Chapter One Crime and Criminology Copyright 2017 Cengage

The Field of Criminology • An academic discipline that uses the scientific method to

Criminology in Action • Criminal Statistics/Crime Measurement – Create valid and reliable measures of

Criminology in Action • Sociology of Law/Law and Society/Sociolegal Studies – Investigate the role

Criminology in Action • Policies and Issues in Criminology Critical Thinking – Considering the

Criminology in Action • Developing Theories of Crime Causation – Psychological – Biological –

Criminology in Action • Understanding and Describing Criminal Behavior – Victim-precipitated homicide – White-collar

Class Discussion/Activity • Criminologists devote themselves to understanding the causes of criminal behavior. –

Criminology in Action • Penology: Punishment, Sanctions, and Corrections – Penology: the correction and

Criminology in Action • Victimology – Victim surveys – Victimization risk – Victim culpability

Criminology in Action Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

A Brief History of Criminology • Classical Criminology – Theoretical perspective suggesting that people

A Brief History of Criminology • Positivist Criminology – Application of the scientific method

A Brief History of Criminology • Sociological Criminology – Anomie – The Chicago School

A Brief History of Criminology • Conflict Theory – Karl Marx • Bourgeoisie •

A Brief History of Criminology • Developmental Criminology – Sheldon and Eleanor Glueck –

A Brief History of Criminology • Contemporary Criminology – Rational Choice Theory – Trait

Criminological Perspectives Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Deviant or Criminal? How Criminologists Define Crime • Deviance includes a broad spectrum of

Deviant or Criminal? How Criminologists Define Crime • • Becoming Deviant Criminalized Decriminalized Legalized

Deviant or Criminal? How Criminologists Define Crime • The Concept of Crime Copyright ©

Deviant or Criminal? How Criminologists Define Crime • A Definition of Crime – “Crime”

Class Discussion/Activity • What are three behaviors that are deviant but not criminal, and

Criminology and the Criminal Law • Code of Hammurabi • Mosaic Code • Common

Criminology and Criminal Justice • Criminal justice refers to the study of the agencies

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

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The Field of Criminology • An academic discipline that uses the scientific method to study the nature, extent, cause, and control of criminal behavior • An interdisciplinary field involving several academic disciplines Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Criminology in Action • Criminal Statistics/Crime Measurement – Create valid and reliable measures of criminal behavior: • Formulate techniques for collecting and analyzing official measures of criminal activities • Develop survey instruments to measure unreported criminal activity • Design methods that make it possible to investigate the cause of crime Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Criminology in Action • Sociology of Law/Law and Society/Sociolegal Studies – Investigate the role that social forces play in shaping criminal law – Investigate the role of criminal law in shaping society – Investigate history of legal thought – Suggest legal changes to benefit society Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Criminology in Action • Policies and Issues in 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 should be the topic of careful scientific inquiry to determine whether they actually work as advertised? Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Criminology in Action • Understanding and Describing Criminal Behavior – Victim-precipitated homicide – White-collar crime – Terrorism and terrorist personalities • Mental illness not a critical factor • No “terrorist personality” • Common traits include perceived injustice, need for identity, and need for belonging Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Class Discussion/Activity • Criminologists devote themselves to understanding the causes of criminal behavior. – Robert Deal faced first-degree murder charges for the shooting deaths of three people at a Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Nine people were also wounded. – Politicians, criminal justice professionals, and others argued that the shooting resulted from different causes, ranging from mental illness to domestic terrorism. How can understanding the cause of crimes help prevent them? Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Criminology in Action • Penology: Punishment, Sanctions, and Corrections – Penology: the correction and control of known criminal offenders • Rehabilitation • Social control – Mandatory sentences – Capital punishment Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

A Brief History of Criminology • Classical Criminology – Theoretical perspective suggesting that people choose to commit crime – Proposes that crime can be controlled if potential criminals fear punishment Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

A Brief History of Criminology • Positivist Criminology – Application of the scientific method • Objective • Universal • Culture-free – Predicting and explaining social phenomena in a logical manner – Empirical verification – Value-free Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

A Brief History of Criminology • Conflict Theory – Karl Marx • Bourgeoisie • Proletariat – Human behavior is shaped by interpersonal conflict – Crime is a product of human conflict • Critical Criminology – Crime is a product of capitalism Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

A Brief History of Criminology • Developmental Criminology – Sheldon and Eleanor Glueck – Complex view • Integration of sociological, psychological, and economic elements Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

A Brief History of Criminology • Contemporary Criminology – Rational Choice Theory – Trait Theory – Social Structure Theory – Social Process Theory – Critical Theory – Developmental Theory Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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 then will be specifically defined, prohibited, and punished under the criminal law Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Deviant or Criminal? How Criminologists Define Crime • 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 Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Class Discussion/Activity • What are three behaviors that are deviant but not criminal, and three behaviors that are criminal but not deviant? • How may behaviors that you consider nondeviant be seen as deviant by someone else? Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Criminology and the Criminal Law • Code of Hammurabi • Mosaic Code • Common Law – Precedent – Mala in se – Mala prohibitum • Contemporary Criminal Law – Felony – Misdemeanor • The Evolution of Criminal Law Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Criminology and Criminal Justice • Criminal justice refers to the study of the agencies of social control—police, courts, and corrections • The Criminal Justice System – Consists of government agencies charged with enforcing law, adjudicating crime, and correcting criminal behavior • The Process of Justice – Structured and legal process from initial contact, through arrest, trial, and post-release Copyright © 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.