The Aim of Criminology

Paper Summary:

The paper explains that criminology is the study of criminal behavior through a scientific means to seek a method for best diverting the mass society from committing criminal acts. The paper looks at various views of criminology, including those of Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham, Cesare Lombroso's notion of determinism, the Chicago School's view, the routine activities theory, the social disorganization theory and finally, Durkheim's ideas. The paper suggests that today, criminology should turn its focus toward the minority poor communities in seeking the root cause of the sentencing disparity prevalent in minority areas.

Outline:
Introduction
Classical Criminology
Determinism
The Chicago School's View of Criminology
Routine Activities Theory
Social Disorganization Theory
Durkheim's Anomie
Summary and Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The beginnings of criminology in the United States began with the founding fathers and the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution and is a theory relating to criminal behavior of individuals. The theoretical framework of criminology within this view is one that is straightforward and simple and states that the individual, upon having been informed of a specific penalty for the commission of a crime will inherently weigh the options. Measurement of the options is based upon the potential present and future pleasure weighed against the potential present and future pain for having committed the crime, been caught and punished. There have been various theories posited to attempt to pin down precisely the precise theoretical framework that identifies the method to fulfill the 'aim' of criminology, which is to 'speak truth to power'."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Demelo, Diane (2008) Criminological Theory. Online available at: http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/200/Diane_Demelo/diane.pdf
• Perkins, Douglas D.; Hughey, Joseph and Speer, Paul W. (2002) Community Psychology Perspectives on Social Capital Theory and Community Practice. Journal of the Community Development Society. Vol. 33 No. 1. Online available at: http://www.people.vanderbilt.edu/~douglas.d.perkins/JCDS.02.pdf
• Cowling Mark (2006) Postmodern Policies? The Erratic Interventions of Constitutive Criminology. Internet Journal of Criminology. 2006. Online available at: http://www.internetjournalofcriminology.com/Cowling%20-%20Postmodern%20Policies.pdf

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