CLASS AND CRIME: THE FORGOTTEN LINK

Review of Social Class and Crime: A Biosocial Approach by Anthony Walsh

Anthony Walsh’s Social Class and Crime: A Biosocial Approach is a tour de force that bridges the disciplinary chasm between sociology and biology in understanding criminal behavior. Unlike standard criminological texts that treat social class and criminality as purely structural or cultural issues, Walsh offers a bold and integrative model grounded in biosocial theory. He argues persuasively that criminal behavior cannot be fully understood without considering its biological roots and evolutionary significance. Crime, in this perspective, is not merely a social pathology but often an adaptive strategy rooted in evolved human nature—particularly in environments of poverty and instability.