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Chapter 1
Theoretical Criminology: An Introductory Overview
Chapter Overview:
This chapter begins by defining criminology as focused on the process of
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making and breaking laws. It distinguishes criminal justice from criminology
in that the former is more “solutions-oriented” while the latter is more
concerned with the discovery of causes and reasons for committing crime
and theory creation. The authors are quick to point out, however, that
criminal justice practitioners and criminological theorists rely upon one
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another to effect change in human behavior. The next section of the chapter
outlines the "evolution" of criminology from the ancient Babylonian Code of
Hammurabi to the current hegemonic status of the sociological perspective
TS
of crime. Therein, the authors note that criminologists often disagree about
the reasons for crime and its relationship to various social problems. Some
scholars argue in favor of individual-level explanations of human behavior
(i.e., micro-level theories) while others espouse macro-level explanations of
crime. These macro-level theories typically focus on social ills such as
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poverty, unemployment, and overall disadvantage. The objective of this
introductory chapter is to "prime" the reader toward the notion that a
variety of theoretical perspectives exist and that all have some bearing on
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crime. Some theoretical accounts have competing interests while others are
more complimentary. The authors offer guidance to readers to understand
how one can assess the quality of an individual theory and describe how
quality theories can help create an evidence-base to shape criminal justice
practice and policies in an informed, productive way.
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Learning Objectives:
After reading this chapter, the student should be able to:
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(1) Understand the origins of criminological theory
(2) Discuss the process of theory construction
(3) Describe how to assess the relative merit of a particular theory on the
grounds of its explanatory value
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(4) Explain the possible applicability of criminological theory for criminal
justice practices and policies in a general way
Key Terms:
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Chicago School
Classical School of Criminology
Correlation
Crime Rate
Criminality
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Criminology
Determinism
Positivism
Social Contract
Theory
S
Lecture Outline:
TS
I. Introduction
A. Criminology is focused on the processes of making and breaking laws
B. Criminologists seek to understand the "why" of crime (i.e., why did person
A become a criminal but person B did not?) and the causes of crime
C. We know certain “facts” regarding the causes and nature of crime
D. Criminologists observe the realities of crime and try to piece together
O
explanations
a) some look to individual-level explanations
b) others look to macro-level explanations
II. The Origins and Evolution of Criminology
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A. Attention to crime can be traced back to ancient Babylonia and the Code
of Hammurabi as well as in the Judeo-Christian perspective depicted in
the Bible
B. The family-revenge model of justice became dominant during the feudal
era
a) Trial by battle
i. The victim or victim’s family member would fight the
TI
offender or offender’s family member
b) Trial by ordeal
i. The accused was subject to a test that would determine
his/her innocence (run the gauntlet or dunked in water
O
while bound with a robe)
C. Spirituality continued to affect interpretations of crime causation
a) Salem Witch Trials-result from belief that crime could be
attributed to witchcraft and demonic possession
N
b) Emergence of penitentiaries or correctional institutions in
Philadelphia by Quakers who believed that isolation, labor, and
Bible reading would rehabilitate the offender (e.g., spiritual
enlightenment can be a crime solution, just today’s faith-based
approaches)
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c) Contemporary criminologists trace the roots of criminological
explanations of behavior to the Enlightenment period of the late
18th century with Voltaire, Rousseau, and Locke who were early
philosophers who emphasized reason over blind faith and
superstition
D. Introduction of the social contract (Thomas Hobbes) and moving away
from spiritualism and superstition
TE
a) Cesare Beccaria’s and Jeremy Bentham’s writings characterized
what is commonly known as the classical school of criminology
i. Grounded in the principles of deterrence (certainty, severity
and celerity)
ii. Crime is not believed to be a function of religion,
superstition, or myth but result of free will or rational
S
choice
1. The notion of rational choice is likened to a
determination of gains versus risk, or criminal
TS
calculus
iii. The principles of the classical school have been revised by
legal reformers and is now referred to as neoclassicism
which continues to influence criminal justice policies and
the study of criminal behavior
E. Positivism began to emerge in Europe in the nineteenth century
a) Emphasizes the application of the scientific method
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b) Stresses the identification of patterns and consistencies in
observable facts
c) Assumes causes of behavior can be determined that can enable
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predictions about behavioral outcomes that would be likely to
occur given certain conditions (i.e., this is the notion of
determinism)
i. Human behavior is caused by biological, psychological,
and environmental factors specific to the individual
1. Cesare Lombroso in his influential work entitled
The Criminal Man argued that some people are born
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criminals
d) Positivism began replacing classical thought in the 1920s largely
due to the influence of the Chicago School
i. A series of key studies by the University of Chicago’s
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Sociology Department changed the focus of criminological
theory by demonstrating that crime is a product of social
ecology, particularly the disorganization that characterizes
urban life
N
1. The social ecology model became a dominant
paradigm or model of scientific inquiry oriented
toward environmental causes of crime
III. The Nature of Theory
A. A one-word definition of theory is “explanation”
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TI
LU
O
STS
TE
, jhgfdsa
Chapter 1
Theoretical Criminology: An Introductory Overview
Chapter Overview:
This chapter begins by defining criminology as focused on the process of
TE
making and breaking laws. It distinguishes criminal justice from criminology
in that the former is more “solutions-oriented” while the latter is more
concerned with the discovery of causes and reasons for committing crime
and theory creation. The authors are quick to point out, however, that
criminal justice practitioners and criminological theorists rely upon one
S
another to effect change in human behavior. The next section of the chapter
outlines the "evolution" of criminology from the ancient Babylonian Code of
Hammurabi to the current hegemonic status of the sociological perspective
TS
of crime. Therein, the authors note that criminologists often disagree about
the reasons for crime and its relationship to various social problems. Some
scholars argue in favor of individual-level explanations of human behavior
(i.e., micro-level theories) while others espouse macro-level explanations of
crime. These macro-level theories typically focus on social ills such as
O
poverty, unemployment, and overall disadvantage. The objective of this
introductory chapter is to "prime" the reader toward the notion that a
variety of theoretical perspectives exist and that all have some bearing on
LU
crime. Some theoretical accounts have competing interests while others are
more complimentary. The authors offer guidance to readers to understand
how one can assess the quality of an individual theory and describe how
quality theories can help create an evidence-base to shape criminal justice
practice and policies in an informed, productive way.
TI
Learning Objectives:
After reading this chapter, the student should be able to:
O
(1) Understand the origins of criminological theory
(2) Discuss the process of theory construction
(3) Describe how to assess the relative merit of a particular theory on the
grounds of its explanatory value
N
(4) Explain the possible applicability of criminological theory for criminal
justice practices and policies in a general way
Key Terms:
lkjhgfdsa
, jhgfdsa
Chicago School
Classical School of Criminology
Correlation
Crime Rate
Criminality
TE
Criminology
Determinism
Positivism
Social Contract
Theory
S
Lecture Outline:
TS
I. Introduction
A. Criminology is focused on the processes of making and breaking laws
B. Criminologists seek to understand the "why" of crime (i.e., why did person
A become a criminal but person B did not?) and the causes of crime
C. We know certain “facts” regarding the causes and nature of crime
D. Criminologists observe the realities of crime and try to piece together
O
explanations
a) some look to individual-level explanations
b) others look to macro-level explanations
II. The Origins and Evolution of Criminology
LU
A. Attention to crime can be traced back to ancient Babylonia and the Code
of Hammurabi as well as in the Judeo-Christian perspective depicted in
the Bible
B. The family-revenge model of justice became dominant during the feudal
era
a) Trial by battle
i. The victim or victim’s family member would fight the
TI
offender or offender’s family member
b) Trial by ordeal
i. The accused was subject to a test that would determine
his/her innocence (run the gauntlet or dunked in water
O
while bound with a robe)
C. Spirituality continued to affect interpretations of crime causation
a) Salem Witch Trials-result from belief that crime could be
attributed to witchcraft and demonic possession
N
b) Emergence of penitentiaries or correctional institutions in
Philadelphia by Quakers who believed that isolation, labor, and
Bible reading would rehabilitate the offender (e.g., spiritual
enlightenment can be a crime solution, just today’s faith-based
approaches)
lkjhgfdsa
, jhgfdsa
c) Contemporary criminologists trace the roots of criminological
explanations of behavior to the Enlightenment period of the late
18th century with Voltaire, Rousseau, and Locke who were early
philosophers who emphasized reason over blind faith and
superstition
D. Introduction of the social contract (Thomas Hobbes) and moving away
from spiritualism and superstition
TE
a) Cesare Beccaria’s and Jeremy Bentham’s writings characterized
what is commonly known as the classical school of criminology
i. Grounded in the principles of deterrence (certainty, severity
and celerity)
ii. Crime is not believed to be a function of religion,
superstition, or myth but result of free will or rational
S
choice
1. The notion of rational choice is likened to a
determination of gains versus risk, or criminal
TS
calculus
iii. The principles of the classical school have been revised by
legal reformers and is now referred to as neoclassicism
which continues to influence criminal justice policies and
the study of criminal behavior
E. Positivism began to emerge in Europe in the nineteenth century
a) Emphasizes the application of the scientific method
O
b) Stresses the identification of patterns and consistencies in
observable facts
c) Assumes causes of behavior can be determined that can enable
LU
predictions about behavioral outcomes that would be likely to
occur given certain conditions (i.e., this is the notion of
determinism)
i. Human behavior is caused by biological, psychological,
and environmental factors specific to the individual
1. Cesare Lombroso in his influential work entitled
The Criminal Man argued that some people are born
TI
criminals
d) Positivism began replacing classical thought in the 1920s largely
due to the influence of the Chicago School
i. A series of key studies by the University of Chicago’s
O
Sociology Department changed the focus of criminological
theory by demonstrating that crime is a product of social
ecology, particularly the disorganization that characterizes
urban life
N
1. The social ecology model became a dominant
paradigm or model of scientific inquiry oriented
toward environmental causes of crime
III. The Nature of Theory
A. A one-word definition of theory is “explanation”
lkjhgfdsa
