INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINOLOGY

DEFINITION OF CRIMINOLOGY
In its broadest sense, criminology is the entire body of
knowledge regarding crime, criminals and the effort of
the society to prevent and repress them.
In a narrower sense, criminology is the scientific study of
crimes and criminals.
This scientific study is extended only on three basis lines,
and they are:
1. Investigating of the nature of criminal law and its
administration;
2. Analysis of the causation of crimes and behavior of
criminals; and
3. Study of the control of crimes and the rehabilitation of
offenders.
VARIOUS STUDIES AND SCIENCES RELATED TO
CRIMINOLOGY
1. Study of law
2. Science of medicine, chemistry and psychology
3. Religion
4. Education
5. Social work involving sociology and psychology
6. Public administration
Similarly, criminology includes in the activities of the
following offices and agencies of the government:
a. Legislative bodies
b. Law enforcement agencies
c. Courts and prosecution arms of the government
d. Educational institutions like schools and colleges
e. Correctional institutions
f. Public charitable and social agencies
g. Public welfare agencies
And among the private sectors whose work is related to
criminology are the following:
a. The family and the home
b. Church and religion
c. Private charitable and welfare institutions
d. Civic clubs and organizations
e. Print media, newspaper, radio and television
f. Private schools and colleges and many more
NATURE OF CRIMINOLOGY
Generally, criminology cannot be considered a science
because it has not yet acquired universal validity and
acceptance, it is not stable and it varies from one time and
place to another. However, considering that science is the
systematic objective study of social phenomenon and other
bodies of knowledge, criminology is a science in it self when
applied to law enforcement and prevention of crimes under
the following nature:
a. IT IS AN APPLIED SCIENCE – in the study of the cause of
crimes, anthropology, psychology, sociology and other
natural sciences may be applied. While in crime detection,
chemistry, medicine, physics, mathematics, ballistics,
polygraphy, legal medicine questioned document
examination, science is also applied. This is called and known
as INSTRUMENTATION.
b. IT IS A SOCIAL SCIENCE – in as much as crime is a social
creation that it exists in a society being a social
phenomenon, its study must be considered part of
social science.
c. IT IS DYNAMIC – criminology changes as social
condition change. It is concomitant with the
advancement of other sciences that have been applied
to it.
d. IT IS NATIONALISTIC –the study of crime must be in
relation with the existing criminal law within the
territory of our country. Finally, the question as to
whether an act is a crime is dependent on the criminal
law of the state. It follows therefore, that the causes of
crime must be determined from its social needs and
standards.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY OF CRIMINOLOGY
1. Study of the origin and development of criminal law or
penal law.
2. Study of the causes of crimes and development of
criminals.
3. Study of different factors that enhances the
development of criminal behavior such as:
a. Criminal Demography
b. Criminal Epidemiology
c. Criminal Ecology
d. Criminal Physical Anthropology
e. Criminal Psychology
f. Criminal Psychiatry
g. Victimology
4. Study of the various processes and measures accepted
by society in cases of violation of criminal law such as:
a. The detection and investigation of crimes.
b. The arrest and apprehension of criminals.
c. The prosecution and conviction of the criminal in a
judicial proceedings.
d. The imprisonment, correction and rehabilitation of
the convicted offender or criminal.
e. The administration of the police and other law
enforcement agencies.
f. The enforcement of laws, decrees, rules and
regulations.
g. Maintenance of recreational facilities and other
auxiliary services to prevent the development of
crimes and criminal behavior.
SOME OF THE MAJOR AREAS OF STUDIES IN
CRIMINOLOGY
1. Dactyloscopy
2. Police Photography
3. Polygraphy
4. Ballisticsa
5. Questioned Document
6. Penology
7. Police Supervision & Management
8. Investigation and Detection of Crimes
9. Industrial Security Management
10. Traffic Management and Accident Investigation &
etc.
SOME OPPORTUNITIES OF A CRIMINOLOGY GRADUATE
1. In the law enforcement branches of the government
particularly in the civilian, military and police agencies;
2. In the management and administration of security agencies
of commercial & industrial establishment;
3. Document examiners of police agencies or verifier in the
signature control of banks and other financial institutions;
4. As custodial and correctional officers of penitential
institutions;
5. As a custodial or correctional officers of penitentiaries or
penal colonies;
6. As laboratory technicians and experts in police laboratories;
7. Crime research and prevention programs;
8. And many more…
 FUNDAMENTAL STUDY OF CVRIMINAL LAW
A. DEFINITION
B. CRIMINAL or PENAL LAW is that branch of public law, which
defines crimes, treat of their nature, and provides for their
punishment.
NOTE: The Revised Penal Code is the book that contains the
Philippine criminal law and likewise, it is embodied in
different special laws, decrees, which are penal in nature.
JANUARY 1, 1932 – effectively of the Revised Penal Code
C. PRINCIPAL PARTS OF THE REVISED PENAL CODE
1. Articles 1 to 20 – principles affecting criminal liability
2. Article 21 to 113 – provisions of penalties including
criminal and civil liability
3. Article 114 to 367 – felonies defined under the different
titles
C. CHARACTERISTICS OF CRIMINAL LAW
1. It is general in application
2. It is territorial in character
3. It must be prospective
D. TWO IMPORTANT THEORY IN CRIMINAL LAW
1. THE CLASSICAL THEORY – characteristics:
a. The basis of criminal liability is human free will and the
purpose of penal is retribution.
b. That man is essentially a moral creature with an
absolutely free will to choose good and evil, thereby
placing more stress upon the effects or result of the
felonious act that upon the criminal himself.
c. It has endeavored to establish a mechanical and direct
proportion between crime and penalty.
d. There is a scant regard to the human element.
2. THE POSITIVIST THEORY – characteristics:
a. That man is occasionally subdued by a strange and
morbid phenomenon, which constrains him to do
wrong, inspite of or contrary to his volition.
b. That crime is essentially a social and natural
phenomenon, and as such it cannot be treated and
checked by the application of abstract principles of
law and jurisprudence nor by the imposition of
punishment, fixed and determined prior but rather
through the enforcement of individual measures in
each particular case after a thorough, personal and
individual investigation conducted by a competent
body of psychiatrist and social scientist.
OTHER THEORIES AS TO THE ORIGIN OF CRIMINAL LAW
1. That criminal law originated from private wrong or
tort.
2. That criminal law originated from the national
processes of unified societies.
3. That criminal law originated from the development of
customs, usage and tradition.
4. That criminal law originated from conflict of interest
of different social groups.
STUDY OF FELONIES AND CRIMES
A. DEFINITION
 CRIME is defined as an act committed or omitted in
violation of public law forbidding or commanding it.
 CRIME is also defined as an act that violates the law
of the nation.
 FELONIES are acts and omissions punishable by law.
They are committed not only by means of deceit
(dolo) but also by means of fault (culpa) Art. 3,
RPC.
B. ELEMENTS OF FELONY
 There must be an act or omission
 The act or omission must be voluntary
 It must be punishable by law
1. C. LEGAL CLASSIFICATION OF CRIMES OR FELONIES
1. As to the manner crimes are committed:
1. By means of dolo or deceit
2. By means of culpa or fault
2. As to the stages in commission of crimes:
1. Attempted crimes
2. Frustrated crimes
3. Consummated crimes
3. As to the plurality of crimes:
a. Simple crimes
b. Complex crimes
4. As to the gravity of penalty or offense:
a. Crimes against person
b. Crimes against property
c. Crimes against chastity (now against person)
d. Crimes against public order
D. CRIMINOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF CRIMES
1. As to the result of crimes:
a. Acquisitive crime – when the offender acquires
something as a consequence of his criminal act.
b. Extinctive crime – when the end result of a criminal
act is destructive.
2. As to the time or period committed:
a. Seasonal crime – those committed only during a
certain period of the year.
b. Situational crime – those committed only when
given the situation to conducive to it a commission.
3. As to the length of time committed:
a. Instant crime – those committed in the shortest
possible time.
b. Episoidal crime – those committed by a series of
act in a lengthy space of time.
4. As to the place or location of the commission:
a. Static crimes – those committed in a particular place only.
b. Continuing crimes – those committed in several places.
5. As to the use of mental faculties:
a. Rational crime – those committed with intention and
offender is in full possession of his sanity.
b. Irrational crime – hose committed by persons who do not
know the nature and quality of his act on account of the
disease of the mind.
6. As to the type of offenders:
a. White collar crimes – those committed by persons of
respectability and of upper socio-economic class in the
course of their occupational activities.
b. Blue collar crimes – those committed by ordinary
professional criminal to maintain their livelihood.
7. As to the standard of living of the criminals:
a. Crimes of the upper-world – falsification cases
b. Crimes of the underworld – syndicate crimes
WHEN DOES CRIME EXIST?
In the legal point of view, crime exists when the person has
been proven guilty by the court. In the scientific point of
view, crime exists when it is reported.
CRIME, SIN AND MORTALITY
1. Crime is an act or omission against the penal law of
the country, while sin is an act or omission against
divine law.
2. Upon conviction for a criminal act, the penalty
imposed during the lifetime of the person, while
sinful act is imposed in the life thereafter.
3. Crime is committed against the law of the state,
while immorality is committed against the unwritten
social norms in the locality.
4. Crime is fixed by the statute, while immorality is not.
5. Crime is nationalistic, while immorality is
regionalistics.
WHY MUST MEMBERS OF SOCIETY BE INTERESTED IN
CRIME
1. Crime is Pervasive – almost all members of the society are
once or common victim of crime, and it affects most members
of society regardless of age, sex, race, nationality, religion,
financial condition, education and other personal
circumstances.
2. Crime is Expensive – the government and private sector spend
enormous amount of money for crime detection, prosecution,
correction and prevention. Said expenses could be direct and
indirect expenses on the part of the government.
3. Crime is Destructive – many lives have been lost due to crime
including properties.
4. Crime is Reflective – crime rate or incidence in a given locality
is reflective as to the effectiveness of the social defenses
employed by the government and the people, particularly the
law enforcement.
5. Crime is Progressive – as population grows, crime rate is also
increasing, when modern time come, crime had been
modernize also.
ADVANTAGES OF THE EXISTENCE OF CRIME
1. It promotes solidarity among the people.
2. It prevents morality from going to extreme.
3. It is a modification of maladjustment.
STUDY OF CRIMINALS
A. DEFINITION
1. In the legal sense, a criminal is any person who has
been found to commit a wrongful act in the course of
the standard judicial processes. There must be a final
verdict of his guilt.
2. In the criminological sense, a person is already
considered a criminal the moment he committed any
anti-social act.
B. DISTINCTION BETWEEN CRIMINAL AND
DELINQUENT
A criminal is a person who has violated the penal
law and has been found guilty of the crime
charges upon observing of the standard judicial
procedure, while a delinquent is a person who
merely committed an act not in conformity with
the norms of the society.

Example of Delinquency
a. Waywardness of children
b. Street comer gang
c. Children out of parental control
d. School dropouts without justifiable reasons
C. CLASSIFICATIONS OF CRIMINALS
1. Criminals classified on the basis of etiology:
a) Acute criminals – person who violate
criminal law because the impulse of the
moment, heat of passion, anger or spell of
extreme jealousy.
b) Chronic criminals – persons who acted in
consonance with deliberate thinking, such
as:
i. Neurotic criminals; ex. Kleptomania
ii. Normal criminals; ex. Prototype
iii. Criminality; this is caused by an organic
pathological process
EXPLANATION TO CRIMINALITY
A. TYPES OF EXPLANATION TO CRIMINAL
BEHAVIOR
1. Single or unitary causes. Crime is a product of
single cause or factor.
2. Multiple factor theory. Crime is not a product of
single cause or factor but a combination of
several factors. Some factors are playing a major
role while others are playing a minor role.
Accepted also as a theory of crime causation.
3. Eclectic theory. Crime in one instance may be
caused by one or more factors while in other
instances it is caused by another set of factors.
B. EARLIER EXPLANATIONS TO THE EXISTENCE OF
CRIMINALITY
1. The explanation that crime is caused by demon.
Accordingly, men commit anti-social acts because
the demons, spirit, or someone form the other world
instructed, forced or pushed them to do so. This is
during the pagan age when any wrongful act is
attributed to the will of evil or other supernatural
beings.
2. Explanation that crime is caused by Divine Will.
Men manifest criminal behavior because they are
sinful so God wants to punish them. During the
ancient period criminals are given the right to
sanctuary whereby they can seek refuge in the
temple of God so that they will be free from
prosecution of punishment.
3. The explanation that crime is the result
of the freewill of men (classical School of
Thought by BECCARIA).
Accordingly to criminologist beccaria, men
are fundamentally a biological organism with
intelligence and rationality which control
their behavior. Before men do something,
they try to calculate the amount of pain they
will suffer and the amount of pleasure they
will receive. Their future action will depend on
the algebraic sum of the two considerations.
4. The explanation that crime is result of the
freewill of men but were committed due to
some compelling seasons prevailed (Neo-
Classical School of Thought).
This explanation accept the fact that crimes are
committed in accordance with the freewill of
men but the act of committing crime is modified
by some causes that finally prevail upon the
person to commit crimes. Usually crime resulted
from this act fails on either mitigating or
exempting circumstances under our law.
5. The explanation that criminal are born (Positive
School of Thought by Cesare Lombroso)
according to Lombroso who is now considered
the father of modern criminology, criminals are
born with some physical characteristics, which
becomes the causes of crimes. Such causes are:
a. That there are distinct born criminal types.
b. That this type can be identified by certain
stigmata or anomalies.
c. That the stigmata are not the causes of crimes
but rather the symptoms of atavism or
reversion of his body to his ape-like ancestors.
 d. That atavism and degeneracy of the body
are the causes of crime.
e. That the person who is a born type criminal
cannot refrain from committing crime
unless he lives under exceptionally
favorable circumstances.
Example of physical degeneracy that causes
crimes:
1. Deviation of head size and shape
2. Asymmetry of face
3. Excessive dimensions of the jaw and
cheekbones
4. Eye defects and peculiarities
5. Unusual size of the ears
6. Nose are twisted, upturned, flattened or
aquiline
7. Thick and fleshy lips, -swollen and
protruding
8. Abnormal dentition
9. Chin receding or excessively long, short or
flat
10. Abnormalities of the hair such as baldness
11. Supernumerary fingers and toes
12. Imbalance of the hemisphere of the brain
FACTORS AFFECTING DEVELOPMENT & EXISTENCE OF
CRIME AND CRIMINALITY
These factors are:
1. Geographical factors
Earlier criminologist correlated climate, humidity,
wind velocity, atmospheric pressure, rainfall, nature
of soil, and other geographical factors to the
existence and development of crimes and criminality.
The following are the explanations formulated by
criminologists about geography and crimes:
a. The north and south pole
b. Approach to equator
c. Season of the year
d. Soil formation
e. Temperature
f. Humidity and atmospheric pressure
g. Wind velocity
2. Biological factors
Man as a living organism has been the object of several
studies, which has the purpose of determining the causes of
his crimes. Among such studies are the following:
Physiognomy – this is the study of the relationship between
the facial features and human conduct of a person in
relation to crimes. This study and science was used by
Beccaria (1764) and Lavator (1775) to discover the character
of a person by
a. Observing his physical appearance
b. Measurement of the outward appearance
Phrenology or Craniology – Franz Joseph Gall & Johann
Gaspar Spurzhein claimed in this study that the shape of
the head of the criminals differ from that of a non-
criminals. This theory, however, was found without basis.
Study of Physical Defects and Handicapped in Relation t
Crimes
Leaders of notorious criminal groups are usually nicknamed
in accordance with their physical defects and
handicapped. This defect is the very reason so that they
become violent, feel inferior to others and/or being
ostracized by the society. The unfavorable results
therefore, could be following:
a. Persons who are suffering from physical defects cause
poor social relationship and serious emotional
disturbance.
b. It reduces his capacity to complete occupationally and
socially
c. It may cause the development of inferiority complex.
d. Persons suffering from defects are frequently irritated
by friends and resort to violent criminal behavior.
Physical characteristics in relation to Body Type
Study of Kretshcmer by classifying types of physique and
the types of crime they are prone to commit:
a. Pyknic type – those who are stout and with round
bodies. They tend to commit deception, fraud and
violence.
b. Athletic type – those who are muscular and strong.
They are usually connected with crimes against
violence.
c. Asthetic type – those who are skinny and slender.
Their crimes petty thievery and fraud.
d. Dysplastic or mixed type – those who are less clear
evident having any predominant type. Their offenses
are against decency and morality.
Study of William Sheldon (Varieties of Delinquent Youth) classifying
types of physique and criminal temperament:
TYPES OF PHYSIQUE
a. ENDOMORPHIC TEMPERAMENT
Relatively great development of digestive VISCEROTONIC
viscera; tendency to put on fat; soft
General relaxation of body; a comfortable
roundness through various regions of
person; love of luxury; and essentially
the body; short tampering limbs,
extrovert person.
small bones; smooth velvety skin.
b. MESOMORPHIC
SOMOTONIC
Relatively predominance of muscles, bones
and the motor organs of the body; Active, dynamic, walk, talk, gesture
large wrists and hands, if lean show a assertively and behaves aggressively
hard rectangular outline.
c. ECTOMORPHIC CEREBROTONIC
Relatively predominance of skin and its Introvert, full of functional complaints,
appendage which includes the allergies, skin troubles, chronic fatigue,
nervous system; loan, fragile, delicate insomnia, sensitive skin and to noise,
body; small delicate bones, droopy shrinks from crowds.
shoulder, small bony mass on
relatively all body area.
STUDY OF HEREDITY AS THE CAUSES OF CRIMES
The common household expressions like “It is in the blood”
and “like father like son” are usually heard and said
whenever there are several members in the family are
criminals. Accordingly, heredity transmits single traits
and characteristics from parents to offspring’s.
Although modern criminologists seem not to accept the
role of heredity in the formation of criminal behavior of
men, it cannot be denied that it is playing a “role as
contributory factor in the genesis of criminal behavior”.
The following are some proofs to show the role of heredity
in the development of criminality:
a. Study of Kalikak Family Tree (Goddard)
b. Study of Juke Family Tree (Dugdale & Estabrook)
c. Study of Sir Jonathan Edwards Family Tree
3. PSYCHOANALYTIC AND PSYCHIATRIC FACTORS
a) Definitions
1. Psychoanalytic – the analysis of human behavior
2. Psychiatric – the study of human mind
b) Various studies of Human Behavior & Mind in Relation
to Crime Causation
Several noted criminologists have advanced the theories
that criminal behavior is developed among individuals
consonant with the development of his mind, traits and
behavior.
Among them are:
1. AUGUST AICHORN – In his book entitled Wayward
Youth, 1925 said the cause of crime and delinquency is
the faulty development of the child during the first few
years of his life. As a child, the human being normally
follows only his pleasure impulses instinctively. Soon he
grows up and finds some restrictions to these pleasure
impulses, which he must control. Otherwise, he suffers
from faulty ego development and becomes
delinquents.
2. DAVID ABRAHAMSEN – in his Crime and Human Mind,
1945 explained the causes of crime by this formula
“Criminal Behavior equals Criminalistics Tendencies plus
Crime Inducing Situation Divided by the Persons Mental or
Emotional Resistance to Temptation. This is described as: C
= Crime Tendency + Situation/Resistance (Emotional)
3. CYRIL BURT (Young Delinquent, 1925) gave the theory of
general emotionality. According to him, many offenses of a
particular instinctive drive. An excess of the submissive
instinct account for tendency of many criminals to be week
willed or easily led, fear and absconding may be due to the
impulse of fear. Callous type offenders may be due to the
deficiency in the primitive emotion of love and an excess of
the instinct of hate.
4. WILLIAM HEALY – (Individual Delinquency) claimed that
crime is an expression of the mental content of the
individual. Frustration of, the individual causes emotional
discomfort, personality demands removal of pain and the
pain is eliminated by substitute behavior, that is the start of
the crime delinquency of an individual.
5. BROMBERG (Crime and Mind, 1948) claimed that criminality
is the result of emotional immaturity. Person is emotional
matured when he has learned to control his emotion
effectively and who lives at peace with himself and in
harmony with the standards of conduct which are acceptable
to society. An emotionally immature person rebel against
rules and regulations, tend to engage in unusual activities
and experience a feeling of guilt due to inferiority complex.
6. SIGMUND FREUD (Superego, Ego and Id, 1927) in his
psychoanalytic theory of human personality and crimes, he
has the following explanations:
a. ID are impulses or instinct of social drives, it contains
that is inherited, that is present at birth. A newborn
infant enter the world with the energy reservoir of
instinctive biological drives which is uncontaminated
with external reality. At this point, the human being is
prepared to behave only in terms of pleasure principle
towards the discharge of his instinctual energies.
Selfishness, violence, and anti-social wishes are part of
the original instinct of man.
b. EGO are man’s physical organization between his
sensory stimuli on one hand and his motor activity on the
other. The ego operates on the basis of expediency. The
question of right and wrong, safe or dangerous,
permitted or prohibited do nor play an important role.
The child begins to acquire an awareness of oneself
distinct from the environment. Decisions are reached in
terms of reality principle.
c. SUPER-EGO means the conscience of man. It is the role
agencies outside the home, which try to control the ego.
The super-ego and maybe represented by the voice of
God, moral truth, commandments of society, good for
the whole will of the majority, cultural conventional and
other rules.
C. The Gianelt Index of Criminality
This crimino-synthesis explains the reason why a person
may commit a crime or inhibit himself from doing so
under the following conditions:
1. Need Frustration – the person before committing the
crime is likely feel unhappy, unsatisfied, resentful or
angry about something in particular, or about life in
general.
2. Internal Inhibition – It refers to all types of internal
forces which may prevent a person from committing a
crime. These forces maybe person’s conscience, or his
principles, or his sense of self-respect, or the particular
conception he has of himself, of a sense of guilt or
remorse that he may experience if he commit certain
actions. These forces operate from within the person,
without any need of restrain from outside.
3. External Inhibition – this refers to all types of external
forces which may prevent an individual from
committing crime. These forces may be produced by
the thought that the person may get caught if he
commits the crime, or sentenced to prison for a given
number of years, or disgraced in the community or
punished in some-other ways.
4. Contact with Reality – this refers to the extent to
which person can learn from his past mistakes, as well
as to the extent to which he evaluate accurately the
present situation and foresee the consequence of his
recent action in relation to his future.
5. Situational Crime Potential - this refers to the actual
opportunity to commit the crime, that is to the
easiness or possibilities to commit a crime offered by
a given place, situation person or environment.
D. Mental Disturbances
The following are cases, of mental disturbances, which are
sometimes the cause of criminality and the development
of criminal behavior:
1. MENTAL DEFICIENCY – a condition of arrested or
incomplete development of the mind existing before the
age of 18, whether arising from inherent causes or
induced by disease or injury. They may commit violent
crimes but definitely not crimes involving the use of
mentality.
a. IDIOTS – persons whose mentality is compared to a 2
years old person.
b. IMBECILES – persons whose mentality is like a child
of 2 – 7 years old.
 c. FEEBLE-MINDED PERSON – those in whose case
there exist mental defectiveness which though not
amount to imbecibility, is yet pronounced that they
require care, supervision and control for their own
or for the protection of others - or in case of
children they appear to be permanently incapable
by reason of such defectiveness or receiving proper
benefit from the instruction of an ordinary school.
2. SCHIZOPHRENIA - this is sometimes called DEMENTIA
PRAECOX which is a form of psychosis characterized by
thinking disturbance and regression to a more relatively
unimpaired and intellectual functions are well
preserved. The personal appearance are dilapidated and
the patient is liable to impulsive acts, destructively and
may commit suicide.
3. COMPULSIVE NEUROSIS – a disorder of a psychic and
mental functions without lesions of nerves and less
severity that psychosis. Usually it is accompanied by a
morbid nature or tendency on a particular act or object.
4. PSYCHOPATHIC PERSONALITY - this is the most
important cause of criminality among youthful offenders
and habitual criminals. It is characterized by infantile level
or rescind, lack of conscience, deficient feeling of affection
to others and aggression to environment and other
people.
5. EPILEPSY – this is a condition characterized by convulsive
seizures and a tendency to mental deterioration. The
seizure may be extreme loss of consciousness. During the
attack, the person become muscularly rigid, respiration
ceases, froth on the mouth and the tongue may be bitter.
Just before the actual convulsion, there may be mental
confusion, hallucination or delusion and may commit
violent crimes without provocation.
TYPES OF EPILEPSY
1. Grand Mal – there is a complete loss of
consciousness and general contraction of the
muscles;
2. Petit Mal – mild or complete loss of consciousness
and contraction of muscles.
3. Jacksonian Type – localized contraction of muscles
with or without loss of consciousness.
6. ALCOHOLISM – this is a from of vice causing mental
disturbance.
Causes of alcoholism:
a. Some people believe that alcohol is an appetizer
before meal.
b. Sometimes alcohol gives them soothing effects.
c. As a way to escape from unpleasant realistic of life.
d. Used as a means of escaping personal problems.
7. DRUG ADDICTION – this is another form of vice which
causes strong mental disturbance. It is the state of
chronic or periodic intoxication produced by the
repeated consumption of natural or synthetic drugs.
THE SOCIOLOGICAL CAUSES OF CRIME
1. LACK OF PARENTAL GUIDANCE. Much of our life influenced
by the type of parents we have. Experiences prove that many
parents lack control over their children through ignorance,
severity, carelessness and indifference. Such children
generally get into trouble and statistics show that “today’s
delinquent is tomorrow’s criminal”.
2. BROKEN HOMES AND FAMILY. A family is a homogenous
unified and intimate social groups wherein children have
their initial experience and emotional satisfaction. It is the
energy through which he become familiar with his culture
which includes respect to the rights of others, respect to
property, neighborliness, good sportsmanship, courtesy and
good manners, truthfulness and reliability. Frequently,
however, homes are very unpleasant places because of
drunkenness, quarrelling and nagging. In such case, there is a
tendency to avoid the home and seek pleasure elsewhere.
Too often, the pleasure sought or the places where it is
sought are criminal or conducive to crime.
CHARACTERISTICS OF NORMAL HOME
a. Physically complete where both natural parents are
presents.
b. There is social and religious harmony in the groups.
c. It must be economically stable to maintain normal
health.
d. Both parents must have the same cultural
backgrounds.
e. There must be physical and psychological
normality there must be functional adequacy.
Basic Needs of Children
1. Security
2. Recognition
3. Status
4. companionship

Kinds of Disorganized or Broken Home

a. Home with criminal pattern
b. Home that there are unsatisfactory relations because of
domination, favoritism, on solicitude, over-severity,
neglect, jealousy, step parent and interfering relatives.
3. INJURING STATUS OF NEIGHBORHOOD. The residence in
slum or impoverish areas will lower the social status of the
child.
4. BAD ASSOCIATION WITH CRIMINAL GROUPS. The old age
saying that “one bad apple will spoil a barrel of good ones”
unfortunately holds true, to a great degree among people.
5. LACK OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES FOR PROPER USE OF
LEISURE TIME. Recreational facilities are especially
necessary in the use of youthful energy in legitimate way. Too
often, in those areas where the most needed such things as
park, clubs and other are missing.
6. LACK OF EMPLOYMENT AND POVERTY. Lack of
employment gives us too much leisure time, lead us to
poverty, loss of self respect which may lead us to crime.
Although, however, poverty in itself is no direct cause of
crime, it is through it that may set up demands and situations
that can be satisfied only by larceny, illegal occupations and
drunkenness.
THEORIES OF SOCIOLOGICAL CRIME
1. DIFFERENTIAL IDENTIFICATION THEORY by Daniel
Glacier.
It was maintained that a person pursues criminal
behavior to the extent that he identifies himself with
real or imaginary persons from whose perspective his
criminal behavior seems acceptable. A person with
the propensities of becoming a thief will consider
thieves as their ideal person to identify themselves.
2. IMITATION-SUGGESTION THEORY by Gabriel Tarde.
delinquency and crime pattern are learned and
adopted. The learning process may either be
conscious type copying or unconscious copying of
confronting pattern of behavior.
3. DIFFERENTIAL SOCILA ORGANIZATION THEORY.
This is sometimes called Social Disorganization.
There is social disorganization when there is
breakdown, changes, conflict of values between the
new and the old, when there is reduced influence of the
social institution over behavior and when there is
declining influence of the solid moral and ethical front.
4. CONFLICT OF CULTURE THEORY by Thorstein Sellin.
It was emphasized in this theory that the multiplicity
of conflicting culture is the principal source of social
disorganization. The high crime and delinquency rates
of certain ethnic or racial group is explained by their
exposure to diverse and incongruent standards and
codes of larger society.
5. CONTAINMENT THEORY by Reckless
accordingly, criminality is brought about by the
inability of the group to contain the behavior of its
member and that of effective containment of the
individual into the value system and structure of
society will minimize crime. Containment is better
attained when the group is homogenous, isolated,
undisturbed by migration and cultural clash. A
group of people coming from a common ancestry,
isolated from outside influence, living in harmony
and in cohesion, having a common religion,
exercise maximum containment over the
behaviorof member.
OTHER CRIMINOGENIC FACTORS OF CRIMES
A. FAILURE OF THE SCHOOL IN CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
OF THE CHILDREN AND THE YOUTH
The duty of the school in the character development of
children is complimentary to home. Second to the home, the
school has close contact with children for a long period of time
so that it has a powerful influence in the life of the child and
has too much to do with the future life and career of the
children.
Primary Functions of the School:
1. To inculcate civic and patriotic responsibility of children.
2. As an agency of social control over the mores and culture of
society.
3. It furnishes technical competence to the children for their
future works.
4. It is a place where initial evidence can be manifested toward
criminal behavior.
Relationship between Social and Delinquency of Crimes
1. Among delinquents there is a high percentage of
juveniles with poor school adjustments.
2. A high percentage of delinquents express dislike for the
school in general.
3. Truancy from school is closely related to delinquency.
4. Delinquency appears to be higher during school days
than on vacation and weekends.
5. There is comparatively high rate of delinquency in the
right after school hours.
B. THE TEACHING OF RELIGION MAY SOMETIMES BE
MISDIRECTED FROM ITS PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES
The relevance of the religion to criminality has always been
considered on how much it helps in combating
delinquency. This is due mainly to the fact that religion has
always supported morality, decency, love of mankind and
above all, love of God. Delinquency and crime, therefore
has not only been seen as wrong in the eyes of the law but
likewise in the eyes of God. However, there is a little
knowledge for each one of us that religion may sometimes
serve as the vehicle of crime under this circumstances.
1. when a certain religious group actively participate in
partisan political activities.
2. When the religion tries to inculcate certain distinct
inconsonant with the accepted norm of society.
3. When the religion preaches the use of violence in the
attainment of their objective.
C. THE MASS MEDIA MAY DEVELOP AN ARTIFICIAL
ENVIRONMENT OF CRIMES AND DELINQUENCY AND
INFLUENCE THE PUBLIC TO VIOLATE THE LAW
There is no doubt that with perfection of the modern
technology in mass communication, media, newspaper,
radio, motion picture, comic books and television, have
been the most effective means of disseminating
information to our public in the country today.
Simultaneously, they create public opinion character
and particular type of the society that they may
ultimately create on the base of artificial environment
that media develop in the mind of people. Media of
course, has always been conceived for the public good
but sometimes they may enhance the development of
criminal behavior under the following circumstances:
1. It promotes crime by constantly advertising it.
2. It glorifies criminal leaders and consequently
increases their prestige.
3. It interferes in the administration of justice by trial
by media and by giving advance information to the
public.
4. It produces public panic in regard to crime, which
makes consistent and sober and Judicial and
preventive procedure difficult.
5. It frequently advances information to the criminals
regarding the place of the police and law enforcers.