Understanding Society
Importance of defining criminal behavior in the context of criminology.
Exploration of Criminal Laws
How laws emerge, function, are violated, and the consequences for violators.
Broad Definition
Criminology studies not only traditional crimes but also harmful behaviors that are blameworthy.
Definition
What types of harmful behaviors are classified as criminal and why?
Scope
Measuring the size of specific crime problems and the knowledge, skills, and tools required for committing specific crimes.
Explanation
Analyzing causes of crime at:
Personal Level: Biological, psychological influences.
Social and Institutional Level: Historical, cultural, economical, political factors.
Consequences
Impact of crime on perpetrators, victims, society, and ecosystems.
Evaluation
Strategies to combat crime, effects of punishment, and crime prevention methods.
Societal Determination
Criminal behavior is subjectively determined through social construction processes.
Universal Deviance
Certain behaviors are widely regarded as deviant across cultures:
Indiscriminate lying.
Stealing.
Violence and harm.
Incest.
Liberty Limitation Principles
John Stuart Mill: Advocated that power should only restrict liberties to prevent harm to others.
Paternalism: May limit personal liberties to stop self-harm.
Moralism: Societal rejection can lead to liberty limitations without the necessity of harm.
Offense Principle: Limits liberties if behavior offends others, regardless of harm.
Defining Social Concepts
Difficult to define precisely; require understanding dynamics of interaction.
Sensitising Concepts
Language and images influence interpretation and meaning in daily life (Herbert Blumer).
Thomas Theorem: "If people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences."
Nature of Social Norms
Standards dictating thoughts, sayings, and actions under specific circumstances.
Norms evolve through group consensus.
Norm Codification
Larger communities cannot constantly redefine norms through personal interaction.
Culture: Informal codification of norms; formal laws are codifications of societal norms.
Representation of Complexity
Cultural norms/laws simplify complex societal issues into 'frames'.
Situational exceptions to general social norms are acknowledged.
Authority in Norm Definition
Norms are defined by varied groups such as individuals, interest groups, institutions, etc.
Definitions are dynamic and can change over time.
Power Dynamics
Uneven power distribution in defining norms, with economic actors holding more influence potentially silencing weaker groups.
Complexity Factors
Societal complexity, digitalization, and the impact of global vs. national interests complicate definitions.
Theorising Sensitising Concepts
Variations in treatment of different groups in response to crime.
Effects of definition power on the criminalization of harmful behaviors.
Issues of mass surveillance linked to deviance.
Valuation of wildlife, migrant framing, and terrorist definitions.