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What is the nature of criminology?
University Of Portsmouth
Criminology And Forensics Studies: Essential Skills for Criminologists
Word count = 1082 words
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To answer the question of “What is the nature of criminology”, this essay will cover, the
history and development of criminological thought, criminology as an empirical study of
crime and how it has been adapted over decades to play a role within modern-day society.
What is criminology?
Put simply, criminology is defined as the scientific study of crime and criminals
(oxford languages, n.d.). However, our understanding of criminology is open to complexity
and is not limited to this definition. Modern criminology circumscribes the study of crime
and criminals, for example, the factors which motivate individuals to commit crime, the
cause of a crime and methods and techniques of prevention (thoughtco., n.d.). The nature
of criminology also focuses on how society can control crime in accordance with Gruhut’s
definition. Criminology was defined by Grunhut (1959) as a scientific study of the forms,
amount of, and causes of crime, as well as finding ways of measuring and controlling it. It is
an empirical study; therefore, the results and findings are based on observations and
experience, rather than theoretical thought. The aims of this study are to find results that
lead to improving the methods used to prevent crime and lead offenders into a more law-
abiding lifestyle within their community.
Classical Thinking
The study of criminology began in the late 1700’s when there were concerns over
the unfairness of the prison system.
In the early 1760’s, a criminologist and economist names Beccaria published a
famous essay on “Crimes and Punishment”, in this essay, Beccaria outlined his critical ideas
of the legal system; influenced by Hobbes, Beccaria had the view that humans are
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‘hedonistic’ – implying they are driven by a search for pleasure and an interrelating desire to
avoid pain and discomfort. His ideology was based on the concepts of free will and the
pleasure-pain principle. Beccaria believed that to be effective, it was crucial that
punishment because of committing a crime must be inevitable, consistent and in proportion
to the crime committed – no more than what is necessary to deter an individual from
committing crime. As a result of Beccaria’s essay publishing, alternative methods of
punishment aimed at preventing/deterring crime became highly regarded and talked about,
ultimately having an impressionable impact on the criminal system and the history of
criminology.
Because of the ideas of rationality from Beccaria alongside the acceptance of the
French despots, there was a rise in classical criminological thought. As a result, parameters
were set for social contracts in society, creating a greater certainty and understanding
around what not acceptable behaviour is. This ideology was radical for its time, and it has
been argued that this concept played a part in the French and American revolutions.
Classical thinking ultimately says that criminals make a rational choice to do criminal acts for
maximum pleasure and minimum pain, this concept created the idea of creating deterrents
which outweigh what would be gained from the crime. (lawteacher.net, n.d.).
The Development of Classical Thought
In 1789 Jeremy Bentham applied his concept of utilitarianism to criminal justice.
Utilitarianism considers the interests of all humans equally and for the interest of the
majority, this suggested that an individual would balance their pleasure vs pain when
choosing whether to commit a crime, and one would only commit a crime if they believed
What is the nature of criminology?
University Of Portsmouth
Criminology And Forensics Studies: Essential Skills for Criminologists
Word count = 1082 words
,2
To answer the question of “What is the nature of criminology”, this essay will cover, the
history and development of criminological thought, criminology as an empirical study of
crime and how it has been adapted over decades to play a role within modern-day society.
What is criminology?
Put simply, criminology is defined as the scientific study of crime and criminals
(oxford languages, n.d.). However, our understanding of criminology is open to complexity
and is not limited to this definition. Modern criminology circumscribes the study of crime
and criminals, for example, the factors which motivate individuals to commit crime, the
cause of a crime and methods and techniques of prevention (thoughtco., n.d.). The nature
of criminology also focuses on how society can control crime in accordance with Gruhut’s
definition. Criminology was defined by Grunhut (1959) as a scientific study of the forms,
amount of, and causes of crime, as well as finding ways of measuring and controlling it. It is
an empirical study; therefore, the results and findings are based on observations and
experience, rather than theoretical thought. The aims of this study are to find results that
lead to improving the methods used to prevent crime and lead offenders into a more law-
abiding lifestyle within their community.
Classical Thinking
The study of criminology began in the late 1700’s when there were concerns over
the unfairness of the prison system.
In the early 1760’s, a criminologist and economist names Beccaria published a
famous essay on “Crimes and Punishment”, in this essay, Beccaria outlined his critical ideas
of the legal system; influenced by Hobbes, Beccaria had the view that humans are
, 3
‘hedonistic’ – implying they are driven by a search for pleasure and an interrelating desire to
avoid pain and discomfort. His ideology was based on the concepts of free will and the
pleasure-pain principle. Beccaria believed that to be effective, it was crucial that
punishment because of committing a crime must be inevitable, consistent and in proportion
to the crime committed – no more than what is necessary to deter an individual from
committing crime. As a result of Beccaria’s essay publishing, alternative methods of
punishment aimed at preventing/deterring crime became highly regarded and talked about,
ultimately having an impressionable impact on the criminal system and the history of
criminology.
Because of the ideas of rationality from Beccaria alongside the acceptance of the
French despots, there was a rise in classical criminological thought. As a result, parameters
were set for social contracts in society, creating a greater certainty and understanding
around what not acceptable behaviour is. This ideology was radical for its time, and it has
been argued that this concept played a part in the French and American revolutions.
Classical thinking ultimately says that criminals make a rational choice to do criminal acts for
maximum pleasure and minimum pain, this concept created the idea of creating deterrents
which outweigh what would be gained from the crime. (lawteacher.net, n.d.).
The Development of Classical Thought
In 1789 Jeremy Bentham applied his concept of utilitarianism to criminal justice.
Utilitarianism considers the interests of all humans equally and for the interest of the
majority, this suggested that an individual would balance their pleasure vs pain when
choosing whether to commit a crime, and one would only commit a crime if they believed
