CRIM CH.1

Understanding Criminology as a Field of Study

Definition and Scope of Criminology

Multidisciplinary Nature 

• Criminology has theoretical frameworks: individual, situational, and structural theories

• includes fields like sociology, psychology, law, and economics to understand crime 

• also studies the interplay between individual behaviour, societal influences, and institutional response 

• how people’s actions, their environment, and the rules around them all work together to cause crime 

• Crime is not abnormal, it is actually normal (everyone has done some sort of crime) 

Historical Context and Development of Criminology 

Late 18th Century: Classical criminology emerged, created the prominent legal/justice system we have till now (the punishment in legal systems) 

19th Century: scientific approaches to understand criminal behaviour and biological determinism 

Early 20th Century: sociological perspectives, the influence of social structure and norms on crime rates

Mid 20th Century: theoretical studies including strain theory and labeling theory, shifting focus from societal pressures and identity formation 

Late 20th Century: rise of critical criminology, including feminist and race theories, addressing social injustices, as well as power dynamics in crime definitions and enforcement 

21st Century: contemporary criminology, addressing global crimes and technological advancements in criminal behaviour 

The Role of Social Context in Criminology

Influence of Environment on Crime

• Social context can shape the understanding and interpretation of criminal behaviour like cultural norms, economic conditions, and institutional frameworks tells us what is considered deviant, influencing our thoughts on crime and the societal response to it 

• why people commit crimes depends on the society they live in, is it normalized? What is legal/illegal in their country? 

• Eg. Crime rates are low BUT incarceration rates are high 

• the number of incarceration and imprisonment and sentencing are not the same as the rates of crime 

Defining a Crime 

The Complexity of Defining Crime 

Dynamic Nature of a Crime 

• The definition of a crime in not static, it changes, can shift through cultural values, political ideologies, and historical contexts

• Finding simplistic answers to complex questions 

• over generalization of a crime and over simplifying eg. “Every criminal is bad” 

The Impact of Cultural Context on Crime Definitions 

Cultural Variability in Crime 

• Definitions of crime vary widely across cultures, influenced by local values, traditions, and legal frameworks, can shape the societal perceptions of acceptable behaviour and justice 

• crimes and laws are different in every country 

• some people may think a certain crime is extreme, but that is a bias opinion (imposing cultural views are superior) 

Historical Evolutions of Laws 

• Legal definitions of crime also evolve over time, depending on shifts in societal attitudes and moral standards eg. Changing laws regarding domestic violence and substance use 

• laws will change overtime eg. Witch craft became a criminal act and then decriminalized 

Sociopolitical Dynamics 

• The political influence of a culture can impact definition of crime, can shape public perception, eg. The perception of marginalized minors groups 

• who decides what is a crime, when it is a crime, etc… 

• eg. 80-90% of women in prison experience sexual abuse like strip searching 

Legal vs. Sociological definitions of crime 

Legal Frameworks and enforcement 

• Legal definition of a crime are established through formal status (like the government) a system for identifying and penalizing criminal behaviour based on their laws 

Social Context and Labeling 

• behaviours become criminal when society labels that action as so

• targeted towards marginalized groups, low class, people with less power are more likely to be labelled as a criminal 

• eg. Being labelled as a criminal even though you didn’t do anything criminal 

• Government and media play a key role in deciding what is criminal 

Implications for Justice Systems 

• Legal definitions leading to strict enforcement policies, while sociological perspectives advocate for a broader social justice approach addressing the root cause of a crime 

• crime being defined through legally or sociologically affect how society responds to a crime 

Theories of Crime Causation 

Individual factors in Crime

• Criminal Behaviour can be traced to internal factors 

• emphasizing personal characteristics such like genetics and psychological traits 

Social Influences on Behaviour 

• The impact of social structures (family, education, friends, workplace, social class, school, etc…) the environmental factors (poverty, social inequality) and peer interaction and influence and shape criminal behaviour and societal responses to crime 

• eg. Being friends with someone who does crime or having a family history of crime 

Structural Forces and Crime 

• How broader societal and economic conditions, (like inequality and class) contribute to crime and criminalization, emphasizing the need for systemic change 

• crime is a systemic issue 

• Disadvantage groups are targeted to more likely commit crimes because of limited opportunities 

Psychological and Biological Factors

Influence of Genetics 

• Traits like high impulsivity and aggression can increase the likelihood of engaging to criminal behaviour

Role of Neurotransmitters 

• Imbalances in neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine are associated with impulsive and aggressive behaviours

Psychological Disorders 

•  Psychopathy and Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) can impair moral reasoning and emotional responses

Environmental Influences 

Role of Environmental Cues 

• Eg. Surveillance cameras or community engagement initiatives can decrease the likeliness of criminal behaviour because of the risks and rewards of committing a crime 

• (not understanding the crime) society usually prevents a crime with “manipulating” behaviour eg. Public benches with arm sets in the middle preventing people from laying/sleeping on the bench (targeted towards the homeless) doesn’t actually reduce the crime but it helps reduce it

Societal and Institutional Factors 

Impact of Social Structures 

• The organization of a society, like economic inequality and institutional integrity, influences the individual behaviour and thoughts of crime and crime rates

Integrative Approaches to Understanding Crime 

Holistic Crime Analysis 

• Combining individual, situational, and structural factors to create a comprehensive. Understanding of crime 

• having a broader analysis (looking at the whole system and not its individual parts) 

• eg. Sex trade became unconstitutional and legalized 

Measuring crime 

Diverse Methodologies in Crime Measurement 

• Official statistics, victimization surveys, self-report servals, provides insights to crime prevalence and patterns, the importance of using multiple approaches to understanding criminal behaviour and responses 

• eg. Victimization surveys result in discovering unreported crimes 

Challenges in Data Interpretation 

• Underreporting (victims don’t report crimes)

Political and Societal Implications of Criminology 

The Concept of Moral Panic in Media Coverage 

Stages of Moral Panic 

• Beginning with identification of a perceived threat, media application, public concern, and then the policy response to the actual crime, may highlight the disconnect between media narratives and societal realities 

• media plays role in criminalization eg. Policing teenagers more because of how common it is shown on social media 

• the media tends to cover more serious crimes creating fear for viewers 

The Role of Media in Shaping Crime Perception

Sensationalism’s Impact on Fear 

• Amplifying deviance (more reported crimes than there actually is 

• media coverage often exaggerates crime rates resulting in public fear and misperceptions about safety 

Stereotyping Offenders 

• Media representations rely on racial and socioeconomic stereotypes 

• eg. Marginalized groups

• eg. Creating a storyline because of the stereotypes

• eg. Tropes like cops and robbers 

Narrative Framing Effects 

• Framing of crime stories, focusing on emotional victims narratives while neglecting broader social issues 

• eg. Men are more victimized while elderly are less victimized 

The Influence of Political Perspectives on Crime Policy 

Conservative Policy Implications: policies that prioritize measures, resulting in increased incarceration rates and focus on law enforcement (overlook rehabilitation and social support systems) 

Liberal Reform Initiative: addressing root social issues, promoting policies that emphasize rehabilitation and community programs, reduce recidivism and support reintegration of offenders 

Radical Critique of Systems: challenge existing power structures and advocating for comprehensive understanding that address systemic inequalities, the need for social justice and quite in crime