Cmy1501
1.1 What is criminology about? Pg
5-17
Criminology:
• • Study of crime
• • Applied discipline within the human
sciences.
• • Field of study: crime, criminals, victims,
punishments, prevention and control of crime
• • Criminologist- Study cause and reaction
to crime
• • Judicial process-why some behaviour is
considered criminal and others not
• • Study victims of crime-and how they
become victims
• • Scientific study of making and breaking
laws and reacting towards breakdown of laws.
,• • Edwin Sutherland-Father of USA
criminology, his definition: o Making laws
against crime
• o Causes of crime
• o Work of police, courts and correctional
services
•
• • Siegel: criminology is specific approach
to study of criminal behaviour
• • Stevens: 4 components of the study: o
Causes, control and prevention of Crime
• o Criminal
• o Victim
• o Administration of justice
•
Criminologist:
• • Schmalleger- graduate who studies
crime, criminals and criminal behaviour
,• • Main task-study, define, describe,
interpret, explain and indicate policy
directions in respect of crime, criminal
behaviour and victimisation.
• Basic point of departure- o Identify the
complex causes of crime
o Explain in terms of existing theories
o Develop and scientifically test new theories
• Recidivism-relapses into crime
• Criminologist submit reports and give
evidence to the court
• Wide range of careers from police to
forensic laboratory technicians
• Distinguish between criminology (study of
crime) and criminal justice (study of police,
courts….)
• SA universities teaching criminology since
1949
, Discipline of its own:
• • Science- knowledge and particular
discipline that has been systematically
collected
• • Falls into “social or human science”
• To qualify as independent discipline: o Own
object of study
o Possible to identify a unique, clear area of
study
1.1 What is criminology about? Pg
5-17
Criminology:
• • Study of crime
• • Applied discipline within the human
sciences.
• • Field of study: crime, criminals, victims,
punishments, prevention and control of crime
• • Criminologist- Study cause and reaction
to crime
• • Judicial process-why some behaviour is
considered criminal and others not
• • Study victims of crime-and how they
become victims
• • Scientific study of making and breaking
laws and reacting towards breakdown of laws.
,• • Edwin Sutherland-Father of USA
criminology, his definition: o Making laws
against crime
• o Causes of crime
• o Work of police, courts and correctional
services
•
• • Siegel: criminology is specific approach
to study of criminal behaviour
• • Stevens: 4 components of the study: o
Causes, control and prevention of Crime
• o Criminal
• o Victim
• o Administration of justice
•
Criminologist:
• • Schmalleger- graduate who studies
crime, criminals and criminal behaviour
,• • Main task-study, define, describe,
interpret, explain and indicate policy
directions in respect of crime, criminal
behaviour and victimisation.
• Basic point of departure- o Identify the
complex causes of crime
o Explain in terms of existing theories
o Develop and scientifically test new theories
• Recidivism-relapses into crime
• Criminologist submit reports and give
evidence to the court
• Wide range of careers from police to
forensic laboratory technicians
• Distinguish between criminology (study of
crime) and criminal justice (study of police,
courts….)
• SA universities teaching criminology since
1949
, Discipline of its own:
• • Science- knowledge and particular
discipline that has been systematically
collected
• • Falls into “social or human science”
• To qualify as independent discipline: o Own
object of study
o Possible to identify a unique, clear area of
study
