NARSEE MONJEE INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES,

CHANDIGARH

NATURE AND SCOPE OF CRIMINOLOGY

ABSTRACT

Criminology is the scientific study of crime, criminal behaviour, and the criminal justice system. It
involves analyzing the nature, causes, and patterns of criminal behaviour, as well as exploring the social,
psychological, and environmental factors that contribute to crime. The scope of criminology encompasses
a wide range of topics, including the history of crime, criminal law, the role of law enforcement, the
criminal justice system, and the impact of crime on individuals and society.
 Criminologists seek to understand the underlying causes of crime and the factors that contribute to
criminal behaviour. This involves studying the characteristics and motivations of offenders, as well as the
social and economic conditions that can lead to criminal behaviour. The scope of criminology also
includes the study of victimology or the impact of crime on victims and society.

Criminology is an interdisciplinary field that draws on a range of disciplines, including sociology,

psychology, economics, and law. It has practical applications in the criminal justice system, such as in the
development of crime prevention strategies, the design of correctional programs, and the evaluation of the
effectiveness of criminal justice policies.

Overall, the nature and scope of criminology involve the scientific study of crime and criminal
behaviour, as well as the social, economic, and environmental factors that contribute to criminal activity.
It is an interdisciplinary field with practical applications in the criminal justice system and plays an
important role in understanding and addressing issues related to crime and public safety.

KEYWORDS: criminology, science, criminal behaviour, nature and scope of criminology

INTRODUCTION:

The word "criminology" is a combination of the Latin word "crimen" (crime) with the Greek word
"logos," which means "reason" or "logic" (doctrine) Around 1890, the discipline of criminology was
established. Research on criminal behaviour, offenders, and correctional facilities. Professor Kenny
(described/defined/analyzed) that Criminology is a subfield of criminal justice that focuses on the study
of what motivates criminal behaviour, how it may be understood, and how it can be avoided. The study of
criminal behaviour is known as criminology, and it focuses on illegal actions and attitudes. Hence, it is a
socio-legal investigation into criminal behaviour and its causes and potential solutions. As a result, it
stands to reason that the fields of criminology and criminal policy are inextricably linked and provide a
solid foundation for one another. Hence, the goal of criminology is to examine crime as a whole. Getting
a handle on crime requires digging into the interconnected causes of criminal behaviour and the myriad
ways in which an offender's character may be shaped. Throughout the past two centuries, this has resulted
in the growth of contemporary criminology. Research in this field is driven by a desire to better
understand crime and its causes, as well as to develop more efficient methods of rehabilitating and
reintegrating convicted felons into society. As the goal of criminology is to improve society as a whole, it
is clear that the study of crime has real-world applications.

BACKGROUND:

The field of criminology has a long and varied history, evolving over time as social, cultural, and
scientific changes have impacted the study of crime and criminal behaviour.

The origins of criminology can be traced back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries when social
reformers and philosophers began to question the use of harsh punishments and the effectiveness of the
criminal justice system. The development of modern criminology is often attributed to the work of Italian
scholar Cesare Lombroso, who in the late 19th century introduced the idea of the "born criminal" and
conducted extensive research on the physical and biological characteristics of criminals.

In the early 20th century, the Chicago School of criminology emerged, with scholars such as Robert
Park and Ernest Burgess exploring the social and environmental factors that contribute to crime. The field
continued to evolve in the mid-20th century, with the development of labelling theory and the emergence
of critical criminology, which challenged traditional theories of crime and justice.

Today, criminology is an interdisciplinary field that draws on a range of disciplines, including

sociology, psychology, economics, and law. It is informed by advances in technology, neuroscience, and
other fields, and continues to evolve as new research and theories emerge.

Criminology has had a significant impact on the development of criminal justice policies and
practices, as well as on public perceptions of crime and the criminal justice system. It has played a key
role in advancing our understanding of crime and criminal behaviour and has contributed to the
development of more effective and humane approaches to crime prevention and control.

LITERATURE REVIEW:

Criminology: The term "criminology" refers to "the scientific study of the causes, consequences,
and prevention of criminal behaviour." The study of criminal behaviour from a social scientific
perspective is known as criminology. Although modern definitions differ in wording, there is widespread
agreement that criminology is the study of criminal law, crime's root causes, and society's responses to it
through the lens of the scientific method (Akers 2000).

Edwin Sutherland: Crime is a social phenomenon, and criminologists study this issue in depth. It
encompasses the procedures of legislating, violating, and responding to lawlessness. Criminal Behavior:
Its Foundations and Its Frontiers Researchers and practitioners in the subject of criminology come from a
broad variety of academic backgrounds, including many different branches of the natural sciences.
Criminology arose as an academic subject housed in sociology schools, and sociologists played a crucial
role in its definition and development. In the second half of the twentieth century, however, criminology
emerged as a separate professional field with a broad, interdisciplinary focus and a commitment made to
generating knowledge through systematic research. This was made possible by the institution of schools
of criminology and the multiplication of academic departments and programmes focusing specifically on
crime and justice.

Can We Call Criminology a Science?

To what extent criminology is a science and to what extent it is an art form is a topic of heated
controversy. Science, in its broadest sense, is the systematic pursuit of knowledge via the use of
explanations, tests, and experiments. Observable, verifiable, ethically neutral, carefully investigated,
trustworthy, exact, accurate, abstract, and predictable are all characteristics of scientific knowledge.
Before art exists as a physical thing, it must first exist as a form of expression.
 Crime, its causes, and the legal procedure that unearths them for a judge and jury to weigh in on
require a dedicated study by anybody interested in the field of criminology. If this procedure did not exist,
lawbreakers would go free and anarchy would rule the land. This means that criminology is a scientific
discipline that relies heavily on logic and method.

One of the requirements for a phenomenon to be classified as a scientific phenomenon is that it be

relatively consistent. The wide variety of actions that our legislature has deemed criminal poses a nearly
insurmountable challenge to criminology as a behavioural science or study. There isn't a uniformly aware
antisocial mentality that underlies all of these criminal acts. Not all behaviours involve aggression or
exploitation, and neither are they always purely logical or purely emotional. Criminologists have tried a
wide range of approaches to this problem. But we may also claim that criminology is not a real science
because the reasons behind a certain crime or behaviour may be nuanced and difficult to pin down.

Nature of Criminology:

The question of whether or not criminology qualifies as a science has been hotly discussed. The
definition of the word "science" is crucial to grasping the core of the issue at hand. The Science Council
defines science as "the methodical pursuit and application of information and perception of the natural
and social realm using a methodology based on evidence." Experiments, observations, and logical
deductions form the backbone of the scientific method. Despite its scientific nature, criminology has been
criticised for its lack of objectivity. The discipline of criminology seeks to systematically examine
criminal behaviour and its root causes. At the same time, it makes an effort to arrive at scientific findings
on the alterations in conduct that predispose an individual to commit a crime. It is important to highlight
that the results of scientific tests testing and observing the changes in behaviour are not rock solid. The
results often differ from one person to the next. And it's not easy to get everyone in the criminal justice
system to agree on how to improve their behaviour. It may be concluded from this that, despite the use of
scientific methods, there are no universally applicable conclusions that can be drawn from the study of
crime. The complexity of establishing criminology as a pure science stem from the wide variety of human
behaviour. How ways in which humans act are always developing. Comparing one human being's
appearance and personality to another's is an arduous task. The interdisciplinary aspect of criminology
may be traced back to the fluidity of human behaviour. Because of its interdisciplinary nature,
criminology necessitates the study of other fields like sociology, political science, history, psychology,
etc. When looking at crime and offenders from a holistic perspective, it is necessary to examine a wide
range of different fields. To sum up, criminology is an imperfect science that uses scientific methods and
tools to investigate crime and offenders in their entirety.

Scope of Criminology:

The first part of this book's introduction defines criminology as a sociology whose development
may be traced back to shifts in how people see the world around them. That is to say, the shift from
superstitious beliefs to an objective, scientific worldview.

Like other social sciences fields like sociology, criminology developed during the Enlightenment.

The ancient mystique surrounding this field is often referenced in introductory books since ancient
governments did not have the wherewithal to address the root causes of this social problem. Offending
members of society (or the monarch) were dealt with harshly and locked away together, regardless of
gender or age.

Despite harsh sanctions including the death penalty, criminal activity persisted. It was believed that
demonic forces, supernatural entities, and religious dogma all had a role in the emergence of criminal
behaviour.

Then the person tasked with finding potential solutions to the problem arrived. The field of
criminology often attributes this guy as its founder. Cessare Beccaria (also known as Cessare Bone'ssana
Marchese di Beccaria) was a prominent philosopher of the Enlightenment period (about the 17th and 18th
centuries).

His theory of criminology "threw light" on the fact that people are capable of logical thought and
that these mental processes influence their propensity to commit crimes. The deterrent theory of crime
supports this.

Some introductory works on the topic expose us to hypotheses like the confluence between a
person's physical structure/physique and the predisposition to commit a crime and then proceed to attack
the classical view.

The extent of any introduction to Criminology will inevitably involve the sobering unmasking of
the field's genesis, research, and emerging tendencies.

Types of schools of Criminology:

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, criminology emerged as a distinct academic discipline. In
the field of criminology, there are four main schools that scholars might subscribe to:

1. Pre-Classical School
2. Classical School
3. Positivist School
4. Neo-Classical School

1. Pre-Classical School: The demonological school is another name for the pre-classical one.
With the rise of the church and religion in Europe throughout the 17th century, demonology
gained popularity. For a long of a history, the notion of crime remained cloudy and there were
few scientific explanations for its origins.
Hence, criminals were attributed to spirits, devils, and mysterious forces. An individual commits
an act of criminality because he is affected by a factor that is beyond his ability to control or
comprehend. A person who commits an offence would face God's wrath as retribution. Battles
and stone pelting were common methods of tracking down offenders, and it was widely held
that innocent parties would not be harmed in the process.
 2. Classical School: Cesare Beccaria, Jeremy Bentham, and Romilly were the forefathers of the
classical school of criminology. The core tenet of this school of thought is that criminal
behaviour is inevitable since human beings are fundamentally egocentric. In this view, mankind
is endowed with free will and behaves in accordance with the pleasures and pains that they
perceive (hedonism). Demonism, the belief that humans may be influenced by evil spirits, is
condemned by this school of thought.
The severity of a crime should determine the severity of its punishment, according to a proposal
made by Beccaria. Beccaria reasoned that torturing a suspect was wrong because it made the
weak more likely to incriminate themselves, while the powerful would be judged not guilty at
trial. The classicalists adhere to Beccaria's doctrine and place emphasis on crime rather than the
offender. The classical approach emphasises prevention rather than retribution.

3. Positivist School: Lombrose used the term positivism to describe his school of thought. Cesare
Lombroso, Enrico Ferri, Raffaeleo, and Garofalo are the authors of this idea. For positivists, it's
all about the offenders, not the crime. The positivist school of thought disagrees with the
classical school's take on criminal behaviour. Positivists argue that because people's senses of
good and wrong vary, it is the offender, rather than the crime, who should be punished.
This line of thought originated from the hypothesis that criminal behaviour has both genetic and
environmental roots. There is a connection between the positivist school of criminology and
explanations for criminal conduct based on biology, psychology, and society.

4. Neo-Classical School: No one has complete freedom of choice, but there is a middle ground
between determinism and free will, as this theory posits. In the neoclassical tradition, a judge
can consider mitigating circumstances at his own discretion.
Before this institution existed, criminals of all ages, mental capacities, genders, etc. were given
the same punishments. The neo-classicalists allowed for change since they considered this
unfair and unjust. Using this idea, we may take into account extenuating circumstances, such as
the person's immediate physical and social surroundings.

METHODOLOGY:

The methodology for studying the nature and scope of criminology involves a range of research
methods and techniques that enable criminologists to explore the causes and patterns of criminal behavior
and to evaluate the effectiveness of criminal justice policies and programs.

One key method is quantitative research, which involves collecting and analyzing numerical data to
identify trends and patterns in criminal behavior. This can include surveys, experiments, and statistical
analysis of crime data, such as crime rates, demographic data, and other relevant information.
 Another important research method is qualitative research, which involves collecting and analyzing
non-numerical data, such as interviews, focus groups, and case studies. This method is useful for
exploring the experiences and perspectives of individuals involved in the criminal justice system,
including victims, offenders, and law enforcement personnel.

Criminologists also use a range of theoretical frameworks to guide their research and analysis of
criminal behavior. These can include sociological, psychological, and biological theories of crime, as well
as critical perspectives that examine the social, economic, and political factors that contribute to crime
and social inequality.

In addition to conducting original research, criminologists also use meta-analysis and systematic
reviews to synthesize existing research and to evaluate the effectiveness of criminal justice policies and
programs. This involves reviewing and analyzing multiple studies on a particular topic and drawing
conclusions based on the aggregated data.

Overall, the methodology for studying the nature and scope of criminology is diverse and
interdisciplinary, drawing on a range of research methods and theoretical frameworks to explore the
causes and patterns of criminal behavior and to evaluate the effectiveness of criminal justice policies and
programs.

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of studying the nature and scope of criminology is to develop a better understanding
of the causes, patterns, and impact of criminal behavior and to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies for
preventing and controlling crime.

Specific objectives of criminology include:

Describing and analyzing the nature of crime: Criminology aims to describe and understand the
various forms of criminal behavior and their patterns, including the social, psychological, and economic
factors that contribute to them

Identifying the causes of criminal behavior: Criminology seeks to identify the factors that contribute
to criminal behavior, including individual, social, and environmental factors. This involves examining the
underlying social and economic conditions that may create environments that foster crime.

Evaluating the effectiveness of criminal justice policies and programs: Criminology aims to
evaluate the effectiveness of policies and programs aimed at preventing and controlling crime. This
includes assessing the impact of specific interventions and strategies, such as policing, rehabilitation, and
community-based approaches.

Developing evidence-based approaches to crime prevention and control: Criminology aims to

develop evidence-based approaches to preventing and controlling crime, drawing on research and analysis
to inform policy and practice.
 Overall, the objective of criminology is to improve our understanding of the causes and impact of
criminal behavior and to use this knowledge to develop more effective approaches to preventing and
controlling crime, with the ultimate goal of promoting safety, justice, and social well-being.

CONCLUSION:

In conclusion, criminology is a complex and interdisciplinary field that aims to understand the
causes, patterns, and impact of criminal behavior. The field draws on a range of research methods and
theoretical frameworks to explore the social, psychological, and environmental factors that contribute to
crime and to evaluate the effectiveness of criminal justice policies and programs. The objective of
criminology is to develop evidence-based approaches to preventing and controlling crime that promote
safety, justice, and social well-being. As the field continues to evolve, it will continue to play a critical
role in shaping our understanding of crime and the criminal justice system, and in promoting more
effective and humane approaches to crime prevention and control.

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