RCRJ 203 Criminology Cynthia Najdowski 1 30 14 Criminology The discipline that studies How criminal behavior is defined The forms criminal behavior takes The causes of criminal behavior How society reacts to criminal behavior Defining Criminal Behavior Crime an act that Violates a criminal law Committed intentionally Legally indefensible or unjustified For which a punishment is prescribed Socially constructed phenomenon Behavior that has been perceived and characterized as deviant Crime Law Also socially constructed Criminalizes certain behaviors by outlawing policing and punishing them Inherently bad Murder assault rape theft Mal in se Mala Prohibita Bad because it is prohibited Prostitution gambling drug dealing Why is research important Knowledge policy and practice should be based on the best evidence Evidence comes from research What is the research question Why males are more likely to engage in more criminal activity than woman Variable sin the issue Concept to be measured can vary or take different values Independent variable Stands alone and isn t changed by other variables trying to be measured Presumed to be the cause ex gender Depended Variable Something that depends on other factors Presumed to be the effect ex criminal behavior Theory to be tested Theories attempt to Develop a reasonable explanation of reality Understand how all known correlates of a phenomenon work together to produce an effect Leads to hypothesis How to test hypothesis Research methods the strategies used to collect and analyze data or facts Essential elements of measurement Validity accuracy Reliability consistency and stability