EGERTON UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF PEACE SECURITY AND SOCIAL STUDIES
COURSE OUTLINE - SOCI 303: CRIMINOLOGY
LECTURER: DR JOHN O. OMBOTO, PhD-Tel 0724433044
45 Hours-3CF
COURSE OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this course is to equip learners with knowledge and skills on criminology as a
discipline and its implications in crime control and security management.
LEARNING OUTCOME
By the end of this course, the learners should be able to:
Explain the scope of criminology as a discipline.
Examine the elements and theories of crime.
Analyze the sources, characteristics and functions of criminal law.
Discuss the types and purposes of punishment.
COURSE CONTENT
The specific areas to be covered include:-
Week Topic
Week 1 Introduction to the course.
Week 2 Nature and elements of crime.
Week 3 Foundational Theories of Crime.
Week 4
Criminal law.
Week 5 CAT I
Week 6 Contemporary Types of Punishment.
Week 7 Crime control in early societies.
,Week 8 Organized crimes.
Week 9 Social reaction to crime.
Week 10 CAT II
Week 11, 12 & Alternatives to imprisonment.
13
Week 14&15 EXAMS
MODE OF DELIVERY
Lecturers, Case Studies, Group Discussions and Presentations
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENTS
White Board, Markers, Flip Chart, Handouts, and LCD Projector
COURSE ASSESSMENT
Continuous Assessment Test I : 15%
Continuous Assessment Test II : 15%
Final Examination : 70%
Total 100%
REFERENCE TEXTS:-
Birzer, M L & Roberson C. (2004) Introduction to Corrections, 2nd Edition. Nevada: Copper
house Publishing Company
Bohm R.M & Haley K.N (1996) Introduction to Criminal Justice Etennocoe, Mc GrawHill
Newyork
Burke, Roger Hopkins. (2001). An Introduction to Criminological Theory. Criminal
Justice Review.
Clear T.R & Dammer H.R (2003) . The Offender in the Community 2nd Edition Australia:
Wadswoth
Reid, S.T (1994) Crime and Criminology 7th Edition.Haircourt Brace College
Publishers-New York.
Sigel L. J. (2006) Criminology 9th Edition. Thomson Wadsworth, Canada.
Williams. K.S. (2001) Criminology. Oxford University Press-New York.
Zveki‟c. U (1994) Alternatives to Imprisonment in Comparative Perspective-UNICRI.
, DR JOHN O. OMBOTO LECTURE NOTES
SOCI 303: CRIMINOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
Criminology is the scientific study of crime. This study includes the following:-
i) Criminal Etiology –This is scientific analysis of the causes of crime and
deviance.
ii) Penology- The study of societal or social reactions to crimes and criminals, which
is the study of punishments, crime controls and of the problems of legal
punishments and similar methods of dealing with crimes and of the problem of
preventing crime by non punitive measures.
iii) Sociological jurisprudence; the sociology of law which is a study of the
conditions under which criminal laws develop, this includes, the processes of
making laws, of breaking laws and of reacting towards breaking law.
THE NATURE OF CRIME
The term crime is derived from a Latin word crimen: which means an accusation or fault
There are two Dimensions of crime:
a) Socially crime is perceived to be a behaviour that violates the social norms of a
society, it is antisocial behaviour. Norms are rules that guide human behavior e.g.
what human beings should or should not think, say or do under given circumstances.
The shortcomings of social definition of crime
i. Norms vary from society to society within a single society thus there is no
uniform definition of antisocial behavior.
ii. Norms are always subject to interpretations e.g. failing to greet means enemity.
iii. Norms change from time to time and from place to place e.g. the consumption of
alcohol, cattle rustling e.t.c.
b) Legally crime is an intentional violation of criminal law or the penal code, committed
without defense or excuse and it is penalized by state, can be commission or
omission that violates the prescriptions of the criminal code.
FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF PEACE SECURITY AND SOCIAL STUDIES
COURSE OUTLINE - SOCI 303: CRIMINOLOGY
LECTURER: DR JOHN O. OMBOTO, PhD-Tel 0724433044
45 Hours-3CF
COURSE OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this course is to equip learners with knowledge and skills on criminology as a
discipline and its implications in crime control and security management.
LEARNING OUTCOME
By the end of this course, the learners should be able to:
Explain the scope of criminology as a discipline.
Examine the elements and theories of crime.
Analyze the sources, characteristics and functions of criminal law.
Discuss the types and purposes of punishment.
COURSE CONTENT
The specific areas to be covered include:-
Week Topic
Week 1 Introduction to the course.
Week 2 Nature and elements of crime.
Week 3 Foundational Theories of Crime.
Week 4
Criminal law.
Week 5 CAT I
Week 6 Contemporary Types of Punishment.
Week 7 Crime control in early societies.
,Week 8 Organized crimes.
Week 9 Social reaction to crime.
Week 10 CAT II
Week 11, 12 & Alternatives to imprisonment.
13
Week 14&15 EXAMS
MODE OF DELIVERY
Lecturers, Case Studies, Group Discussions and Presentations
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENTS
White Board, Markers, Flip Chart, Handouts, and LCD Projector
COURSE ASSESSMENT
Continuous Assessment Test I : 15%
Continuous Assessment Test II : 15%
Final Examination : 70%
Total 100%
REFERENCE TEXTS:-
Birzer, M L & Roberson C. (2004) Introduction to Corrections, 2nd Edition. Nevada: Copper
house Publishing Company
Bohm R.M & Haley K.N (1996) Introduction to Criminal Justice Etennocoe, Mc GrawHill
Newyork
Burke, Roger Hopkins. (2001). An Introduction to Criminological Theory. Criminal
Justice Review.
Clear T.R & Dammer H.R (2003) . The Offender in the Community 2nd Edition Australia:
Wadswoth
Reid, S.T (1994) Crime and Criminology 7th Edition.Haircourt Brace College
Publishers-New York.
Sigel L. J. (2006) Criminology 9th Edition. Thomson Wadsworth, Canada.
Williams. K.S. (2001) Criminology. Oxford University Press-New York.
Zveki‟c. U (1994) Alternatives to Imprisonment in Comparative Perspective-UNICRI.
, DR JOHN O. OMBOTO LECTURE NOTES
SOCI 303: CRIMINOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
Criminology is the scientific study of crime. This study includes the following:-
i) Criminal Etiology –This is scientific analysis of the causes of crime and
deviance.
ii) Penology- The study of societal or social reactions to crimes and criminals, which
is the study of punishments, crime controls and of the problems of legal
punishments and similar methods of dealing with crimes and of the problem of
preventing crime by non punitive measures.
iii) Sociological jurisprudence; the sociology of law which is a study of the
conditions under which criminal laws develop, this includes, the processes of
making laws, of breaking laws and of reacting towards breaking law.
THE NATURE OF CRIME
The term crime is derived from a Latin word crimen: which means an accusation or fault
There are two Dimensions of crime:
a) Socially crime is perceived to be a behaviour that violates the social norms of a
society, it is antisocial behaviour. Norms are rules that guide human behavior e.g.
what human beings should or should not think, say or do under given circumstances.
The shortcomings of social definition of crime
i. Norms vary from society to society within a single society thus there is no
uniform definition of antisocial behavior.
ii. Norms are always subject to interpretations e.g. failing to greet means enemity.
iii. Norms change from time to time and from place to place e.g. the consumption of
alcohol, cattle rustling e.t.c.
b) Legally crime is an intentional violation of criminal law or the penal code, committed
without defense or excuse and it is penalized by state, can be commission or
omission that violates the prescriptions of the criminal code.
