Larry J.

Siegel

www.cengage.com/cj/siegel

Chapter One
Crime and Criminology

Dennis Souther Stanly Community College, Albemarle, NC

Crime and Criminology

The Field of Criminology
An academic discipline that uses the scientific method
to study the nature, extent, cause, and control of
criminal behavior.
Interdisciplinary science involving two or more
academic fields.

Criminal Justice
System made up of the agencies of social control,
such as police departments, the courts, and
correctional institutions, that handle criminal
offenders.

Crime and Criminology

What Criminologists Do: The
Criminological Enterprise
Criminal Statistics/Crime Measurement
Analysis
Measurement
Identification
Testing

Crime and Criminology

What Criminologists Do: The
Criminological Enterprise
Sociology of Law/Law and Society/Socio-Legal
Studies
Investigate history of legal though
Assess effects of proposed legal change

Crime and Criminology

Critical thinking
Considering the findings of Zgoba and Bachar, would
you advocate abandoning sex offender registration
laws because they are ineffective? Or might there be
other reasons to keep them active?
What other laws do you think should be the topic of
careful scientific inquiry to see whether they actually
work as advertised?

Crime and Criminology

What Criminologists Do: The
Criminological Enterprise
Developing Theories of Crime Causation
Psychological
Personality, development, social learning,
cognition

Crime and Criminology

What Criminologists Do: The
Criminological Enterprise
Developing Theories of Crime Causation
Biological
Biochemical, genetic, neurological

Crime and Criminology

What Criminologists Do: The
Criminological Enterprise
Developing Theories of Crime Causation
Sociological
Neighborhood, poverty, socialization, group
interaction

Crime and Criminology

What Criminologists Do: The
Criminological Enterprise
Penology: Punishment, Sanctions, and Corrections
Penology: the correction and sentencing of known
criminal offenders.
Rehabilitation
Social control

Crime and Criminology

What Criminologists Do: The
Criminological Enterprise
Victimology
Victim surveys
Victimization risk
Victim culpability
Services for crime victims

Crime and Criminology

A Brief History of Criminology
Classical Criminology
Utilitarianism
Free will to choose legal or illegal behavior
Crime is attractive
Crime may be controlled through the fear of
punishment
Punishment works best when perceived to be:
Severe
Certain
Swift

Crime and Criminology

A Brief History of Criminology
Positivist Criminology
Scientific method
Logic
Empirical verification
Value-free

Crime and Criminology

Sociological Criminology
Quetelet and Durkheim
Relationship between social factors and crime
Crime is a social phenomenon that can be reduced by
improving social and economic conditions
The Chicago School

Crime and Criminology

Conflict Theory
Karl Marx
Burgeoisie
Proletariat
Critical Criminology

Crime and Criminology

Developmental Criminology
Gluecks
Complex View
Integration of sociological, psychological, and
economic elements
Delinquency

Crime and Criminology

Contemporary Criminology

Rational Choice Theory

Trait Theory
Social Structure Theory
Social Process Theory
Critical Theory
Developmental Theory

Crime and Criminology

Deviant or Criminal? How
Criminologists Define Crime
Deviance includes a broad spectrum of behaviors,
ranging from the most socially harmful, such as rape
and murder, to the relatively inoffensive, such as
joining a religious cult or cross-dressing.
A deviant act becomes a crime when it is deemed
socially harmful or dangerous; it is then specifically
defined, prohibited, and punished under the criminal
law.

Crime and Criminology

The Concept of Crime
Consensus View of Crime
Conflict View of Crime
Interactionist View of Crime

Crime and Criminology

A Definition of Crime
Crime is a violation of societal rules of behavior as
interpreted and expressed by the criminal law, which
reflects public opinion, traditional values, and the
viewpoint of people currently holding social and
political power. Individuals who violate these rules are
subject to sanctions by state authority, social stigma,
and loss of status.

Crime and Criminology

Crime and the Criminal Law
Code of Hammurabi
Mosaic Code
Common Law
Precedent
Mala in se
Mala prohibitum
Statutory crimes

Crime and Criminology

Contemporary Criminal Law
Social goals
Enforcing social control
Discouraging revenge
Expressing public opinion and morality
Deterring criminal behavior
Punishing wrongdoing
Creating equity
Maintaining social order

Crime and Criminology

Crime and the Criminal Law
Criminal Law
The written code that defines crimes and their
punishments
Reflects the values, beliefs, and opinions of
societys mainstream

Crime and Criminology

The Evolution of Criminal Law
Social and Economic Conditions
Stalking
Gay marriage
Future Direction of Criminal Law

Crime and Criminology

Contemporary Criminal Law
Felony
Misdemeanor

Crime and Criminology

Ethical Issues in Criminology
What to Study
Whom to Study
How to Study