The analytical sociology of law and crime: How people and their actions become criminal

Sociological and criminological theory continue to debate the relative importance of personal characteristics and structural factors in determining individual behavior. Likewise, disagreement exists regarding the relationship between law, morality, and crime. This dissertation argues for Analytical Sociology as the theoretical tool for resolving these debates. The method used in this dissertation is one of theoretical critique and synthesis based on the propositions of Analytical Theory. We begin by introducing Analytical Theory, then show how this model helps identify the necessary elements of both a sociology of law and a theory of criminal behavior. An application of Analytical Theory to criminology demonstrates the political origins and nature of law as well as the existence of a "criminal class," the members of which are similarly situated along the axes of skills, wealth, and political power. This class is a subset of all individuals who commit social harms, but because of their social status have a greater likelihood of having their behaviors officially labeled as criminal. At the same time, Analytical Theory shows that the debate between "agency" and "structure" reflects a false dichotomy. What in fact exists is agency within a structure that determines the probability of various individual outcomes. The dissertation concludes with a call for a developmental approach to the explanation and prevention of criminal behavior. In this vein, Multisystemic Therapy is presented as one successful intervention with principles compatible with the Analytical perspective.