The majority of books held by the Bodleian Libraries, in both physical and electronic formats, can be searched via SOLO. On this page you will find recommended books, guidance on how to search for and access print and ebooks, and libraries in the University that might be relevant for your studies and research.
Use the tabs above to explore the key texts and libraries for students of criminology. Access to collections and borrowing privileges are subject to conditions; please check individual library websites for further information.
For those wishing to learn more about searching for physical collections in Oxford, we recommend the following:
Below you will find some key texts for criminology. The links will take you through to SOLO where you can find out if your college library also has a copy.
The Bodleian Law Library has a Law Reserve Collection at the Main Enquiry Desk on Level 2 with the most heavily used books on Law Faculty Reading lists. Any reader is welcome to consult these (you don't have to be on a particular course) but please do remember to bring your University or Bodleian Reader's card with you, as these books are issued to you for use in the Library. You can keep reading them for the rest of day if you like - but we do ask that you return them to the Enquiry Desk as soon as possible after you have finished consulting them.
Criminal Justice by 
An Introduction to Criminal Justice by 
The Oxford handbook of criminology by 
The Oxford Handbook of Criminology by 
Understanding Deviance by The Social Science Library maintains a High Demand Collection containing high demand reading list texts for social science taught courses. Items display the status ‘High Demand’ on SOLO and have 'High Demand’ shelfmarkers.
Browsing the library's print collections can help you find relevant resources as the books are shelved in subject order, so you'll find related books shelved together.
The SSL uses the Library of Congress classification scheme to classify books by subject matter. The book collection is arranged along one side of the library by shelfmark in an A-Z sequence.
The Bodleian Law Library may also hold copies of works on criminology reading lists, and MSc students are welcome to use them. However the entire Law Library Collection is reference only: no one may borrow books, there is no lending. The Law Library's high demand collection is called the Law Reserve: if you would like to read one of these books please come to the Enquiry Desk on Level 2 with your University or Reader's Card and ask for them there.
The Bodleian Law Library's collection is spread over four floors.
On Level 2 (the entrance level) are the current/latest editions of criminal law and criminology books with shelf marks beginning KM500-KM700. (The Moys classification system has been created specifically for law libraries.)
These are books looking at the law and its application in the UK & NI, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland and USA.
The Bodleian Law Library maintains a Law Reserve Collection containing high demand reading list texts for the OU Law Faculty's taught courses. Items display the status ‘Res Books' on SOLO and have 'Reserve Collection’ shelf markers. Use of these texts is open to all our readers, not just those on a particular course. Please ask for these titles from the Law Enquiry Desk on Level 2. You will need your University or Bodleian Library Card - although these books must still be consulted in the Library only.
On Level 3 (one floor above the entrance level) are the current/latest editions of criminology books with shelf marks beginning Crim. This collection is subdivided by topic by an in-house system devised in the 1960s.)
On Level 0 (the ground floor, two floors below the entrance level) is the secondary collection of superseded (previous) editions of academic texts on this topic. Some of the least used with shelf marks beginning Crim are kept off site, but may easily be requested to the Reading Room via SOLO.
There are both stairs and a lift to access all floors of the library. There are reader spaces on each floor, but readers are welcome to move books between floors to their preferred seating area.
Staff are always available at the Enquiry Desk just inside the entrance to help with directions.
The Social Science Library maintains a High Demand Collection containing high demand reading list texts for social science taught courses. Items display the status ‘High Demand’ on SOLO and have 'High Demand’ shelfmarkers. These titles are available to anyone who needs to consult them, not just those on taught courses.
Browsing the library's print collections can help you find relevant resources as the books are shelved in subject order, so you'll find related books shelved together.
The SSL uses the Library of Congress classification scheme to classify books by subject matter. The book collection is arranged along one side of the library by shelfmark in an A-Z sequence.
A number of other Bodleian libraries may be of relevance to those studying criminology.
Ebooks are digital versions of written works. Broadly speaking they come in two forms: they are either 'born digital' or are digital reproductions of printed books. See the tabs above for details of different ebook resources relevant to those studying criminology.
Many ebooks have enhanced functionality, such as connectivity with reference management software, the ability to annotate and accessibility features.
Members of Oxford University can use ebooks that the Bodleian Libraries have purchased for free. Search for them on SOLO. They can be read on a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, e-reader or mobile phone; you just need your Oxford Single Sign On to access them. Individually purchased ebooks are all searchable on SOLO, but not all purchased ebook collections are, so it is important to visit the websites of ebook collections too. Look at the 'ebook collections' tab above.
Note, some ebooks have restrictive access and usage terms, for example they can only be read by one person at a time.
Some books are acquired via 'electronic Legal Deposit'. These must be read on a library desktop computer in one of the Bodleian Libraries. Further information on how to identify and access electronic Legal Deposit items on SOLO is at the link below.
The links below are provided for those wishing to learn more about ebooks.
Below you will find some key texts available as ebooks for criminology
You will need your Oxford Single Sign On to access the ebooks if you are not on the University network.
Criminology: a Very Short Introduction by 
What Is Criminology? by 
The culture of control : crime and social order in contemporary society by 
Character, Circumstances, and Criminal Careers by 
Oxford Textbook of Correctional Psychiatry by 
Crime and Civilization: The Birth of Criminology in the Early Nineteenth Century by The following is a list of ebook collections applicable to those studying criminology at Oxford. Not all ebook collections are available on SOLO, so it is important to visit ebook collection websites to expand your search. You can browse and search across all ebooks on the provider's website and encounter titles of interest you may not have otherwise found.
The ebook collections have been selected by the Bodleian Libraries and you are able to access them for free because of institutional subscriptions to the content. You will need your Oxford Single Sign On to access the collections if you are not on the University network.
A number of eresources, including ebook collections, are freely available online and listed below.
Note: Just because the language is English, the criminal law under examination may not be that applicable in England and Wales.
Some of these resources are listed on SOLO but not all, so it is important to visit the websites to expand your search. You do not need your Oxford Single Sign On to access them. These are different to the ebooks purchased by the Bodleian Libraries for which you need your Single Sign On for access.
Introduction to Criminal Investigation: Processes, Practices and Thinking by 
Thinking about Criminology by You will find study skills resources for social sciences compiled by Bodleian Libraries staff available on Oxford Reading List Online (ORLO). If you are looking for guidance on legal research skills, please use the second link to go to the Bodleian online guide to legal skills and research.
You will need your Oxford Single Sign On credentials to access the list.
A selection of encyclopedias useful to those studying criminology
You will need your Oxford Single Sign On to access the collections if you are not on the University network.
We accept no responsibility for the content of these external websites, which may have their own terms and conditions.
If the Bodleian Libraries don't have the print or ebook you are looking for, you can make a recommendation by completing the form below (Oxford Single-Sign On required).
If the Bodleian Libraries don't have the book you are looking for, we may be able to source it through Oxford's inter-library request service.
There are a number of reasons why the Bodleian Libraries may be unable to provide electronic access to a resource. The ebooks guide explains some of these reasons:
