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Introduction to Criminology
Criminology- 4 years

Semester # 1

A project to Department of Criminology in partial fulfillment of the requirement of the degree

of Bachelor of Criminology

Name:
Mehar Bano
Roll no:
BS-CRE-23-28

Topic Name:
Basic Concept of Crime & Criminology

Department of Criminology

Bahauddinn Zakariya University Multan

2023-2027
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Basic Concept of Crime & Criminology

Crime

The intentional commission of an act usually deemed socially harmful or dangerous and
specifically defined, prohibited, and punishable under criminal law.

Most countries have enacted a criminal code in which all of the criminal law can be
found, though English law—the source of many other criminal-law systems—remains
uncodified. The definitions of particular crimes contained in a code must be interpreted in the
light of many principles, some of which may not actually be expressed in the code itself. For
example, many legal systems take into account the mental state of the accused person at the time
the alleged crime was committed. Most legal systems also classify crimes for the purpose of
assigning cases to different types of court. Social changes often result in the adoption of new
criminal laws and the obsolescence of older ones.

This article focuses on the definition and classification of crime, how it is measured and
detected, the characteristics of offenders, and the various stages of criminal proceedings. The
material draws principally from common, or Anglo-American, law, with supplementary
treatment of civil-law and other systems, including Islamic, African, and Chinese law. For full
treatment of particular legal aspects of crime, see criminal law; civil law; common law; court;
police; and procedural law. Particular legal systems are treated in Roman law; Germanic law;
Chinese law; Indian law; Sharīʿah (Islamic law); and Soviet law. Aspects related to crime are
also addressed in criminal justice; criminology; juvenile justice; parole; prison; and punishment.

The concept of crime

Criminal behaviour is defined by the laws of particular jurisdictions, and there are
sometimes vast differences between and even within countries regarding what types of behaviour
are prohibited. Conduct that is lawful in one country or jurisdiction may be criminal in another,
and activity that amounts to a trivial infraction in one jurisdiction may constitute a serious crime
elsewhere. Changing times and social attitudes may lead to changes in criminal law, so that
behaviour that was once criminal may become lawful. For example, abortion, once prohibited
except in the most unusual circumstances, is now lawful in many countries, as is homosexual
behaviour in private between consenting adults in most Western countries, though it remains a
serious offense in some parts of the world. Once criminal, suicide and attempted suicide have
been removed from the scope of criminal law in some jurisdictions. Indeed, in the U.S. state of
Oregon the Death with Dignity Act (passed in 1997) allows terminally ill individuals to end their
lives through the use of lethal medications prescribed by a physician. Nonetheless, the general
trend has been toward increasing the scope of criminal law rather than decreasing it, and it has
been more common to find that statutes create new criminal offenses rather than abolishing
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existing ones. New technologies have given rise to new opportunities for their abuse, which has
led to the creation of new legal restrictions. Just as the invention of the motor vehicle led to the
development of a whole body of criminal laws designed to regulate its use, so the widening use
of computers and especially the Internet has created the need to legislate against a variety of new
abuses and frauds—or old frauds committed in new ways.

Criminology

The scientific study of the non-legal aspects of crime and delinquency, including its
causes, correction, and prevention, from the viewpoints of such diverse disciplines as
anthropology, biology, psychology and psychiatry, economics, sociology, and statistics.

Viewed from a legal perspective, the term crime refers to individual criminal actions
(e.g., a burglary) and the societal response to those actions (e.g., a sentence of three years in
prison). By comparison, the field of criminology incorporates and examines broader knowledge
about crime and criminals. For example, criminologists have attempted to understand why some
people are more or less likely to engage in criminal or delinquent behaviour. Criminologists have
also examined and attempted to explain differences in crime rates and the criminal code between
societies and changes in rates and laws over time.

Many criminologists consider themselves to be neutral public policy experts, gathering

facts for various governmental officials responsible for drawing policy conclusions. However,
some criminologists—like their counterparts in such fields as the atomic and nuclear sciences—
maintain that scientists must shoulder responsibility for the moral and political consequences of
their research. Thus, some criminologists have actively campaigned against capital punishment
and have advocated in favour of various legal reforms. Criminologists who oppose this activist
role contend that the findings of criminological research must be weighed along with political,
social, religious, and moral arguments, a task best left to political bodies. Not denying the right
of criminologists to express their opinions as ordinary citizens and voters, this view nonetheless
maintains that a government by popular will is less dangerous than a government by experts.

Historical development

Criminology developed in the late 18th century, when various movements, imbued with
humanitarianism, questioned the cruelty, arbitrariness, and inefficiency of the criminal justice
and prison systems. During this period reformers such as Cesare Beccaria in Italy and Sir Samuel
Romilly, John Howard, and Jeremy Bentham in England, all representing the so-called classical
school of criminology, sought penological and legal reform rather than criminological
knowledge. Their principal aims were to mitigate legal penalties, to compel judges to observe the
principle of nulla poena sine lege (Latin: “due process of law”), to reduce the application of
capital punishment, and to humanize penal institutions. They were moderately successful, but, in
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their desire to make criminal justice more “just,” they tried to construct rather abstract and
artificial equations between crimes and penalties, ignoring the personal characteristics and needs
of the individual criminal defendant. Moreover, the object of punishment was primarily
retribution and secondarily deterrence, with reformation lagging far behind.

Fundamentals Concepts

Criminology, as a field of study, delves into the scientific examination of crime,

criminals, and the criminal justice system. Several fundamental concepts are integral to
understanding crime and criminology:

 Deviance

Deviance refers to behavior that diverges from societal norms. Not all deviant behavior is
criminal, but understanding deviations helps criminologists study the factors contributing to
criminal actions.

 Criminalization

This concept examines the process through which certain behaviors become defined and
treated as criminal. It involves societal decisions, legislative actions, and law enforcement
practices that label particular acts as offenses.

 Social Control

Criminology explores how societies maintain order and control behavior through various
mechanisms, such as informal social norms, formal legal systems, and law enforcement agencies.

 Criminal Justice System

This system includes law enforcement, the judiciary, and corrections. It's responsible for
detecting, prosecuting, and punishing individuals who engage in criminal activities.
Understanding its components aids in comprehending how societies respond to crime.

 Criminal Behavior Theories

Various theories attempt to explain why individuals engage in criminal activities. These
range from biological and psychological factors to sociological perspectives like strain theory,
social learning theory, and control theory.
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 Victimology

This aspect of criminology focuses on the study of victims and their experiences.
Analyzing victimization patterns helps in understanding the dynamics of crime and developing
preventive measures.

 Penology

The study of punishment, rehabilitation, and correctional systems falls under penology.
Criminologists explore the effectiveness of various forms of punishment and rehabilitation in
preventing future criminal behavior.

 Criminal Profiling

This involves creating profiles of potential offenders based on behavioral patterns,

psychological traits, and demographic information. Profiling is often used in criminal
investigations to narrow down suspects.

By examining these fundamental concepts, criminology aims to contribute to a deeper

understanding of crime, its causes, and effective strategies for prevention and intervention within
the criminal justice system.