Introduction to Criminology

Criminology Overview

• Criminology studies crime, criminals, and societal efforts to control criminal behavior.
• It is categorized as a social science due to its focus on human behavior and social interactions.

Key Figures in Criminology

• Cesare Lombroso is known as the Father of Modern Criminology.
• Criminologists analyze crime scientifically and study its causes.

Criminal Justice

• Involves the practical application of scientific principles to address criminal behavior through justice system agencies.

Methods of Investigation

• Interviewing: Utilizing simple questioning techniques.
• Interrogation: Employing more rigorous questioning methods.
• Instrumentation: Applying various tools and techniques for analysis.

Cardinal of Investigation

• 5W’s and 1H approach:
  • What: Nature and severity of the offense.
  • Who: Identifies victim and suspect.
  • When: Determines the date and time.
  • Where: Location of the crime.
  • Why: Investigates motive and intent.

Definitions by Key Scholars

• Sutherland and Cressey defined criminology as the study of crime as a social phenomenon.
• Elliot and Merrill focused on the study of crime and its treatment.

Types of Laws

• Local Laws: Enacted by councilors or kagawads.
• Municipal Laws: Formulated by the Sangguniang Bayan.
• National Laws: Created by Congress and the Senate, which also devise special laws.

Crime Identification

• Crimes are identified using evidence, facts, and witness accounts.

Basic Theories of Criminology

• Classical School: Suggests individuals make rational choices to commit crimes based on free will; emphasizes lessons through written/spoken word.

  • Key Contributors: Jeremy Bentham, Cesare de Beccaria (Father of Classical School), Jeffrey Reiman's observation on wealth inequality.
  • Principles include rational decision-making, deterrence, and the inherent nature of right and wrong.

• Neo-Classical School: Builds on classical theory by acknowledging free will while considering circumstances; divides criminals into categories such as first offenders and habitual offenders.

  • Suggests reductions in punishment compared to the classical theory.

Key Concepts

• Positive School of Criminology: Focus on scientific methods that indicate social, biological, and psychological influences on crime.
• Somatotype School: Connects body type to criminal behavior (ectomorph, mesomorph, endomorph).

Social Process Theory

• Examines societal functions and interactions within various organizations.
  • Sub-theories include:
    • Social Learning Theory: Crime learned from peers.
    • Social Control Theory: Society's failure to regulate criminal tendencies.
    • Social Reaction/Labeling Theory: Criminal identity formed through societal labels placed on individuals.

Positivism

• Emphasizes the use of scientific evidence, such as experiments and statistics, to understand societal operations.

Radical Criminology

• Influenced by Karl Marx, it highlights the competition between capitalism and labor.
• Indicates socioeconomic factors leading to crime include frustration, disappointment, anger, and unmet basic needs.

Crime Definition

• Crime is described as any act or omission in violation of public law, which forbids or mandates specific actions.

Explore the foundational concepts of criminology, including the role of Cesare Lombroso as the father of modern criminology. This quiz delves into the study of crime, criminals, and the societal responses to criminal behavior, emphasizing criminologists as practical social scientists.