INNOVATIVE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Malitbog, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro

CRIMINOLOGY DEPARTMENT

INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINOLOGY
MELODY C. DIMAPILIS

I. OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:
 Define crimes and criminals.
 Explain the elements of crimes.
 Determine the classification of crimes and criminals.
 Measure the crime rate and volume.

II. TIME FRAME

Week 2 -3 August 16-27, 2021
6 hours

III. TOPIC

CHAPTER 2

CRIMES AND CRIMINALS

In the study of criminology, it is important that the basic concepts regarding crimes are understood because
basically that is what criminology is about. Since crimes are committed by persons, these persons must also be
studied. Simply said, crimes will not exist without criminals.

CRIMES

The term crime is a generic term which refers to all acts that violate the law. According to the Philippine
Law Dictionary, crime is an act committed or omitted in violation of a public law.

Another definition is crime is an act committed or omitted in violation of a public law forbidding or
commanding it (Reyes, 2006).

There is a difference between an act committed and an act omitted. An act committed refers to a
crime of commission. There is a crime of commission when the act performed is in violation of a law forbidding
it. On the other hand, an act omitted refers to a crime of omission. It is a crime of omission when a person
failed to perform an act that is commanded by law.

Crimes are defined by criminal or penal laws. Criminal laws explicitly state what actions are prohibited,
what actions are required to be done and provides for the penalties or punishments to be imposed in case of
violation of the laws. Without laws that prohibit the act, the act cannot be called crime. This is the essence of
the Latin principle, nullum crimen nulla poena sine lege. Translated in English, it says, there is neither crime
nor punishment without a law.

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TRIANGLE OF CRIME/ELEMENTS OF CRIME

DESIRE

CRIME

CAPABILITY OPPORTUNITY
Figure 1. Triangle of Crime

The triangle of crime is a graphical representation of the elements of a crime. The three elements are
desire, capability, and opportunity. These three elements must be present in a given situation before a crime
may be committed. In the absence of one, there can be no crime.

The element of desire refers to the wanting of the person to commit the crime. A person would only
commit the crime if he decides he wants to do it. It may be because of the profit he will gain from it, or because
of the satisfaction he may derive from it. Whatever reason the offender may have, the offender must first decide
that he wants or he desires to commit the offense.

Capability refers to the ability or the means of the offender to commit the crime. It includes skills,
methods and tools that would enable the offender to perform the act of committing the crime. An offender who
does not have the capability would not be able to do it.

Finally, opportunity refers to the physical possibility for crime to be committed. It is the chance that the
offender must have to commit the crime. Just like that popular saying, “right place, right time”, the offender
waits or creates the right timing for the commission of the crime.

Of the three elements, opportunity is what is being eliminated in all crime prevention activities.

CLASSIFICATION OF CRIMES

Crimes are classified into two (2) categories: legal classifications and criminological classifications.
Both legal and criminological classifications are further classified into its sub-categories.

CRIMES

LEGAL CRIMINOLOGICAL
CLASSIFICATION CLASSIFICATION

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 Figure 2 . CLASSIFICATION OF CRIMES

LEGAL CLASSIFICATION OF CRIMES

Under the law, crimes are classified as:

1. Crimes against National Security and the Law of Nations -

Example – Treason, Espionage, Piracy
2. Crimes against the Fundamental Law of the State.
Example – Arbitrary Detention, Violation of Domicile
3. Crimes against Public Order.
Example – Rebellion, Sedition, Coup d’tat
4. Crimes against Public Interest.
Example – Forgery, Falsification, Fraud
5. Crimes against Public Morals
Example – Gambling and betting, offences against decency and good customs like scandals, obscenity,
vagrancy, and prostitution
6. Crimes Committed by Public Officers
Example – Malfeasance and Misfeasance
7. Crimes against Person
Example – Murder, Rape, Physical Injuries
8. Crimes against Properties
Example – Robbery, Theft
9. Crimes against Personal Liberty and Security
Example – Illegal Detention, Kidnapping, Trespass to Dwelling, Threat and Coercion
10. Crimes against Chastity
Example – Concubinage, Adultery, Seduction, Abduction, Acts of Lasciviousness
11. Crimes against Civil Status of Persons
Example – Bigamy and Other Illegal Marriages
12. Crimes against Honor
Example – Libel, Oral Defamation
13. Quasi-offenses or Criminal Negligence
Example – Imprudence and Negligence

LEGAL CLASSIFICATION OF CRIMES

1. ACCORDING TO THE LAW VIOLATED

CRIMES

FELONY OFFENSE INFRACTION

Figure 3. Classification of Crimes According to Law Violated

Crimes are sub-classified according to the law violated. Violation of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) is
called a felony. When the law violated is a special penal law, it is called an offense. An infraction is a
violation of a city or municipality ordinance.

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2. ACCORDING TO THE MANNER OF COMMITTING THE CRIME:

CRIME/FELONY

DOLO OR CULPA OR
DECEIT FAULT
Figure 4. Classification of Crimes According to the Manner Committing the Crime

Felony is an act or omission punishable by law which is committed by means of dolo (deceit) or culpa (fault)
and punishable under the Revised Penal Code. Felonies committed by means the dolo are called intentional
felonies, while those committed by means of culpa are called culpable felonies.

The topics on felony are further discussed in chapter 3, Introduction to Criminal Law

3. ACCORDINFG TO THE STAGE IN THE COMMISSION:

CRIMES

CONSUMMATED FRUSTRATED ATTEMPTED

Figure 5. Classification of Crimes According to the Stages in the Commission of Crimes

The discussion on the stages in the commission of a crime can be found in chapter 3, Introduction to Criminal
Law

4. ACCORDING TO PLURALITY:
CRIMES

SIMPLE COMPLEX
CRIMES CRIMES

Figure 6. Classification of Crimes According to Plurality

A simple crime is a single act constituting only one offense while a complex crime is a single act constituting
two or more grave felonies, or when the act is necessary means for committing the other. Robbery with
homicide and robbery with rape are example of complex crimes.

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5. ACCORDING TO GRAVITY:
CRIMES/
FELONIES

GRAVE LESS GRAVE LIGHT

FELONIES FELONIES FELONIES
Figure 7. Classification of Crimes According to Gravity

Crimes are classified according to the gravity of the penalty imposable. Grave felonies are those to
which the law attaches the capital punishment or afflictive penalties. Less grave felonies are those to which
the law attaches the correctional penalties. Light penalties are those to which the law attaches the penalty of
arresto menor, or a fine not exceeding TWO HUNDRED PESOS (₱200.00). This is provided for by the
Revised Penal Code (RPC).

6. ACCORDING TO THE NATURE OF THE ACT:

CRIMES

MALA IN MALA
SE PROHIBITA
Figure 8. Classification of Crimes According to the Nature of the Act

Crimes mala in se are acts that are inherently or naturally bad or evil, such as killing another person or
taking something that does not belong to you. Crimes mala prohibita are acts that are prohibited only because
there are laws forbidding such acts. Traffic violations and smoking in non-smoking areas are example of this
crime.

CRIMINOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATIONS OF CRIMES

The criminological classification of crimes are categorized according to the result of the crime, to the time or
period of the commission, to the place or location , to the type of offender and to the use of mental faculties.

1. ACCORDING TO THE RESULT OF THE CRIME

CRIMES

ACQUISITIVE CRIMES DESTRUCTIVE CRIMES

Figure 9. Classification of crimes According to the Result

A crime is classified as acquisitive if the offender gained something, material or otherwise, by

committing the crime. Robbery or theft is acquisitive because the offender is able to gain something that is, the
object he stole.

It is destructive if the crime resulted in destruction, damage or even death. Crimes of arson, damage to
property, physical injuries, murder and homicide are examples of this crime.

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2. ACCORDING TO THE TIME OR PERIOD OF THE COMMISSION OF THE CRIME:

CRIMES

SEASONAL CRIMES SITUATIONAL CRIMES

Figure 10. Classification of Crimes According to the Time and Period of the Commission Of the Crime

Crimes are also classified based on the time or period of the year they are mostly committed. Crimes are
called seasonal if they happen only during a particular season or period of the year. Violation of election laws
can only be committed during election season, violation of tax are mostly caught during the period of the year
when taxes are required to be filed. These are just a few examples of seasonal crimes.

Crimes are said to be situational when the situation is conducive to the commission of the crime,
meaning, there is opportunity to commit it. Theft, such as pick-pocketing is very common in crowded areas.
Robbery can easily be committed when there is nobody in the house to guard it. Physical injuries can happen
when a group of people are having a drinking session in a public place, such as beer houses, videoke houses,
where other groups who are also drunk are present. The chances of having fights in such place are higher.

3. ACCORDING TO THE LENGTH OF TIME AND THE COMMISION OF THE CRIME:

CRIMES

INSTANT CRIMES EPISODAL CRIMES

Figure 11. Classification of Crimes According to the Length of Time and the Commission of the Crime

From the name itself, instant crimes are those crimes that may be committed in a very short time, while
episodal crimes are committed through a series of acts, or episodes, and in a much longer amount of time.
Theft is an instant crime, while serious illegal detention, more common known as kidnapping, is an
episodal crime.

4. ACCORDING TO PLACE OR LOCATION:

CRIMES

STATIC CRIMES CONTINUINGCRIMES

Figure 12. Classification of crimes according to the location or place

Static crimes are committed only in one place, such as theft and robbery. A continuing crime is a crime that
takes place in more than one place, or even in several places. The crime of abduction is an example of
continuing crime.

5. ACCORDING TO THE USE OF MENTAL FACULTIES:

CRIMES

RATIONAL CRIMES IRRATIONAL CRIMES

Figure 13. Classification of Crimes According to the Mental Faculties

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 The basis of this classification is the mental state of the person who committed the crime. It is called
rational crime when the offender is capable of knowing what he is doing and understanding the consequences
of his action. His mental condition is normal just like any average person, he is rational.

When the offender is one who is suffering from any form of mental insanity, disorder or abnormality, the
offender cannot be said to know what he is doing and action. Crimes committed by such person are said to be
irrational because the offender himself is irrational and is not capable of understanding the crime he
committed.

6. ACCORDING TO THE TYPE OF OFFENDER:

CRIMES

WHITE-COLLAR BLUE-COLLAR
CRIMES CRIMES
Figure 14. Classification of crimes According to the Type of Offender

The basis of this classification is the economic and the educational status of the person who committed the
crime. A person who belongs to the upper socio-economic class, or is employed on the basis of his profession,
is said to be white-collar. If such person would commit a crime in the course of his occupational activities, then
using the knowledge and skills he possesses by being a practicing professional, then the crime is classified as a
white –collar crime. Examples of white-collar crimes are insurance fraud, medical malpractice for medical
practitioners and falsification of documents.

On the other hand, a blue-collar crime is a crime committed by an ordinary criminal who commits as a source
of his livelihood. Pick-pocketing, snatching and other petty thefts are example of this.

7. Upper World and Underworld Crimes - Upper World Crimes are those committed by individuals
belonging to the upper class of society. Under World Crime are committed by members of the lower or under
privilege class of society.

8. Crimes by Imitation and Crimes by Passion - Crimes by Imitation are crimes committed by merely
duplication of what was done by others. Crimes by Passion are crimes committed because of the fit of great
emotions.

9. Service Crimes - Service Crime refers to crimes committed through rendition of a service to satisfy desire of
another.

CRIME STATISTICS

In the study of crimes, it is important to have records of the different crimes committed, their number, the
specific period of time and specific places where they are committed. These data would help in identifying
which crimes are committed the most number of times, which crimes are likely to be committed at specific
places and at what times or periods are crimes at their most number of occurrences, the compilation of all these
called crime statistics.

Crime statistics is the measure of the level or amount of crimes. To estimate the nature of crime in the
Philippines, criminologists and researchers primarily rely on the National Crime Reporting System (NCRS), the
data compiled by the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) through the Crime Prevention and
Coordination Service, which measures crimes through reports made by the police and other law enforcement
agencies (Soriano 2008).

Crime statistics uses the term index crimes and non-index crimes in classifying crimes.
Index crimes are crimes which are sufficiently significant and which occur sufficient regularity to be
meaningful, such as murder, homicide, physical injury, robbery, theft and rape.

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Non-index crimes are those crimes, that are not classified as index crimes, meaning all other crimes not
included in the enumeration are not non- index crimes.

CRIME RATE AND CRIME VOLUME

Crime rate is the measure of the rate of occurrence of crimes committed in a given area and time. Crime rate is
computed using the formula;

Crime volume
Crime rate = x 100,000
Total number of population

Crime volume, on the other hand the number of crimes reported as to its classification, whether index or non-
index, within a given period, the formula for crime volume is as follows:

Crime rate x total number of population

crime volume =

100,000

STATISTICAL FORMULA:
1. Crime Solution Efficiency (CSE) – percentage of solved cases out of the total number of reported crime
incidents handled by the police for a given period of time. It is a general measure of law enforcement agency’s
investigative capability or efficiency.

Formula:

CSE = {¿ TotalNoNo. of. ofSolved

¿ Reported Cases }
Cases X 100

2. Average Monthly Crime Rate (AMCR) – the average number of crime incidents occurred per month for every
100, 000 inhabitants in a certain area.

Formula:

{ }
Crime Volume
AMCR = ¿¿ X 100 , 000 ÷ no . of months
Population

3. Variance (or % change) – one way of analyzing crime trends. It measures the percentage change over a given
period of time.

Formula:

{ }
Current data−previous data
= ¿¿ X 100
previous data

4. Crime Analysis

a. Percentage Share of Crime Volume of a Certain Area

Formula:

= {Crime
¿ Crime Volume Nationwide }
¿
volume of a certain area X 100

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 b. Percentage Share of the Occurrence of a Type of Crime

Formula:

{Total number }
of occurences of a type of crime X 100
¿ Crime Volume Nationwide
¿

CRIMINALS

Crimes exist because there are people who perform acts that are in violation of the law. Crimes can be
understood better if the causes or reasons of the people who commit them can be explained. So in studying
crimes it is important that the people involved are also examined. These people who commit crimes are called
criminals. Without criminals there will be no crimes.

The most basic definition of the term criminal is a person who committed a crime. However, there are
two distinct definitions of the term, based on legal perspective and criminological perspective.

In the legal perspective or point of view, criminal is defined as any person who has been found to have
committed a wrongful act in course of the standard judicial process. Before a person can be called a criminal, he
must have been judged guilty by the court for the crime he committed. And such judgement must be final.
Therefore, a person can only be called criminal if the court decided that he is.

However, in the criminological perspective or point of view, a person is already considered a criminal
the moment he committed the crime. Based on this definition, a person who committed a crime, whether he was
caught or discovered, whether he was arrested or not, whether he was judge by the court or not is already a
criminal.

Just like crimes, criminals are also classified into different categories.

CLASSIFICATION OF CRIMINALS

1. ACCORDING TO ETIOLOGY

CRIMINALS

ACUTE CHRONIC NEUROTIC NORMAL

CRIMINALS CRIMINALS CRIMINALS CRIMINALS
Figure 15. Classification of Criminals According to Etiology

On the basis of etiology, or causes of the commission of the crime, criminals are either acute or
chronic. An acute criminal is a person who violated the law as a result of reacting to a situation, such as during
the moment of anger of burst of feeling. A chronic criminal is one who committed a crime with intention and
deliberated thinking.
Chronic criminals are further subdivided into two categories, neurotic and normal criminals. A
neurotic criminal is one who is afflicted with a mental disorder and such mental disorder is the one that causes
him to commit a crime while a normal criminal is a person who commits crimes because he looks up to, or
idolizes, people who are criminals.

2. ACCORDING TO TYPE OF OFFENDER:

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 CRIMINALS

ORDINARY ORGANIZED PROFESSIONAL

CRIMINALS CRIMINALS CRIMINALS
Figue 16. Classification of Criminals According to Type of Offender

Criminals are classified according to the type of the criminal of offender himself. An ordinary criminal
is a criminal who engages in crimes which do not require any specialized or technical skills. It is said to be the
lowest form of criminal career. An organized criminal is one who possesses some skills and know-how
which enable him to commit crimes and evade detection. He may be involved in certain criminal activities that
require planning and strategizing. Professional criminals are characterized as highly-skilled and methodical in
their operations that they engaged in large scale criminal activities. They usually have connections with other
professional criminals and usually operate in groups.

3. ACCORDING TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES:

CRIMINALS

ACCIDENTAL SITUATIONAL HABITUAL PROFESSIONAL

CRIMINALS CRIMINALS CRIMINALS CRIMINALS

Figure 17. Classification of Criminal According to Criminal Activities

A criminal who earns his living through criminal activities is said to be a professional criminal. A
situational criminal is a person who got involved in criminal acts for the situation presented itself. A habitual
criminal, as the name implies, is one who repeatedly commits criminal acts for different reasons. And finally,
an accidentally criminal is a person who “accidentally violated the law due to some circumstances beyond his
control.

IV. COMPREHENSION CHECK-UP

1. What is Crime?
2. Who is a Criminal?
3. What are the classifications of criminals?
4. What are the classifications of crimes?
5. Explain how crime rate can be computed?

Checked by:

MELODY C. DIMAPILIS
Department Head

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