Cmy1501
1.1 What is criminology about? Pg 5-17
Criminology:
• Study of crime
• Applied discipline within the human sciences.
• Field of study: crime, criminals, victims, punishments, prevention and control of
crime
• Criminologist- Study cause and reaction to crime
• Judicial proc...
CMY1501-notes - Notes for examination preparation.
Introduction to Criminology: Crime, Offenders and Criminal Behaviour (University of
South Africa)
StuDocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university
Downloaded by Nyamutatanga Makombe (lmakombe@gmail.com)
, lOMoARcPSD|6127168
Cmy1501
1.1 What is criminology about? Pg 5-17
Criminology:
• Study of crime
• Applied discipline within the human sciences.
• Field of study: crime, criminals, victims, punishments, prevention and control of
crime
• Criminologist- Study cause and reaction to crime
• Judicial process-why some behaviour is considered criminal and others not
• Study victims of crime-and how they become victims
• Scientific study of making and breaking laws and reacting towards breakdown of
laws.
• Edwin Sutherland-Father of USA criminology, his definition:
o Making laws against crime
o Causes of crime
o Work of police, courts and correctional services
• Siegel: criminology is specific approach to study of criminal behaviour
• Stevens: 4 components of the study:
o Causes, control and prevention of Crime
o Criminal
o Victim
o Administration of justice
Criminologist:
• Schmalleger- graduate who studies crime, criminals and criminal behaviour
• Main task-study, define, describe, interpret, explain and indicate policy directions in
respect of crime, criminal behaviour and victimisation.
• Basic point of departure-
o Identify the complex causes of crime
o Explain in terms of existing theories
o Develop and scientifically test new theories
• Recidivism-relapses into crime
• Criminologist submit reports and give evidence to the court
• Wide range of careers from police to forensic laboratory technicians
• Distinguish between criminology (study of crime) and criminal justice (study of
police, courts….)
• SA universities teaching criminology since 1949
Discipline of its own:
• Science- knowledge and particular discipline that has been systematically
collected
• Falls into “social or human science”
• To qualify as independent discipline:
o Own object of study
o Possible to identify a unique, clear area of study
Downloaded by Nyamutatanga Makombe (lmakombe@gmail.com)
, lOMoARcPSD|6127168
o Own procedures or scientific methodology
o Sturdy theoretical foundation
o Knowledge- applicable to society
o Taught or practised at education institutions
Fluctuating parameters of Crime:
• Crime and justice are human constructions, varying in time and community
• Crime is studied in a # of perspectives
• Justice is not consistent
• Sometimes minority group rules eg: apartheid
• Shifting parameters is an incentive for criminologists to broaden their fields
Various approaches
• Siegel- criminologist’s personal definitions dominate their thinking, research and
attitudes towards the profession
• Variety of approaches
• 2 points of view: juridical (legal) and nonjuridical (society)
• Criminal justice in SA – Roman Dutch and British Law
• Constitutional court-highest decision making body in SA and can invalidate laws
adopted by parliament –in terms of the Bill of Rights- they infringe on the rights
of South Africans
• Criminal law-
o Controls illegal behaviour by citizens within jurisdiction
o Enforced by state only
o Identifies crimes and set down punishments.
• Criminal justice- directed at punishment and deterrence and to protect ppl
against behaviour of others
• Civil law- resolves disputes between private ppl-chief aim being compensation
for private injustice
Juridical definition of crime
• Before an act / omission can be defined as crime-criminal law must regard it as
such and a suitable punishment has to be in place.
• No crime w/o law
• No punishment w/o law
• The act itself:
o Qualify as crime-
▪ under control of human will
▪ voluntary act –not forced
▪ capable of being observed
o exceptions to rule of human act:
▪ attempt to commit crime
▪ conscious planning of the crime
▪ both act and consequences are punishable by law
o juridically speaking, modes of action :
▪ transgressing a prohibition
▪ ignoring a prohibition
▪ committing an act with harmful consequences
• Wrongfullness of the act:
Downloaded by Nyamutatanga Makombe (lmakombe@gmail.com)
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through EFT, credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying this summary from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller LADHU. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy this summary for R55,95. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
