Criminology Summary
Criminology is the study of crime and criminals. It looks at the causes of crime, the social impact of crime, and the individuals involved in the crime from the perpetrator themselves to the people who work within the criminal justice system including the police, CPS, courts, prisons and probation. We study Criminology to understand what motivates the criminal to act in a criminal manner; once this is known we can study how crime can be managed, controlled and prevented through different crime policy strategies. Criminology offers a theoretical understanding of criminality which allows candidates to analyse crime in a nature-nurture framework. You will develop an awareness of different types of crimes that are committed and consider the media impact in our perception of crime. You will consider how crime is socially constructed according to time, place and culture and how this leads to crime policy development and reform. The course will lead to an understanding of the methods of investigating crime and the personnel involved from crime scene to courtroom. Criminology will allow you to develop an overview of the structure of the criminal justice system and assess the effectiveness of the different agencies who work within social control.