Criminology - It is the body of knowledge regarding crime as social phenomena. It includes within its scope the processes of making laws, breaking laws, and of reacting towards the breaking of laws.
Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909) – An Italian Army Surgeon and considered as the father of modern criminology
SCOPE OF THE STUDY OF CRIMINOLOGY
1. Sociology of Law - study of the origin and development of criminal or penal law.
2. Criminal Etiology – scientific analysis and study of the causes of crimes and development of criminals.
a. Criminal Demography – study if the relationship between criminality and population.
b. Criminal Ecology – study of criminality in relation to special distribution in a community.
c. Criminal Physical Anthropology – study of criminality in relation to physical constitution of man.
d. Criminal Psychology – study of human behavior in relation to criminality.
e. Criminal Psychiatry – study of human mind in relation to criminality.
f. Victimology – study of the role of the victim in the commission of a crime.
3. Penology – concerned with the control and prevention of crime and the treatment of criminals and offenders.
4. Criminalistics - one more area of concern in crime detection and investigation.
Nature of Criminology
a. An applied Science – Anthropology, psychology, sociology and other natural sciences may be applied in the study of the causes of crime while chemistry, medicine, physics, mathematics may be utilized in crime detection.
b. A Social Science – In as much as crime is a social creation and that it exist in a society, its study must be considered a part of social science.
c. Dynamic – Criminology changes as social condition changes.
d. Nationalistic – the study of crime must always be in relation with the existing criminal law of the country.
