Book Review: Bruce A. Arrigo and Christopher R. Williams (eds) Philosophy, Crime and Criminology Urbana & Chicago, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2006. 264 pp. US$50.00 ISBN 0—252—03051—6 (hbk); US$25.00 ISBN 0—252—07289—8 (pbk) • Reviewed by Andy Aitchison, Edinburgh University, UK
| Date | 01 August 2007 |
| Author | Andy Aitchison |
| Published date | 01 August 2007 |
| DOI | 10.1177/1748895807078872 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
307
Bruce A. Arrigo and Christopher R. Williams (eds)
Philosophy, Crime and Criminology
Urbana & Chicago, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2006. 264 pp. US$50.00
ISBN 0–252–03051–6 (hbk); US$25.00 ISBN 0–252–07289–8 (pbk)
•Reviewed by Andy Aitchison, Edinburgh University, UK
Arrigo, Williams and colleagues use this collection of essays to invite a crim-
inological audience to address their subject matter in a more philosophical
manner, or rather to address it in a more systematically philosophical manner
than they may hitherto have done. This call to a philosophical criminology is
supported with an introduction that includes a discussion of the four key areas
of philosophy through which the field might be approached: ontology, episte-
mology, ethics and aesthetics. Moreover the links between these divisions of
philosophy are drawn out, observing, for example, that the production of
explanatory knowledge by criminologists is dependent upon certain onto-
logical assumptions regarding causation.
In introducing their arguments on the failure of criminology to develop a
philosophical outlook, the authors draw on FBI crime reports as an indica-
tion of underlying assumptions of an objective reality of rape, in line with a
modern, scientific, logical positivist approach. But to what extent does this
represent the verstehen produced by academic criminology. It is in that envir-
onment that one would expect to encounter philosophical debate on the onto-
logical questions of what crime is and of the nature of its reality. Arguably
the crime reports of the FBI and other official bodies represent functional
working definitions of crime acts; yet even here there may be an opening for
ontological diversity. In the policing of racially aggravated crimes in England
and Wales, what constitutes such an offence can be defined by investigating
officer, victim or a third party, suggesting recognition of much more subjective
forms of reality. Likewise, contemporary victim surveys attempt to grapple
with subjective feelings of safety, recognizing these as having some form of
reality, and as having real effects.
The notion of objective reality as an aspect of criminological meta-
physics, and the foundation it provides for an epistemology characterizing
western sciences, social sciences and criminology, is emphasized by Arrigo
and Williams. Brief mention is given to alternative epistemologies in crim-
inology, primarily constructionist; perhaps more could have been made of
this to show existing foundations in contemporary academic criminology
on which philosophers may build.
Criminology & Criminal Justice
© 2007 SAGE Publications
(Los Angeles, London, New Delhi and Singapore)
and the British Society of Criminology.
www.sagepublications.com
ISSN 1748–8958; Vol: 7(3): 307–312
DOI: 10.1177/1748895807078872
BOOK REVIEWS
307-312 CRJ-078872.qxd 2/7/07 4:05 PM Page 307
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