Customer Reviews

Seductions Of Crime: Moral And Sensual Attractions In Doing Evil

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Jack Katz writes an informative, concise and easy to understand book to the criminal mind. He explores the real question of WHY criminals do what they do; what drives and motivates them, and what goes through their minds before, during and after they have committed a crime. His research is complete and impressive.

Jack Katz has published a one-of-a-kind book with 'Seductions Of Crime'. This book exposes an element of crime many do not comprehend: The seductiveness of the crime itself. Many researchers focus on societal influence or the background of the criminal. Katz places special emphasis on how people are drawn to the crime itself psychologically...what makes the crime so aesthetically-pleasing to the criminal element. This is great reading material for anyone, whether you're a police officer or just a civilian. Moving through the mind of a criminal, from petty all the way up to cold-blooded murderer, you are able to conceive the notions and impulses that drive them to perform criminal acts.

the author covered the subject of crime--from "senseless killing" to street crime--from the heretofore neglected perspective of the criminally minded, psycho-sensual, culturally deviant psychological/ego needs of the perpetrators. the approach was scholarly and well reasoned and left much to ponder--particularly as we struggle to make sense of the next "senseless killing" we are confronted with.

This book is required for a class of mine. The book is in great condition and was a little highlighted as mentioned. However, I am satisfied with my book and believe I made an excellent purchase.
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Excellent service! the book was a better quality than listed. I would buy from this seller again.

If Katz is really a professor he must sit in his office playing with himself most of the day. The book is one of the worst books I have ever read. Katz spends an enormous amount of time with rambling, incoherent passages filled with repetitive details. One might expect at the end to receive an analysis or insight into personal behavior or criminal psychology, as the book suggests!! There is none and do not expect to gain any unique insights. It turns out that Katz is not a criminologist or psychologist. He is in fact a removed sociologist who must rely on second hand information and write-ups provided by other observers and investigators. For example, he reviews and includes the too often referred to "In Cold Blood" and proceeds to provide Truman Capote's commentary. This is ludicrous in any format. What is more disappointing is the fact that he provides no further unique or creative comment into the murders. Why do people commit crimes? What provokes or incites people to engage in criminal activity? What planning process or mental process occurs or is instigated in the criminal mind to commit a crime? Do we all, as human beings, have similar potential? The intellectual questions that any academician might engage or a reader might expect, in such a long winded book are simply non-existent. The print in the book is so small you could possible require a magnifying glass. In many pages the print has been terminated leaving partial words, and the residual part of the words in the margin or on the next page. Katz' paragraphs and various chapters are tibutes to tortuoisty in reading. While Katz had the opportunity, based upon all his regurgitation of other people's work, to capture and present a profound analyses based upon evaluation, synthesis, and construction, he fails miserably. I returned the book to Amazon. While no book should be burned, this is a book that might be considered being burned based solely on incompetent writing. Perhaps there is reality in the often heard commentary that Academicians may possess too many details or too much knowledge and therefore cannot or are incapable of providing clarity and precise, useable assessments. If so, Kayz has succeeded without limitations. Do not buy this book.