This volume investigates the current trajectory of criminological theory and the future directions of theoretical explanation within the field. Editors Francis T. Cullen and Pamela Wilcox curate a collection of essays from leading scholars to synthesize contemporary research. The work serves as a comprehensive overview of how theoretical frameworks are evolving to address modern substantive topics in criminal justice and social behavior.

Experts recognize this handbook as a primary reference for graduate-level study and academic research in criminology. Readers frequently note the high level of academic density and the rigor of the contributions provided by the field's leading theorists.