1
CHAPTER ONE
CRIME AND CRIMINOLOGY
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, students should be able to:
1. Explain the various elements of criminology.
2. Differentiate between crime and deviance.
3. Analyze the three different views of the definition of crime.
4. Articulate the different purposes of the criminal law.
5. Outline the criminal justice process.
6. Summarize the ethical issues in criminology.
Lesson Plan
Correlated to PowerPoints
2 I. What Criminologists Do: The Elements of Criminology
Learning Objective 1: Explain the various elements of criminology.
A. Several subareas exist within criminology.
B. Crime statistics/crime measurement.
3
1. Criminologists focus on creating valid and reliable measures of
criminal behavior.
C. Sociology of law/law and society/sociolegal studies.
4
1. Concerned with the role that social forces play in shaping criminal law and
the role of criminal law in shaping society.
5
Class Discussion/Activity
Should sex offenders be registered? Would you advocate abandoning sex
offender registration laws because they are ineffective? Or might there be other
reasons to keep them active?
6 D. Developing theories of crime causation.
1. Psychological, biological, and sociological perspectives
7
E. Explaining criminal behavior.
1. Marvin Wolfgang: Victim precipitated homicide.
2. Edwin Sutherland: White-collar crime.
3. New crimes and crime patterns are constantly emerging.
Class Discussion/Activity
8 © 2019 Cengage. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or
in part.
, Criminologists devote themselves to understanding the causes of criminal
behavior. Robert Dear faced first-degree murder charges for the shooting deaths
of three people at a Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Nine
people were also wounded in the incident. Politicians, criminal justice
professionals, and others argued that the shooting resulted from different causes,
ranging from mental illness to domestic terrorism. How can understanding the
cause of crimes help prevent them?
9 F. Penology: Punishment, sanctions, and corrections.
1. Efforts to control crime through the correction of offenders.
10-11 G. Victimology.
1. Victim’s behavior is often a key determinant of crime.
Class Discussion/Activity
The study of penology involves efforts to control crime through the correction of
criminal offenders. Based on your text, write down the pros and cons of different
forms of corrections. Which form do you support the most and why?
See Assignment 1
II. A Brief History of Criminology
12
A. Classical criminology.
1. Cesare Beccaria: People commit crime when the potential pleasure
outweighs the threat of future punishment.
2. People have free will and chose to commit crime.
3. Crime is attractive when it promises great benefits with little effort.
4. Crime may be controlled by the fear of punishment.
5. Punishment that is swift, certain, and severe will deter criminals.
13
B. Positivist criminology.
1. Use of the scientific method to conduct research.
2. Predict and explain social phenomena in a logical manner.
3. Empirical verification.
4. Science must be value-free.
Class Discussion/Activity
Read the box on page 9 and explain what Dr. Michael Nicholas testified to
regarding Kevin Wayne Dunlap’s brain. What do you think: Should Dunlap’s
crime be excused based on the testimony of Dr. Nicholas? Why is this an
example of positivist criminology?
14 C. Sociological criminology.
1. Emile Durkheim: Crime is normal and inevitable.
2. The Chicago School: Influence of neighborhood conditions on crime rates.
© 2019 Cengage. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or
in part.
, 3. Socialization views: Linked criminal behavior to the quality of an
individual’s socialization.
15 D. Conflict criminology.
1. Karl Marx: Described oppressive labor conditions prevalent during the
rise of industrial capitalism.
2. The exploitation of the working class will eventually lead to class conflict
and the end of the capitalist system.
E. Developmental criminology.
16
1. Sheldon and Eleanor Glueck: integrated sociological, psychological, and
economic elements.
F. Contemporary criminology.
17 1. Rational choice theory.
2. Trait theory.
3. Social structure theory.
4. Social process theories.
18 5. Critical criminologists.
6. Developmental theorists.
Class Discussion/Activity
Ask students to list the illegal behaviors they have seen in the last week
(e.g., jaywalking, underage drinking). How many laws do they and their friends
not obey?
Media Tool
“Cesare Lombroso” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmdAYqqc8gc
o An in-depth look at how the story of late-19th/early 20th century Italian
criminologist Cesare Lombroso and his efforts to study the relationship
between left-handedness and criminal behavior.
o Discussion: Discuss Lombroso’s beliefs about determining criminal
behavior based on certain physical characteristics. Are there any parallels
between Lombroso’s ideas and current ideas of criminal behavior?
19 III. Deviant or Criminal? How Criminologists Define Crime
Learning Objective 2: Differentiate between crime and deviance.
Learning Objective 3: Analyze the three different views of the definition of crime.
A. Deviance.
1. Any behavior that departs from the social norms of society.
20 B. Becoming deviant.
1. Criminologists study criminalization, decriminalization, and legalization.
21 C. The concept of crime.
1. Consensus view of crime.
a. Crimes are behaviors that all elements of society consider
repugnant.
© 2019 Cengage. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or
in part.
, 2. Conflict view of crime.
a. Society is a collection of diverse groups who are in conflict.
b. Laws protect the powerful in society.
3. Interactionist view of crime.
a. Belief that those with social power impose their values on society, and
those values define criminal behavior.
22 C. A definition of crime.
A. Crime is a violation of societal rules of behaviors as interpreted and
expressed by the criminal law.
Class Discussion/Activity
23 Ask students to think about three behaviors that are deviant but not criminal, and
three behaviors that are criminal but not deviant. Emphasize how many of their
non-deviant behaviors could be seen as deviant by someone else.
What If Scenario
What if your state decided to implement a law that makes it a crime to post links
to Internet porn on social media without paying a usage fee to the creators of the
videos? It is not clear that copyright forbids such posting. It seems that this law
exists to protect the finances of producers. Should such posting be criminal? Is it
deviant but not criminal? Or could posting be neither criminal nor deviant?
See Assignment 2
24
IV. Criminology and the Criminal Law
Learning Objective 4: Articulate the different purposes of the criminal law.
A. Code of Hammurabi: The first written criminal code.
B. Mosaic Code: The laws of the ancient Israelites.
C. Common law.
1. Precedent.
2. Mala in se.
3. Mala prohibitum or statutory crimes.
D. Contemporary criminal law.
1. Felony versus misdemeanor.
2. Enforces social control.
3. Discourages revenge.
4. Express public opinion.
5. Teaches moral values.
6. Deters criminal behavior.
7. Applies “just desert.”
8. Creates equity.
9. Maintains the social order.
E. The evolution of criminal law.
© 2019 Cengage. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or
in part.
CHAPTER ONE
CRIME AND CRIMINOLOGY
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, students should be able to:
1. Explain the various elements of criminology.
2. Differentiate between crime and deviance.
3. Analyze the three different views of the definition of crime.
4. Articulate the different purposes of the criminal law.
5. Outline the criminal justice process.
6. Summarize the ethical issues in criminology.
Lesson Plan
Correlated to PowerPoints
2 I. What Criminologists Do: The Elements of Criminology
Learning Objective 1: Explain the various elements of criminology.
A. Several subareas exist within criminology.
B. Crime statistics/crime measurement.
3
1. Criminologists focus on creating valid and reliable measures of
criminal behavior.
C. Sociology of law/law and society/sociolegal studies.
4
1. Concerned with the role that social forces play in shaping criminal law and
the role of criminal law in shaping society.
5
Class Discussion/Activity
Should sex offenders be registered? Would you advocate abandoning sex
offender registration laws because they are ineffective? Or might there be other
reasons to keep them active?
6 D. Developing theories of crime causation.
1. Psychological, biological, and sociological perspectives
7
E. Explaining criminal behavior.
1. Marvin Wolfgang: Victim precipitated homicide.
2. Edwin Sutherland: White-collar crime.
3. New crimes and crime patterns are constantly emerging.
Class Discussion/Activity
8 © 2019 Cengage. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or
in part.
, Criminologists devote themselves to understanding the causes of criminal
behavior. Robert Dear faced first-degree murder charges for the shooting deaths
of three people at a Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Nine
people were also wounded in the incident. Politicians, criminal justice
professionals, and others argued that the shooting resulted from different causes,
ranging from mental illness to domestic terrorism. How can understanding the
cause of crimes help prevent them?
9 F. Penology: Punishment, sanctions, and corrections.
1. Efforts to control crime through the correction of offenders.
10-11 G. Victimology.
1. Victim’s behavior is often a key determinant of crime.
Class Discussion/Activity
The study of penology involves efforts to control crime through the correction of
criminal offenders. Based on your text, write down the pros and cons of different
forms of corrections. Which form do you support the most and why?
See Assignment 1
II. A Brief History of Criminology
12
A. Classical criminology.
1. Cesare Beccaria: People commit crime when the potential pleasure
outweighs the threat of future punishment.
2. People have free will and chose to commit crime.
3. Crime is attractive when it promises great benefits with little effort.
4. Crime may be controlled by the fear of punishment.
5. Punishment that is swift, certain, and severe will deter criminals.
13
B. Positivist criminology.
1. Use of the scientific method to conduct research.
2. Predict and explain social phenomena in a logical manner.
3. Empirical verification.
4. Science must be value-free.
Class Discussion/Activity
Read the box on page 9 and explain what Dr. Michael Nicholas testified to
regarding Kevin Wayne Dunlap’s brain. What do you think: Should Dunlap’s
crime be excused based on the testimony of Dr. Nicholas? Why is this an
example of positivist criminology?
14 C. Sociological criminology.
1. Emile Durkheim: Crime is normal and inevitable.
2. The Chicago School: Influence of neighborhood conditions on crime rates.
© 2019 Cengage. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or
in part.
, 3. Socialization views: Linked criminal behavior to the quality of an
individual’s socialization.
15 D. Conflict criminology.
1. Karl Marx: Described oppressive labor conditions prevalent during the
rise of industrial capitalism.
2. The exploitation of the working class will eventually lead to class conflict
and the end of the capitalist system.
E. Developmental criminology.
16
1. Sheldon and Eleanor Glueck: integrated sociological, psychological, and
economic elements.
F. Contemporary criminology.
17 1. Rational choice theory.
2. Trait theory.
3. Social structure theory.
4. Social process theories.
18 5. Critical criminologists.
6. Developmental theorists.
Class Discussion/Activity
Ask students to list the illegal behaviors they have seen in the last week
(e.g., jaywalking, underage drinking). How many laws do they and their friends
not obey?
Media Tool
“Cesare Lombroso” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmdAYqqc8gc
o An in-depth look at how the story of late-19th/early 20th century Italian
criminologist Cesare Lombroso and his efforts to study the relationship
between left-handedness and criminal behavior.
o Discussion: Discuss Lombroso’s beliefs about determining criminal
behavior based on certain physical characteristics. Are there any parallels
between Lombroso’s ideas and current ideas of criminal behavior?
19 III. Deviant or Criminal? How Criminologists Define Crime
Learning Objective 2: Differentiate between crime and deviance.
Learning Objective 3: Analyze the three different views of the definition of crime.
A. Deviance.
1. Any behavior that departs from the social norms of society.
20 B. Becoming deviant.
1. Criminologists study criminalization, decriminalization, and legalization.
21 C. The concept of crime.
1. Consensus view of crime.
a. Crimes are behaviors that all elements of society consider
repugnant.
© 2019 Cengage. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or
in part.
, 2. Conflict view of crime.
a. Society is a collection of diverse groups who are in conflict.
b. Laws protect the powerful in society.
3. Interactionist view of crime.
a. Belief that those with social power impose their values on society, and
those values define criminal behavior.
22 C. A definition of crime.
A. Crime is a violation of societal rules of behaviors as interpreted and
expressed by the criminal law.
Class Discussion/Activity
23 Ask students to think about three behaviors that are deviant but not criminal, and
three behaviors that are criminal but not deviant. Emphasize how many of their
non-deviant behaviors could be seen as deviant by someone else.
What If Scenario
What if your state decided to implement a law that makes it a crime to post links
to Internet porn on social media without paying a usage fee to the creators of the
videos? It is not clear that copyright forbids such posting. It seems that this law
exists to protect the finances of producers. Should such posting be criminal? Is it
deviant but not criminal? Or could posting be neither criminal nor deviant?
See Assignment 2
24
IV. Criminology and the Criminal Law
Learning Objective 4: Articulate the different purposes of the criminal law.
A. Code of Hammurabi: The first written criminal code.
B. Mosaic Code: The laws of the ancient Israelites.
C. Common law.
1. Precedent.
2. Mala in se.
3. Mala prohibitum or statutory crimes.
D. Contemporary criminal law.
1. Felony versus misdemeanor.
2. Enforces social control.
3. Discourages revenge.
4. Express public opinion.
5. Teaches moral values.
6. Deters criminal behavior.
7. Applies “just desert.”
8. Creates equity.
9. Maintains the social order.
E. The evolution of criminal law.
© 2019 Cengage. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or
in part.
