Pages 559-560 Introduction
A decade ago Van der Hoven stated that forensic criminology allows the criminologist to provide
information to the courts = motives, causes and possible future prevention of criminal
behaviour.
BUT in SA the significance of the forensic criminologist’s contribution to the criminal justice
system (CJS) has not been explored
o REASON: courts are unfamiliar with criminology as a science.
o However the services of criminologists as expert witnesses in serious cases such as
crimes of violence should be used by the judicial system.
o REGRETFULLY more than a decade later criminologists still do not feature in the SA CJS.
Page 563 The distinction between criminology and applied and forensic criminology
Criminology = studies crime, criminals, victims, punishment and the prevention and
control of crime.
The role of the criminologist = study crime and to interpret and explain crime.
Applied criminology = application of criminological theory to criminal justice
practice(when theory is put into action.)
Forensic criminology = type of applied criminology involving the scientific study of
crime and criminals for the purpose of addressing investigative and legal questions.
THUS when applied criminology is put to use in our CJS it can be defined as forensic
criminology.
Pages 563-564 Forensic criminology
The word “forensic” = Latin word forensis (which means forum).
“Forensic” later restricted to references to courts of law only
o indicates specialist doing court work in a specific field using scientific methods.
(e.g: forensic athropologoist)
In the judicial system it is used for legal problems (explaining the criminal actions of a
rapist; the motivation of a paedophile) AND legal proceedings (compiling a pre-sentence
report).
Forensic = application of science to the law.
Forensic criminology = applied social science (similar to psychology)
o REASON: Criminologists study human behaviour.
Criminology as an applied social science is necessary + relevant in SA
o Due to high incidence of especially violent crime and the heavy burden this
places on the CJS
There is a need for sound, objective, informed scientific evidence to:
o Assist with criminal investigations;
o Analysing crime trends; and
o Processing offenders through the judicial system.
Pages 564-567 Forensic criminologist
Forensic criminologists study the: personality of the offender; emphasising past tendencies
to commit crimes; contributory factors regarding offender decision-making; examine the
offender’s relationship to the victim; seek to understand the mind-set of the offender during
the commission of the crime.
A decade ago Van der Hoven stated that forensic criminology allows the criminologist to provide
information to the courts = motives, causes and possible future prevention of criminal
behaviour.
BUT in SA the significance of the forensic criminologist’s contribution to the criminal justice
system (CJS) has not been explored
o REASON: courts are unfamiliar with criminology as a science.
o However the services of criminologists as expert witnesses in serious cases such as
crimes of violence should be used by the judicial system.
o REGRETFULLY more than a decade later criminologists still do not feature in the SA CJS.
Page 563 The distinction between criminology and applied and forensic criminology
Criminology = studies crime, criminals, victims, punishment and the prevention and
control of crime.
The role of the criminologist = study crime and to interpret and explain crime.
Applied criminology = application of criminological theory to criminal justice
practice(when theory is put into action.)
Forensic criminology = type of applied criminology involving the scientific study of
crime and criminals for the purpose of addressing investigative and legal questions.
THUS when applied criminology is put to use in our CJS it can be defined as forensic
criminology.
Pages 563-564 Forensic criminology
The word “forensic” = Latin word forensis (which means forum).
“Forensic” later restricted to references to courts of law only
o indicates specialist doing court work in a specific field using scientific methods.
(e.g: forensic athropologoist)
In the judicial system it is used for legal problems (explaining the criminal actions of a
rapist; the motivation of a paedophile) AND legal proceedings (compiling a pre-sentence
report).
Forensic = application of science to the law.
Forensic criminology = applied social science (similar to psychology)
o REASON: Criminologists study human behaviour.
Criminology as an applied social science is necessary + relevant in SA
o Due to high incidence of especially violent crime and the heavy burden this
places on the CJS
There is a need for sound, objective, informed scientific evidence to:
o Assist with criminal investigations;
o Analysing crime trends; and
o Processing offenders through the judicial system.
Pages 564-567 Forensic criminologist
Forensic criminologists study the: personality of the offender; emphasising past tendencies
to commit crimes; contributory factors regarding offender decision-making; examine the
offender’s relationship to the victim; seek to understand the mind-set of the offender during
the commission of the crime.
