successfully created an extremely comprehensive introduction to crisis intervention methodology in this text.

While lacking some historical perspective on the development of this methodology, the book incorporates a variety tools useful to the mental health professional. These tools well make up for the exclusion of a short history on crisis intervention.

The authors clearly defined various helping situations (i.e., suicide, sexual assault, spousal abuse, and chemical dependency) and demonstrated how their applications assisted in the resolution of these issues. Furthermore, Gilliland and James added the sections on extreme circumstances, such as hostage taking, as well as professional concerns, such as burnout.

For those entering the field, this text provides a wealth of information. Those that are well seasoned will still find this a useful reference.

On first glance, I was surprised to find this text so easily read, particularly when dealing with such a serious subject, yet I have returned to it time and again in my own practice for ideas and direction.

Thank you.

Old but still worthy of respect, this is a collection of most of the works by James Joyce that could reasonably be described as Critical. Here we see Joyce in many guises - youthful literary hack, angry old man protesting against breach of copyright, and above all explainer of Irish and English culture to the Italians. The most fascinating pieces in the book are a series of lectures Joyce gave in Italian on the subjects of Irish history, James Clarence Mangan, William Blake and diverse other topics. Those who've attempted to claim Joyce as an apolitical webmaster or conservative elitist (I'm talking to you, Roger Scruton) are in for a shock. His socialism and proto-post-colonialist sense of historical injustice are in full display.

These are, to be sure, the kind of thing you read not because you're interested in the subjects under discussion (who, apart from elderly Irish poets, cares about James Clarence Mangan?) but because you're interested in what Joyce has to say about them. All his criticism is of the strategic rather than tactical kind, the kind of criticism certain writers engage in so as to clear the ground for their own efforts. He's no John Updike, prepared to write 2000 words about anybody he happens to find interesting.

Apart from a vacuous introduction by Guy Davenport, this is a fascinating book. I'm sure it's far from complete, seeing as nobody can even agree about where Joyce's books stop and his drafts begin, but it'll do until time and decay simplify the picture. Joyce is the great pathfinder of modern Irish writing. Hail to the Chief.

I have listened to Setlock's readings, this one in particular, many times. He is very close to Joyce's voice, in interpretation and execution. The readings are masterly. This recording just grows and grows on you.

Toward the end of his life, Montana poet Richard Hugo wrote a detective/mystery novel that features a detective who is the antithesis of the tough, clipped speaking, hard drinking, noir detective so common in the American detective story. Al "Mush Heart" Barnes is a loveable, poetic, common man, a man with an eye for a good looking woman and a skill for solving murders. Barnes has moved to Plains, Montana in his retirement from the Seattle Police Department, and works as a Deputy Sheriff. Suddenly, two men are murdered by axe and Barnes' detective work takes him to Kooskia, Kamiah, and Orofino on Idaho's Clearwater River and then to the Portland metropolitan area, where he uncovers truths about an old murder, new murders, and some of his close friends. If you happen to enjoy Richard Hugo's poetry, his unmistakeable voice drives this novel and his lyrical writing and philosophical observations make this book an aesthetic delight.

As a long time visiter to the Owens Valley I found this book to be excellent. Its great for the first time traveler or the person who has been to the valley many times. Its section on side roads is good for those passing through the area and wanting to explore a bit. The history and geology areas are current and answer those questions that arise when encountering the vast numbers of different geological features. While no one guide does it all this book comes close. A great book for those who want a general guide to the valley, its history,geology,flora and fauna.

DeGowin's Diagnostic Examination is a great book to own - whether you're a medical professional, a medical student, or just simply want to learn the basics of the physical exam. As a first year medical student I have voluminous books which explain the physical exam in detail, yet DeGowin's has been more useful, because it's small enough to carry around in my pocket - yet it's detailed enough to provide all crucial aspects of the routine physical exam. The illustrations which show steps of various exams are simple to follow and better than those found in other clinical skills books I have come across. Furthermore, DeGowin's provides the reader not only with examination proceedures, but describes commonly encountered symptoms and signs of various diseases. And to top it all of there is even a section on "Laboratory values as clues." I highly recommend it for anyone in the medical profession, or to the reader who wants to know in detail what the physical exam should encompass!

An outstanding comprehensive resource on the current areas of focus in glycobiology. Highly recommended to those seeking an overview of recent discoveries and future challenges as well as techniques employed by researchers in this rapidly expanding field

A stroll down Euclid Avenue in the Jazz Age and beyond, at a time it was packed with top-tier restaurants, ornate theaters, and appealing stores, becomes pleasant in the hands of James Toman and Richard Karberg. Toman and Karberg have worked together before; they produced a wildly popular pair of books about Cleveland's venerable Silver Grille restaurant.

Toman--the author, coauthor, or editor of around 20 books of local interest--puts his usual strengths on display here. He chocks his books full of appealing photographs, combing through the archives, one suspects, to get just the right ones. The text is tightly written, carefully edited, and filled with anecdote, but it lets the pictures do much of the talking.

Cleveland is a decent respectable city of half a million now. Our art museum and orchestra are nationally prominent. Our hospitals, particularly UH and The Clinic, are among the country's best. But there was a time we were a million strong and on the grow, the future opening giddily before us. We were home to Rockefellers and a burgeoning industrial giant, and Euclid Avenue became a microcosm of that success spiced with a bit of "Great Gatsby"-style hedonism. To dip into this book is to date a "Sophisticated Lady," to feast the senses on the mink stoles, early film classics, and luscious cuisine of Cleveland's golden age.

After the end of the Second World War, a number of African Americans, including many of our most talented intellectuals, decided that America was just not a sufficiently hospitable home. Those who could left for Europe. Many, landed in Paris, which provided a far more civilized society.

Literary giants like James Baldwin, Richard Wright and other intellectuals found a place where their worth was determined by things more significant than skin color. This is the story of their experiences.

Another book worth searching for.