Criminology

Course Overview

This course introduces students to criminology, the study of crime, criminal behavior, and society’s responses to crime.

It examines the nature and extent of crime, criminal behavior patterns, and theories of crime causation. The course explores different types of crime, such as violent, property, and white-collar, and the criminal justice system’s role in preventing and addressing crime.

Students will learn to critically analyze crime data, understand sociological and psychological perspectives on criminality, and assess the effectiveness of criminal justice policies and practices.

You Will Be Able to:

Understand Key Concepts: Define and explain foundational criminological concepts, such as crime, deviance, criminal behavior, and social control.

Identify Types of Crime: Distinguish between various types of crime (e.g., violent, property, white-collar, cybercrime) and discuss the societal impacts of each.

Analyze Theories of Crime: Summarize and critically evaluate major theories of crime causation, including sociological, psychological, and biological perspectives.

Interpret Crime Data: Use crime data sources (e.g., Uniform Crime Reports, National Crime Victimization Survey) to identify trends and patterns in criminal activity.

Examine the Criminal Justice System: Describe the structure and functions of the criminal justice system, including law enforcement, judicial, and corrections systems.

Discuss Policy Implications: Analyze how criminological theories inform criminal justice policies and practices and evaluate their effectiveness in crime prevention and control.

Explore Ethical Considerations: Recognize and discuss ethical issues within criminology, such as bias in policing, sentencing disparities, and the treatment of offenders.

Apply Criminology to Real-World Issues: Apply criminological concepts and theories to contemporary issues, such as drug policy, juvenile justice, and restorative justice practices.