CMY1501 SUMMARY
NOTES
,Table of Contents
THEME 1 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 3
WHAT IS CRIMINOLOGY?................................................................................................................................................. 3
SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN CRIMINOLOGY .................................................................................................................... 5
THEME 2 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 6
CRIME IN SOUTH AFRICA ................................................................................................................................................ 6
THE CLASSIFICATION AND MEASUREMENT OF CRIME ................................................................................................. 6
OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL SOURCES OF CRIME .......................................................................................................... 7
THEME 3 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 8
INDIVIDUALS IN THE CRIME SITUATION ........................................................................................................................ 8
Four types of violent offenders ....................................................................................................................................... 9
Cultural and ethnic diversity ............................................................................................................................................ 9
THE CRIMINAL: NEEDS AND MOTIVES FOR CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR ...........................................................................10
RISK FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR ........................................................................................ 13
Individual risk factors associated with criminal causation: ........................................................................................... 13
Familial risk factors associated with criminal causation ...............................................................................................14
Community associated criminal risk factors .................................................................................................................. 15
Risk factors contributing to a delinquent career .......................................................................................................... 15
Risk factors based on SA research findings ................................................................................................................... 15
Factors contributing to desisting from criminal activity ...............................................................................................16
THEME 4 .............................................................................................................................................................................16
EXPLANATION OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR ....................................................................................................................16
4.1. INDIVIDUAL-ORIENTED PERSPECTIVES ON THE CAUSES OF CRIME .....................................................................16
THE BIOLOGICAL DIMENSION ........................................................................................................................................ 17
1. The genetic factors ...................................................................................................................................................... 17
2. Neurological factors .................................................................................................................................................... 17
3. Chemical factors ..........................................................................................................................................................18
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DIMENSION ................................................................................................................................18
1. Cognitive component ..............................................................................................................................................18
2. Emotional component ........................................................................................................................................... 20
3. Volitional component.............................................................................................................................................. 21
THE SOCIAL DIMENSION ............................................................................................................................................... 22
1. Family environment ................................................................................................................................................ 22
2. School environment ............................................................................................................................................... 24
3. Peer group influences ............................................................................................................................................ 24
GENERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO CRIME IN SA ................................................................................................. 25
,SPECIFIC FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO CRIME IN SOUTH AFRICA ............................................................................. 27
APPLICATION OF THEORY ............................................................................................................................................. 29
WHAT IS THEORY?.......................................................................................................................................................... 29
WHAT IS “GOOD” THEORY? .......................................................................................................................................... 30
HOW TO STUDY THEORY ............................................................................................................................................... 30
THE USEFULNESS OF THEORY ....................................................................................................................................... 31
CLASSIFICATION OF THEORIES ..................................................................................................................................... 32
EXPLANATION OF CRIME .............................................................................................................................................. 32
THE CRIMINAL ACT ........................................................................................................................................................ 33
THE POTENTIAL OFFENDER .......................................................................................................................................... 33
CAUSES OF POOR SELF-CONTROL ................................................................................................................................ 34
EMPIRICAL SUPPORT .................................................................................................................................................... 34
, THEME 1
WHAT IS CRIMINOLOGY?
WHAT IS CRIMINOLOGY ABOUT?
Criminology is an applied discipline within the human sciences and its field of study includes the
scientific study of crime, offenders and victims, the punishment of offenders (criminal justice
system) and the prevention (reduction) and control of crime.
The law consists of all forms of law (criminal law, common law, etc.). A law is a written stature
enacted by those legislative bodies that have the authority to make laws.
Criminal law is made up of all the legal rules that identify crimes and set down punishments.
Common law consists of legal rules that were not originally written down, but which have come to
be accepted as the law of the land.
The role of the criminologist includes the following:
Identifying the causes of crime and explaining why these causes are causing
crime.
Advancing the theories pertaining to the explanation of crime.
Developing the crime prevention programs.
Studying the role of socialization in the occurrence of crime.
Criminology is a discipline in its own right because it adheres to the criteria for a discipline. It is
important for criminology to be a discipline in its own right because if it is not, the results of its
research would not be viewed as scientific and would not receive recognition as being reliable and
valid.
Criminologists study crimes from 2 points of view: juridical (legal) and non-juridical (social).
Constitutional court: highest decision-making body; can invalidate laws made by Parliament if, in
terms of Bill of Rights, they infringe on rights.
Ordinary citizens can’t lay criminal case unless state decides not to prosecute.
Criminal cases: always state vs. (name of the accused)
Common law: consequence of British law; verdict sets precedent
Civil law: resolves disputes between private individuals: compensation
Qualify as a crime: human act under control of human will; perpetrator not forced or factor beyond
control; act must be capable of being observed.
Exceptions to observability: attempt shows deliberate intent; where there is complicity implying
conscious, deliberate advancement of a crime where an accomplice identifies with the crime and
actively assists the criminal; where the act’s consequences are punishable by law.
Three modes of action (juridical): transgressing a prohibition; ignoring a prohibition; committing an
act that has harmful consequences.
NOTES
,Table of Contents
THEME 1 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 3
WHAT IS CRIMINOLOGY?................................................................................................................................................. 3
SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN CRIMINOLOGY .................................................................................................................... 5
THEME 2 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 6
CRIME IN SOUTH AFRICA ................................................................................................................................................ 6
THE CLASSIFICATION AND MEASUREMENT OF CRIME ................................................................................................. 6
OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL SOURCES OF CRIME .......................................................................................................... 7
THEME 3 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 8
INDIVIDUALS IN THE CRIME SITUATION ........................................................................................................................ 8
Four types of violent offenders ....................................................................................................................................... 9
Cultural and ethnic diversity ............................................................................................................................................ 9
THE CRIMINAL: NEEDS AND MOTIVES FOR CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR ...........................................................................10
RISK FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR ........................................................................................ 13
Individual risk factors associated with criminal causation: ........................................................................................... 13
Familial risk factors associated with criminal causation ...............................................................................................14
Community associated criminal risk factors .................................................................................................................. 15
Risk factors contributing to a delinquent career .......................................................................................................... 15
Risk factors based on SA research findings ................................................................................................................... 15
Factors contributing to desisting from criminal activity ...............................................................................................16
THEME 4 .............................................................................................................................................................................16
EXPLANATION OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR ....................................................................................................................16
4.1. INDIVIDUAL-ORIENTED PERSPECTIVES ON THE CAUSES OF CRIME .....................................................................16
THE BIOLOGICAL DIMENSION ........................................................................................................................................ 17
1. The genetic factors ...................................................................................................................................................... 17
2. Neurological factors .................................................................................................................................................... 17
3. Chemical factors ..........................................................................................................................................................18
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DIMENSION ................................................................................................................................18
1. Cognitive component ..............................................................................................................................................18
2. Emotional component ........................................................................................................................................... 20
3. Volitional component.............................................................................................................................................. 21
THE SOCIAL DIMENSION ............................................................................................................................................... 22
1. Family environment ................................................................................................................................................ 22
2. School environment ............................................................................................................................................... 24
3. Peer group influences ............................................................................................................................................ 24
GENERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO CRIME IN SA ................................................................................................. 25
,SPECIFIC FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO CRIME IN SOUTH AFRICA ............................................................................. 27
APPLICATION OF THEORY ............................................................................................................................................. 29
WHAT IS THEORY?.......................................................................................................................................................... 29
WHAT IS “GOOD” THEORY? .......................................................................................................................................... 30
HOW TO STUDY THEORY ............................................................................................................................................... 30
THE USEFULNESS OF THEORY ....................................................................................................................................... 31
CLASSIFICATION OF THEORIES ..................................................................................................................................... 32
EXPLANATION OF CRIME .............................................................................................................................................. 32
THE CRIMINAL ACT ........................................................................................................................................................ 33
THE POTENTIAL OFFENDER .......................................................................................................................................... 33
CAUSES OF POOR SELF-CONTROL ................................................................................................................................ 34
EMPIRICAL SUPPORT .................................................................................................................................................... 34
, THEME 1
WHAT IS CRIMINOLOGY?
WHAT IS CRIMINOLOGY ABOUT?
Criminology is an applied discipline within the human sciences and its field of study includes the
scientific study of crime, offenders and victims, the punishment of offenders (criminal justice
system) and the prevention (reduction) and control of crime.
The law consists of all forms of law (criminal law, common law, etc.). A law is a written stature
enacted by those legislative bodies that have the authority to make laws.
Criminal law is made up of all the legal rules that identify crimes and set down punishments.
Common law consists of legal rules that were not originally written down, but which have come to
be accepted as the law of the land.
The role of the criminologist includes the following:
Identifying the causes of crime and explaining why these causes are causing
crime.
Advancing the theories pertaining to the explanation of crime.
Developing the crime prevention programs.
Studying the role of socialization in the occurrence of crime.
Criminology is a discipline in its own right because it adheres to the criteria for a discipline. It is
important for criminology to be a discipline in its own right because if it is not, the results of its
research would not be viewed as scientific and would not receive recognition as being reliable and
valid.
Criminologists study crimes from 2 points of view: juridical (legal) and non-juridical (social).
Constitutional court: highest decision-making body; can invalidate laws made by Parliament if, in
terms of Bill of Rights, they infringe on rights.
Ordinary citizens can’t lay criminal case unless state decides not to prosecute.
Criminal cases: always state vs. (name of the accused)
Common law: consequence of British law; verdict sets precedent
Civil law: resolves disputes between private individuals: compensation
Qualify as a crime: human act under control of human will; perpetrator not forced or factor beyond
control; act must be capable of being observed.
Exceptions to observability: attempt shows deliberate intent; where there is complicity implying
conscious, deliberate advancement of a crime where an accomplice identifies with the crime and
actively assists the criminal; where the act’s consequences are punishable by law.
Three modes of action (juridical): transgressing a prohibition; ignoring a prohibition; committing an
act that has harmful consequences.
