Confessions of a Dying Thief: Understanding Criminal Careers and Illegal Enterprise (New Lines in Criminology)
“Confessions of a Dying Thiefcompletes one of the best case studies in criminology literature. It provides a fascinating, if sobering, first-hand account of one man’s criminal career and much material for criminological theorizing. Students and scholars alike will find it a valuable resource.”—Steven E. Barkan,Contemporary Sociology"American criminology was born through a merger of theory and multiple methods that addressed the ecology of crime, the learning of criminal behavior, and the careers of law-breakers. The 'case study' was central to that development, filling in the qualitative personal details that illustrated the general theories that would continue to endure into the twenty-first century. Steffensmeier and Ulmer'sConfessions of a Dying Thiefshould be added to the classic case studies that manage to bridge the gap between general ideas in sociological criminology and experiences of real individuals in a complex social world."—Gary Jensen, Professor and Chair of Sociology, Vanderbilt University"Confessions of a Dying Thief: Understanding Criminal Careers and Illegal Enterpriseby Darrell Steffensmeier and Jeffrey T. Ulmer is an ethnographic tour de force and will become an instant classic. An update of Steffensmeier'sThe Fence: In the Shadow of Two Worlds,Confessionstakes us into nearly three decades of a life history... a case study of Sam Goodman, a fence and professional thief. The authors skillfully relate these accounts to theory and method. This truly unique life course relationship between subject and researcher makes for a very informative and good read. It also contributes to criminological literature on career criminals on a very personal basis."—Frank E. Hagan, director, Graduate Program in the Administration of Justice, Mercyhurst College"Steffensemeier and Ulmer combine rich description and criminological imagination to illuminate the social organization of offending and the complexity of criminal careers. This important contribution offers both a fascinating tour of the underworld and revised understandings of crime across the life course.Confessions of a Dying Thiefis a "must read" for criminologists and ideal for use in the classroom."—Francis T. Cullen, University of Cincinnati