Family Criminology

Amanda Holt is Reader in Criminology at the University of Roehampton, London. Her research work focuses on families, young people and harm and she has published widely on topics concerned with parenting and youth justice, family violence and homicide, and research methodologies. Her books include Adolescent-to-Parent Abuse: Current Understandings in Research, Policy and Practice (2013: Policy Press) and the edited collection Working with Adolescent Violence and Abuse towards Parents: Approaches and Contexts for Intervention (2016: Routledge). She is a Trustee of Family Lives, the national family support charity.

• 1. Introduction.- 2. The Criminogenic Family: Families As The Cause Of Crime In Research And Policy.- 3. The Stigmatised Family: The Impact Of Offending On Families.- 4. The Mafia Family: Organised Crime Families.- 5. The Violent Family: Domestic And Family Violence.- 6. The Homicidal Family: The Killing Of Family Members.- 7. The Traumatised Family: The Families Of Victims.- 8. The Campaigning Family: Victims’ Families Transforming Justice.- 9. Discussion.- 10. Key Terms.

“The book is thoughtfully structured into nine chapters, each offering a unique perspective on how the concept of family is situated within the broader context of crime studies. … the book’s groundbreaking approach offers a fresh perspective on the complex interplay between families and crimes, marking a significant stride in mainstream criminology.” (Yushawu Abubakari, Criminal Justice and Behavior, January 13, 2024)“Each chapter proceeds by way of elaboration of key concepts and definitions, followed by a rehearsal of the core theories and debates ... . the book knowledgeably covers a great deal of ground. The text itself is supplemented by a host of diagrams, figures and tables to illustrate key aspects of the discussion ... . The case studies are especially useful and could easily lend themselves to class exercises searching for other cases raising similar issues.” (Peter Squires, The British Journal of Criminology, January 7, 2023)