Criminology Crime Criminal Law 09 07 2011 Criminology academic discipline that uses the scientific method to study the nature extent cause and control of criminal behavior Subareas of Criminology Criminal Statistics Crime Measurement o Calculate amounts trends of crimes o Create valid and reliable measures of criminal behavior Sociology of Law Law and Society Socio Legal Studies o Role that social forces play in shaping criminal law o Role of criminal law in shaping society o Understand how crime evolves o What is obscene and what is not Crime Causation o What causes crime o Sociological and Psychological Perspectives come into play Understanding and Describing Criminal Behavior o Research on specific criminal types and patterns o Violent theft public order organized etc White collar crime business related offenses Wall St Penology Punishment Sanctions Corrections o Penology correction and sentencing of known criminal offenders Victimology o Rehabilitation identify effective treatment o Aiding crime victims o Developing theories of victimization risk History of Criminology witches daemons People who committed crimes used to be considered Utilitarianism people want to achieve pleasure to avoid pain Classical criminology people have freedom to act criminally crimes are attractive when benefits outweigh the effort Positivist criminology using logic science statistics to explain criminal behavior Biosocial theory focuses on interaction between biological and social factors Sociological criminology focuses on relationship between social factors and crime Anomie lack of norms or clear social standards Chicago school group of sociologists studied relationship between environment and crime Deviance behavior that departs from social norm but is not necessarily criminal Criminal criminologists oppression of poor women minorities etc and linking class to conflict sexism racism to crime rates How those who hold power shape the law to themselves Decriminalized criminal penalties reduced rather than eliminated Consensus view majority of citizens in society share common values on what behaviors should be like Criminal law written code that defines crimes and their punishments Conflict view criminal behavior is defined by those in power Interactionist view belief that those with power are able to impose their own values on society Code of Hammurabi first written criminal code in Babylonia about 2000 BC Mosaic Code laws of ancient Israel found in Old Testament Precedent rule derived from previous judicial decisions and applied to future Common law early English law eventually formed basis of early US law Felony serious offense that carries penalty of imprisonment Misdemeanor minor crime usually punished by short jail term fine Appellate Court court that reviews trial court procedures to determine whether they have applied with accepted rules doctrines 09 07 2011 09 07 2011
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