The second edition of this popular textbook introduces key critical criminological theories and perspectives for students of criminology, sociology and social policy. Written by an experienced academic, it offers a one-stop guide to foundational and contemporary theories, introducing students to perspectives that challenge mainstream perspectives on the causes of crime and the operation of the criminal justice system. The text analyses how critical criminology has progressed from its origins in the 1960s in the face of rapid social, economic, cultural and political change and the advent of the digital age. Updated throughout to reflect more recent theoretical and empirical developments in critical criminology and with new chapters on digital penology and future directions for the discipline, the text features: - end-of-chapter summary boxes; - sample essay questions.