CRIM 1 - Introduction to Criminology Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes covering foundational criminological definitions, schools of thought, crime classifications, and Philippine criminological laws.

Criminology

The scientific study of crime as a social phenomenon, or the scientific study of crimes, criminals, and victims, including the prevention and solution of crimes (RA 11131).

Edwin Sutherland's Definition of Criminology

States that criminology is a process involving the making of laws, breaking of laws, and society's reaction to the breaking of laws.

Criminal Etiology

The scientific analysis of the causes of crimes and criminal behavior.

Sociology of Law

The investigation of the nature of criminal law and its administration, analyzing the conditions under which criminal laws develop as a process of formal or social control.

Penology

A division of criminology dealing with the control of crimes, punishment of crime, jail management, and the rehabilitation of offenders.

Criminal Demography

The study of the relationship between criminality and population.

Criminal Epidemiology

The study of the relationship between environment (milieu) and criminality.

Criminal Ecology

The study of criminality in relation to spatial distribution in a community.

Criminal Physical Anthropology

The study of criminality in relation to the physical constitution of men.

Criminal Psychology

The study of human behavior in relation to criminality.

Criminal Psychiatry

The study of the human mind in relation to criminality.

Criminal Victimology

Deals with the victimization of crime, which is considered by political society as any act or omission punishable by law.

Single/Unitary Theory

Contends that crime is produced by one factor, which may be biological, sociological, or psychological.

Multiple Factor Theory

Views crime not as a product of a single cause, but as a combination of several factors.

Eclectic Theory

States that crime stems from one or more factors in some instances, while in other instances it is caused by another set of factors.

Integrated Theory

A theory that combines two or more theories to generate a single model or framework.

Classical School of Criminology

A school of thought stating that individuals choose to commit crimes after weighing consequences, and that fear of punishment deters crime, making no distinction for age or mental capability.

Cesare Beccaria

Author of 'On Crimes and Punishment' who advocated for reformed punishment, crime prevention, and the principle 'Let the punishment fit the crime'.

Utilitarianism

A philosophy which argues that what is right is that which causes the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

Felicific Calculus

A theory proposing that individuals calculate the consequences of actions by weighing the pleasure (gain) against the pain (suffering).

Jeremy Bentham

Introduced utilitarianism philosophy, felicific calculus theory, and the concept of the panopticon prison.

General Deterrence

A crime control policy hinging on the fear of criminal penalties, aiming to convince potential lawbreakers that pain outweighs benefits.

Specific Deterrence

A crime control policy proposing that punishment be severe enough to convince convicted offenders never to repeat their criminal activity.

Celerity

The rapidity with which punishment follows a crime.

Neo-Classical School of Thought

Modified the doctrine of free will by stating that free will may be affected by pathology, incompetence, insanity, or other compelling reasons.

Positivist School of Thought

Maintains that human behavior is predetermined by biological and psychological traits rather than free will, relying on observable scientific facts.

Ezchia Marco 'Cesare' Lombroso

Father of Modern and Empirical Criminology who claimed criminals are distinguishable by atavistic stigmata.

Born Criminals

Individuals born with at least five (5) atavistic stigmata.

Criminaloids

An ambiguous group of criminals that includes habitual criminals, criminals by passion, and other diverse types.

Pseudo-Criminals

Criminals who committed a felonious act due to self-defense.

Enrico Ferri

Criminologist who focused on psychological and sociological factors (like economics) and argued criminals are driven by life conditions rather than moral choice.

Raffaele Garofalo

Criminologist who rejected free will and attributed criminal behavior to psychological moral anomalies.

Interactionist Model

Model suggesting criminal behavior is learned through interaction and socialization resulting from group membership.

Conflict Model

Views social and economic inequality as the causes of crime and deviance.

Functionalist Model

Views deviance as an essential component contributing to the functioning of a whole society.

Felony

An act committed by means of dolo (deceit) or culpa (fault) punishable under the Revised Penal Code (RPC).

Offense

An act committed and punishable under Special Penal Law (SPL).

Infraction

An act committed and punishable under a City or Municipal Ordinance.

Intentional Felonies

Felonies committed by means of dolo (deceit), where the act or omission is performed with deliberate intent or malice.

Culpable Felonies

Felonies committed by means of culpa (fault), where the act or omission is unintentional and done without malice.

Imprudence

Deficiency in action; failure to take necessary precautions to prevent danger due to carelessness.

Negligence

Deficiency in perception; failure to foresee danger.

Consummated Crime

A stage of execution where all elements necessary for its execution and accomplishment are present.

Frustrated Crime

A stage of execution where the offender performs all acts to produce the felony, but it is not produced due to independent causes.

Attempted Crime

A stage of execution where the offender commences the crime by overt acts but does not perform all acts of execution due to a cause other than spontaneous desistance.

Compound Crime (Delito Compuesto)

Occurs when a single act results in two or more grave or less grave felonies.

Complex Crime Proper (Delito Complejo)

Arises when one offense is a necessary means to commit another offense.

Arresto Menor

A penalty duration lasting from $1\text{ day}$ to $30\text{ days}$.

Arresto Mayor

A penalty duration lasting from $1\text{ month and } 1\text{ day}$ to $6\text{ months}$.

Prision Correccional

A penalty duration lasting from $6\text{ months and } 1\text{ day}$ to $6\text{ years}$.

Prision Mayor

A penalty duration lasting from $6\text{ years and } 1\text{ day}$ to $12\text{ years}$.

Reclusion Temporal

A penalty duration lasting from $12\text{ years and } 1\text{ day}$ to $20\text{ years}$.

Reclusion Perpetua

A penalty duration lasting from $20\text{ years and } 1\text{ day}$ to $40\text{ years}$.

Crimes Mala In Se

Acts that are inherently evil.

Crimes Mala Prohibita

Acts that are prohibited only because specific laws forbid them.

White Collar Crime

Crimes committed by persons of respectability and upper socio-economic class in the course of their occupational activities.

RA 8353

Also known as the Anti Rape Law of 1997, amending the RPC, identifying rape primarily as a violent act.

Mass Murder

The killing of four or more victims at one location in a single event.

Spree Murder

The killing at two or more locations with almost no time break between murders.

Serial Murder

An act involving the killing of several victims in three or more separate incidents over time.

RA 6506

An act enacted on July 1, 1972, creating the Board of Examiners for Criminologists in the Philippines.

RA 11131

Known as 'The Philippine Criminology Profession Act of 2018' (signed Nov 8, 2018; took effect Dec 30, 2018), which repealed RA 6506.