What is a Crime? A deliberate act that results in harm, physical or otherwise toward one or more people in a manner prohibited by law. Any culpable action or omission prohibited by law and punished by the state. Deviant behavior that violates prevailing norms.

What is Criminology? The scientific approach to studying criminal behavior. Explains the origin, extent, and nature of crime in society.

The most important areas of interest to Criminologists are: The development of criminal law and its use to define crime The cause of law violations The methods used to control criminal behavior

History of Criminology The scientific study of crime is a relatively recent development. While criminal codes have existed for thousands of years, they mainly defined crime and settled punishments. What motivated people to violate the law remained a matter of conjecture.

Beliefs during the Middle Ages People who violated norms were believed to be witches or possessed by demons and were often burned at the stake. Cruel tortures were used to extract confessions. Violent or theft criminals suffered harsh penalties such as whipping, branding, maiming or execution.

Classical Criminology By the mid 18th century, social philosophers began to argue for a more rational approach to punishment, stressing that the relationship between crimes and punishment should be more just and moderate. “Let the punishment fit the crime”.

19th Century Positivism The scientific method began to take hold with careful observation and analysis of natural phenomena to explain how the world worked.

Physiognomists studied facial features of criminals to determine whether the shape of ears, nose, and eyes and the distances between them were associated with anti-social behavior. Phrenologists studied the shape of the skull and bumps on the head to determine whether these physical attributes were linked to criminal behavior.

One school of criminology began to use data and statistics in performing research. They researched demographic information, and identified many of the relationships between crime and social phenomena that criminologists still research today.

Some of their findings: Influence of age and sex on crime. Influence of season and climate. Influence of social factors like poverty and lack of education. Found that crime rates were influenced by drinking habits.

20th Century Positivism Criminality is linked to the failure of socialization - the interactions people have with the various individuals, organizations, institutions, and processes of society that help them mature and develop. Criminal behavior is not a function of personal traits or characteristics, but rather a reaction to an environment that was inadequate for proper human relations and development.

Criminology Theories Today Criminals are rational and use available information to decide if crime is worthwhile This choice is structured by the fear of punishment Lifestyles and living conditions directly control criminal behavior

Criminology theories today cont: Those at the bottom of the social structure cannot achieve success and thus experience strain, failure and frustration An individual’s learning experience and socialization directly control their behavior Children learn to commit crime by interacting with and modeling their behaviors after others