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 Importance of criminology in Pakistan

Each discipline is unique and has especial value and importance. Some disciplines have
value and importance primarily in theoretical sense, whereas others are important for
their practical value. The science of criminology is important and valuable both in
practical and theoretical senses. The science of criminology is related to society and
society has been likened to an organism. This fact makes plain and evident the value
and significance of the science of criminology. The scope of criminology is the various
social crimes and disturbances in their each and every aspect. As the science of
medicine studies various ills and their cures which afflict human body, in the same
manner criminology studies ills and their cures of society. The value and significance of
the science of criminology is theoretical as well as practical. Its theoretical importance
lies in the fact that it investigates and determines the cause of social disintegration.
The practical or applied aspect of this science is that besides determining the factors
and causes of social disintegration, it also studies the ways and means of preventing or
eradicating these evils, that is, remedial measures. This multifaceted value and
significance of criminology is brought out by following facts.

Theoretical significance of Criminology

Explaining the theoretical significance of the science of criminology the eminent

criminologist Sutherland writes; “This knowledge will contribute to the development of
other social studies and through other social studies it will contribute to efficiency in
general social control.”

The foregoing observation of Sutherland is extremely significant as it brings into relief

the theoretic importance and value of the science of criminology. The chief theoretic
benefits of criminology are the following:

(1) Knowledge of Crime-Data-In every social community and group, there are always
some criminals and incidence of crime. It is not humanly possible to bring about an
ideal republic or perfect society in which every chance of criminal behaviour has been
eliminated. The nature of crime and criminals may undergo sea-change, but the very
existence of crime cannot be uprooted. This is not difficult to appreciate. In crime
psychosis we have two kinds of factors: personal and social .It is not possible to
eliminate the aggressive and acquisitive tendencies from man and, again, it is equally
impossible to eliminate all inequalities and anomalies from any society. This is borne
out by the fact that even under communist regime crimes are not non-existent.
Therefore, given the kinds of men and societies known to man, we can safely say that
each society, even a social group, harbours some criminals. A systematic, scientific and
unbiased study of criminology furnishes us with factual, true and realistic data about
crimes and criminals; this results in increase in our knowledge. By studying
criminology we also learn about the kinds or types of crimes and criminals and also
about the modus essendi as well as modus operandi of crimes. This enables us to
compile what may be called taxonomy of crime, that is, an extensive and deep
classification of crimes. We also learn about the causes and reasons of criminals
behaviour.

(2) Penal Legislation-The science of ___________ upon the penal legislation, that is, it
helps formulation of rational and humane laws regarding crime and punishment.
Criminology attempts both extensive and intensive study of crime under all
perspectives and by taking into account every possible viewpoint. Thus its analysis and
description of crime is scientific, authentic and reliable. This analytical description helps
in determination of the exact causes of various categories of crime, and this
information, in turn, helps to formulate preventive and remedial laws regarding crime.
Besides helping to make laws, criminology also carries out extensive surveys regarding
the impact of various laws on the actual incidence of crime. It is found that a particular
law, instead of curbing crime, encourages it, the law is amended in the light of fresh
evidence. Thus, the various laws regarding prohibition and narcotics are cases in point.
In the light of modern knowledge gained by extensive surveys and in-depth studies,
there are proposals to declare suicide not criminal. In*Denmark*and many other
civilized nations, pornography has been declared non-criminal. This has had salutary
impact upon society. In*England, homosexuality among consenting adults is now no
longer criminal. Thus we find that constant review of the relationship between crime
and law help to make penal laws more and more rational and humane. Even in a highly
orthdox society like Indian, abortion has been made non-criminal. There is also
growing public opinion in favour of relaxation of obscenity laws in*India. Kissing and
nudity on screen should be permissible is the view of G. D. Khosla Commission. The
rationale behind all such moves is the discovery by Criminologists that greater the
repression of natural instincts, greater the thwarting of sensuous pleasure, greater is
the incidence of perversions and sadistic crimes. It is better to let people decide what
is good for them and as long as this “good” does not contravene the rights of others, it
must be allowed. From the above discussion it is plain that the science of criminology
goes a long way in rationalizing and humanizing the penal legislation.

(3) Information about White-Collar Crime-To an average man, the nature and number
of crimes is quite definite. Asked to enumerate crimes, he will name only murder,
assault, dacoity, rape, loot and arson, burglary and theft, sodomy and reduction as the
only instances of crime. He may have difficulty in appreciating that maltreatment of
one’s cattles, bestiality with them are criminal. But he will certainly be baffled if he is
told that misuse of power, nepotism etc; are criminal and equally, if not more, harmful
to society than other crimes. However, the not easily recognizable crimes are not
considered crime by an average person because they are committed by well-to-do,
upper-bracket persona and normally involve little violence. But such acts, whosoever
may commit them, are very much criminal. For example, if a man earns a huge
ransom by letting out the secrets of someone, he is indulging in black mail. The private
secretaries and yalets of top political and finance magnets usually have access to many
intimate secrets and there is strong temptation to earn big money by the threatening
exposure. Many innocent persons are made victims of this vicious commercial mal
practices, for example, under-invoicing, graft etc. To gain some advantage by
production of false testimonials is an act of forgery and the crime of forgery is quite
widespread. Again, sexual abuse of private secretaries is fairly common in advanced
countries. All these are white-collar criminals and their crimes are really criminal
activity. The Watergate scandal threatening the office of President Nixon is a classic
instance of white-collar crime.

The Practical Importance of Criminology

Apart from having theoretical value and importance, criminology also has much
practical use and importance. In the words of Sutherland, “Criminology is concerned
with the immediate application of knowledge to the programmes of social control of
crime.” Following are some of the specific practical uses of criminology.

(1) Elimination of Crimes-The elimination of crime is one of the specific aim of

criminology. It helps society in controlling and eliminating the crime both directly and
indirectly. It is most obvious that if one knows the cause of a malady, its cure becomes
easy. It is a truism in medical practice that correct diagnosis is more than half the
cure. The same holds good in regard to the phenomenon of crime. By the knowledge of
the causes of the crime, we can undertake specific measures to remove them.

(2) Helpful in understanding the Psychology of the Criminal-Criminology is practical

study. With the help of its knowledge we can easily assess the attitudes and opinions
of the criminals. The study of criminology helps us to pin-point the factors responsible
for the various crimes, that is, we learn as to how a particular crime is generated.
There by we are able to correlate specific crime with specific set of circumstances.
Apart form learning about the psychology of crime, the knowledge of criminology helps
us to classify the criminals, that is, we are enabled to correlate personal factors like
age, family and social background, education and physical environs, physical and
mental traits with different types of crime. Thus for example, it may be revealed traits
with different types of crime. Thus for example, it may be revealed that sexual crimes
are committed, contrary to general impression, by persons with low sex-drive rather
than by highly-sexed persons. A prostitute-monger may be consorting with different
women so as to cover up the self consciousness and guilt over inadequate performance
or he may be doing so in order to receive the thrill of personal quirks and varied
techniques of arousal exercise by the professional sex-vendors. These facts make it
abundantly clear that the study of criminology goes a long way in helping us to
appreciate the psychology of crime and criminal.

(3) Reforms of Criminals-Besides controls, prevention and elimination of crime, it is the

important task and responsibility of the science of criminology to device and suggest
measures for the reforms and rehabilitation of the criminal. For example, to wean a
prostitute from the sale of her bodily wares, we must know how and why she has
taken to this profession. In the societies which do not stigmatize such persons and are
prepared to accept them, the task is relatively easy. Again, it is easy if the prostitute
has taken to this profession from economic hardships and other compulsions but it
disgusted with what she is doing. But if, on the contrary, either the society is orthodox
or the prostitutes like and enjoy what they are doing, the task of reform is extremely
difficult, if not impossible.

(4) Reforms of Evil Forces-Every society are under the influence of certain evil forces
and their removal is the concern of every well-meaning member of the society. The
science of criminology helps us a great deal in appreciating and understanding these
evil forces and, thus, enables us to device ways and means for the effective check of
those forces.
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