Lec.1. Criminology, Scope and Branches

CRIMINOLOGY
Introduction
The scientific study of crime and criminality is a relatively recent development.
The term criminology was coined by an Italian Law Professor Raffaele Garofalo as
“Criminologia” in 1885. It would be reasonable for students of criminology to ask
at the outset: What is criminology? The term ‘criminology’ obviously suggests that
‘crime’ lies at its core, and the Shorter Oxford Dictionary stretches the definition to
‘the scientific study of crime’.
Larry J. Siegel defined criminology as “Criminology is the scientific study of the
nature, extent, cause and control of criminal behavior”.
Moreover, re-known American criminologists of the 20 th century Edwin H.
Sutherland and Donald Cressy defined criminology as “Criminology is the body of
knowledge regarding crime as a social phenomenon. It includes within its scope
the processes of making laws, of breaking laws, and of reacting toward the
breaking of laws”. The objective of criminology is the development of a body of
general and veriﬁed principles and of other types of knowledge regarding this
process of law, crime, and treatment.
From a more academic viewpoint, A dictionary of criminology defines
criminology as: “The study of crime, of attempts to control it, and attitudes to it.
Crime is interpreted in its widest sense, to include minor as well as major law-
breaking, and also conduct which, but for the special status or role of those
involved, would be regarded as law-breaking; e.g. excessive punishment of
children by parents, antisocial practices of commercial undertakings”.
The simplest definition of criminology offered by Webster dictionary is
“Criminology is the scientific study of crime and criminals”.
To analyze the above definitions, Criminology is the discipline which study all
aspects of crime and criminal behavior including how law is made, how people
break laws, why people break laws and what reactions the individual face when
they break laws.
Scope of Criminology
Criminology is the body of knowledge regarding crime as a social phenomenon. It
includes within its scope the processes of making laws, of breaking laws, and of
reacting toward the breaking of laws. The objective of criminology is the
development of a body of general and verified principles and of other types of
knowledge regarding this process of law, crime, and treatment. Moreover,
criminologists understand both the onset of crime and the most effective methods
for its elimination. Why do people commit illegal acts, and what can be done to
convince them and others who are contemplating crime that it is in their best
interests to turn their back on criminality? These concepts are naturally bound
together: it is impossible to effectively control crime unless we understand its
cause.
The scope of criminology is increasing day by day. It has a very significant value
in both practical and theoretical terms. In practical terms, the criminologists help
the policy makers to develop such a policy for a country to reduce crime and
maintain peace in society. Sutherland clearly viewed policy matters as secondary
to theoretical explanations for criminal behavior. In recent years, however, the
tides have shifted in a direction of closer linkage between the work of
criminologists and policy development. Criminology not only deal with the
investigation of crimes but provide the preventive measures to stop crimes in
society. Due to increasing crime rate in Pakistan, criminologist becomes the need
of the day to come forward by taking part in investigation of crimes with effective
counter measure. A criminologist can work with different departments including
investigation agencies, police, prisons, law, probation and reclamation department
and as a researcher in different universities and colleges.
Branches of Criminology
Criminology is divided into two main branches i.e. Penology and Victimology.
Penology
Penology is defined as “Subarea of criminology that focuses on the correction and
control of criminal offenders”.
Penology as a discipline is branched out of Criminology dealing with convicted
offenders after the judiciary has labeled them criminals. The study of penology
involves the correction and sentencing of known criminal offenders. Some
criminologists are the advocates of rehabilitation. They hold the view that criminal
can be rehabilitated through effective treatment strategies. Some are of the view
that crime can be prevented only through a strict policy of social control. They
advocate capital punishments and mandatory sentences.
Prison, correctional institutions, community-based corrections, reformatory
programs, probation and parole are the part of the discipline of penology.
Penologists formulate strategies for the control of crime with one way or another.
Penologists assist in legislation and finally help the authorities in implementing
law that prevent recidivism and provide safe and peaceful society. The modern
penologists are experts who conduct studies regarding rehabilitation and treatment
to provide alternatives of punishment for the purpose to divert a criminal into a
law-abiding citizen after release.
Victimology
Victimology is defined as “the study of the victim’s role in criminal events”. OR
“Victimology as a discipline branched out of criminology directs its attention on
the victims of different types of crimes and criminal behaviors”.
Criminologists recognize that the victim plays a critical role in the criminal process
and the victim’s behavior is often a key determinant of crime. Historically, the
victims have been the most forgotten elements of crime and criminal justice
process. Natural law assumed that simple becoming a victim of a crime is the
severe enough penalty for a victim in a lawful society. A victim is only used as a
witness against the offender to punish him.
Only Islam as a great monolithic, dynamic and mundane religion of the world has
always placed a great emphasis on the important role of victim and victim
compensation. The law of restitution (deyat) and retaliation (qisas) specifically
deals settlements of victim’s grievances. In cases of crime against person and
property the victim has the option to decide the case as he wishes to the best of his
satisfaction by restitution or retaliation. The Islamic system of victim
compensation is a hope for the prevention of crime as it treats the offenders fairly
as well as satisfy victim.
Victimological research has helped the criminologists to start victim compensation
programs to provide medical treatment to the victims on the expense of offenders
for the purpose to discourage recidivism.

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CRIMINOLOGY

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