2002/02/01 by Mark Colvin, Francis T. Cullen, Thomas Vander Ven · 3 citations
Social Sciences · #Crime Patterns and Interventions #Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis #Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance
paper · doi:10.1111/j.1745-9125.2002.tb00948.x
openalex publication_date 2002/02/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
Two themes, coercion and social support, have emerged over the past two decades in criminology that can be used to build a new integrated theory of crime. The authors provide a review of recent theoretical developments in criminology to demonstrate that two interconnected themes provide the basis for a new consensus in theory and crime policy. With some important exceptions, coercion causes crime and social support prevents crime. The authors develop a theory of differential social support and coercion that integrates concepts from a broad range of criminological theories. Implications of this integrated theory for public policy are explored.