SCR 104: INTRODUCTION TO PENOLOGY/CORRECTIONS
KEY TERMS
Crime
A violation of criminal law and is subject to punishment. Also, it can be said to be any human
behaviour, act or omission that is prohibited by the law and which is punishable by law in a
legally constituted judicial proceeding. Crime is an act that is opposed to the established attitude
of a social group as defined bylaw at a given time and place.
From the definition, it is evident that crime is an offence against the law of the land and an anti –
social behaviour, and is thus sanctioned by a court through a judicial proceeding.
Criminology
Criminology is the scientific approach to the study of criminal behaviour or a body of knowledge
that treats crime as a social phenomenon. Its subject matter include; the law making process,
Breaking laws and reactions to breaking of the law.
The overall objective of criminology is development of a body of general and verified scientific
principles and knowledge with regard to the process of law, crime, treatment/ correlation and or
prevention of crime
Punishment
A criminal is the person who breaks the law and not necessarily a bad person. Punishment is the
existence of suffering, displeasure,pain or evil- the state intentionally causes some suffering, pain
or evil to the offender as a means to an end.
The innocent is he who has not broken any law and is not necessarily a good person. A person
may be an innocent person despite being a bad person or broken other laws.
Punishment must be inflicted upon the author of the offense. It amounts to victimization when a
punishment is inflicted knowingly upon an individual who does not deserve it. If however it is
done with the presumption that the person being punished is guilty when he is not, that amounts
to an error.
,Punishment must therefore be intentionally inflicted (in contrast to repentance where there is no
intervention by a punitive authority e.g. voluntary restitution), by human beings (in contrast to
divine punishment), who are distinct to the offender (in contrast to self- punishment) and by
institutionalized mandate to punish (in contrast to private vengeance)
Within the definitions of punishments is a thus excluded un-intentional or inevitable punishment,
divine or self- inflicted punishments
Correction
Following a criminal trial that result in conviction and sentencing, the offender may be referred
to a correctional setting. This is an institution charged with the administration of pre-judicatory
care and rehabilitation of offenders.
The concept may also apply to implementation and execution of sentences imposed by the
courts. Examples of correctional agencies include jails, prisons, penitentiaries, reformatories,
work-release houses, neighborhood centers, half-way houses etc.
Correctional treatment can be categorized into
a) Community based programs- such as probation, CSO (community service orders),
neighborhood centers etc.
b) Institutional confinement- incarceration in jails, prisons, reformatories, penitentiaries etc.
Criminal justice system
They include the police, judiciary and the correctional institutions. Criminology and criminal
justice are related in that a criminologist must familiarize oneself with the functioning of the
criminal justice institutions and more specifically how these institutions influence crime and
criminals.
While as a CJ personnel, penologists among them must understand the nature of crime in order
to design appropriate rehabilitation program and crime prevention programs.
,Penology
This is the systematic study of punishment in relation to crime, with the ultimate goal of
controlling and preventing crime. It is the branch of criminology that deals with prison
management, reformation and treatment of offenders. The specific roles include
punishment/treatment/correction of offenders as well as control and prevention of crime through
use of punitive and non-punitive methods.
Penology can also be understood as a science that guides the state on matters of punishment of
criminals. It is a field of applied sociology that deals with theory and methods of punishment of
criminals.
Penology and criminology
Penology is a branch of criminology. The two complement each other but differ in certain
respects
Penology
a) Concerned with punishment in relation to crime
b) Explore the justifications/rationale of punishment and its use in preventing & controlling
crime
c) Studies techniques of punishment
d) Deals with the principles and methods of punishment
e) Evaluates the effects of punishments upon the criminal & its effectiveness as an
instrument of crime control
f) Relies on criminology data and information in order to formulate suitable punishments.
Criminology on the other hand
a) Establishes the criteria for distinguishing between crime and criminal behaviour
b) Classifies various types of crimes and criminals & prescribes appropriate punishment for
each
c) Studies crime in relation to the individual and the wide society
d) Modifies the techniques of punishment on the basis of the consequences of punishment as
prescribed by penology.
, Summary of key concepts
Criminology-scientific approach to study of criminal behaviour/study of law making, law
breaking and reactions to law breaking
Penology-systematic &scientific study of punishment in relation to crime, with ultimate
objective of controlling and preventing crime/branch of criminology that deals with prison
management, reformation& treatment of offenders/field of sociology that deals with theory and
methods of punishment of crime
Punishment-unpleasant consequences which the penal law prescribes for socially undesired
conduct & which courts impose according to the laws of penal procedure/deliberate infliction of
pain by the state on someone convicted of an offense
Correction-the act of administering the pre-judicatory care & rehabilitation of offenders in a
correctional agency, following conviction and sentencing/ implementation and execution of
sentences imposed by courts
Deviance-any offensive behaviour committed by juveniles that violates the law
EVOLUTION OF PUNISHMENT AND CORRECTION
Penology and criminology scholars equate prison system and imprisonment of offenders as a
method of punishment that dates back to slightly over 200 years ago. Prior to the 18 th century,
nearly all European countries punished offenders with the following methods
a) Sentencing them to hard labour for a specified period of time within institutions
b) Detaining them in jails temporarily as they await for transportation elsewhere for
sentencing
c) Officially sanctioning revenge killings especially in homicide killings
With the emergence of powerful European rulers in the Middle Ages (13th and 14th), punishment
with the exception of that inflicted within the family became the function of the state.
Compensation money became fines. Property of offenders sentenced to death was appropriated
KEY TERMS
Crime
A violation of criminal law and is subject to punishment. Also, it can be said to be any human
behaviour, act or omission that is prohibited by the law and which is punishable by law in a
legally constituted judicial proceeding. Crime is an act that is opposed to the established attitude
of a social group as defined bylaw at a given time and place.
From the definition, it is evident that crime is an offence against the law of the land and an anti –
social behaviour, and is thus sanctioned by a court through a judicial proceeding.
Criminology
Criminology is the scientific approach to the study of criminal behaviour or a body of knowledge
that treats crime as a social phenomenon. Its subject matter include; the law making process,
Breaking laws and reactions to breaking of the law.
The overall objective of criminology is development of a body of general and verified scientific
principles and knowledge with regard to the process of law, crime, treatment/ correlation and or
prevention of crime
Punishment
A criminal is the person who breaks the law and not necessarily a bad person. Punishment is the
existence of suffering, displeasure,pain or evil- the state intentionally causes some suffering, pain
or evil to the offender as a means to an end.
The innocent is he who has not broken any law and is not necessarily a good person. A person
may be an innocent person despite being a bad person or broken other laws.
Punishment must be inflicted upon the author of the offense. It amounts to victimization when a
punishment is inflicted knowingly upon an individual who does not deserve it. If however it is
done with the presumption that the person being punished is guilty when he is not, that amounts
to an error.
,Punishment must therefore be intentionally inflicted (in contrast to repentance where there is no
intervention by a punitive authority e.g. voluntary restitution), by human beings (in contrast to
divine punishment), who are distinct to the offender (in contrast to self- punishment) and by
institutionalized mandate to punish (in contrast to private vengeance)
Within the definitions of punishments is a thus excluded un-intentional or inevitable punishment,
divine or self- inflicted punishments
Correction
Following a criminal trial that result in conviction and sentencing, the offender may be referred
to a correctional setting. This is an institution charged with the administration of pre-judicatory
care and rehabilitation of offenders.
The concept may also apply to implementation and execution of sentences imposed by the
courts. Examples of correctional agencies include jails, prisons, penitentiaries, reformatories,
work-release houses, neighborhood centers, half-way houses etc.
Correctional treatment can be categorized into
a) Community based programs- such as probation, CSO (community service orders),
neighborhood centers etc.
b) Institutional confinement- incarceration in jails, prisons, reformatories, penitentiaries etc.
Criminal justice system
They include the police, judiciary and the correctional institutions. Criminology and criminal
justice are related in that a criminologist must familiarize oneself with the functioning of the
criminal justice institutions and more specifically how these institutions influence crime and
criminals.
While as a CJ personnel, penologists among them must understand the nature of crime in order
to design appropriate rehabilitation program and crime prevention programs.
,Penology
This is the systematic study of punishment in relation to crime, with the ultimate goal of
controlling and preventing crime. It is the branch of criminology that deals with prison
management, reformation and treatment of offenders. The specific roles include
punishment/treatment/correction of offenders as well as control and prevention of crime through
use of punitive and non-punitive methods.
Penology can also be understood as a science that guides the state on matters of punishment of
criminals. It is a field of applied sociology that deals with theory and methods of punishment of
criminals.
Penology and criminology
Penology is a branch of criminology. The two complement each other but differ in certain
respects
Penology
a) Concerned with punishment in relation to crime
b) Explore the justifications/rationale of punishment and its use in preventing & controlling
crime
c) Studies techniques of punishment
d) Deals with the principles and methods of punishment
e) Evaluates the effects of punishments upon the criminal & its effectiveness as an
instrument of crime control
f) Relies on criminology data and information in order to formulate suitable punishments.
Criminology on the other hand
a) Establishes the criteria for distinguishing between crime and criminal behaviour
b) Classifies various types of crimes and criminals & prescribes appropriate punishment for
each
c) Studies crime in relation to the individual and the wide society
d) Modifies the techniques of punishment on the basis of the consequences of punishment as
prescribed by penology.
, Summary of key concepts
Criminology-scientific approach to study of criminal behaviour/study of law making, law
breaking and reactions to law breaking
Penology-systematic &scientific study of punishment in relation to crime, with ultimate
objective of controlling and preventing crime/branch of criminology that deals with prison
management, reformation& treatment of offenders/field of sociology that deals with theory and
methods of punishment of crime
Punishment-unpleasant consequences which the penal law prescribes for socially undesired
conduct & which courts impose according to the laws of penal procedure/deliberate infliction of
pain by the state on someone convicted of an offense
Correction-the act of administering the pre-judicatory care & rehabilitation of offenders in a
correctional agency, following conviction and sentencing/ implementation and execution of
sentences imposed by courts
Deviance-any offensive behaviour committed by juveniles that violates the law
EVOLUTION OF PUNISHMENT AND CORRECTION
Penology and criminology scholars equate prison system and imprisonment of offenders as a
method of punishment that dates back to slightly over 200 years ago. Prior to the 18 th century,
nearly all European countries punished offenders with the following methods
a) Sentencing them to hard labour for a specified period of time within institutions
b) Detaining them in jails temporarily as they await for transportation elsewhere for
sentencing
c) Officially sanctioning revenge killings especially in homicide killings
With the emergence of powerful European rulers in the Middle Ages (13th and 14th), punishment
with the exception of that inflicted within the family became the function of the state.
Compensation money became fines. Property of offenders sentenced to death was appropriated
