INTRODUCTION TO

CRIMINOLOGY
Prof. Kristine C. Dolloso, MSCA, CSP, RCrim
OVERVIEW OF CRIMINOLOGY

• Criminology Defined

• Criminology is the scientific study of crime, criminals, and criminal behavior. Criminologists
scientifically study the following: the nature and extent of crime; patterns of criminality;
explanations and causes of crime and criminal behavior; and the control of crime and criminal
behavior. (Glick, 1995). The term “criminology” (from the Latin-crimen, accusation, and Greek-
logia, study) was coined in 1885 by Italan law professor Rafaelle Garofalo as criminologia.
• Criminology is the body of knowledge regarding crime as a social phenomenon. It includes within
its scope the process of making laws, of breaking laws, and of reacting toward the breaking of laws.
The objective of criminology is the development of a body of general and verified principles and of
other types of knowledge regarding the process of law, crime, and treatment or prevention
(Sutherland & Cressey as cited by Adler, Mueller & Laufer, 1995)
• In its broadest meaning, Criminology is the body of knowledge regarding crimes, criminals, and the effort of
society to prevent and repress them. This means that criminology is an interdisciplinary field of inquiry-
that is, it draws knowledge from other disciplines such as biology, psychology, psychiatry, sociology, law,
medicine, statistics, economics and political science in order to provide an integrated approach in the study
of crimes and criminal behaviors.

• In a narrower sense, criminology is the scientific study of crimes and criminal behavior. In a key sense, this
is the central aspect of the definition of criminology. It specifies the very essence of the course. This means
that criminology is primarily concerned with knowing and understanding the cause of the crime and
criminal behavior. It seeks to comprehend the reasons behind the commission of the crime. Furthermore,
criminology is a science in itself. It applies scientific methods of inquiry to the study of crimes and criminal
behavior. Therefore, criminology is not common sense, nor guesswork, but rather, the scientific study of
crime. The knowledge obtained through criminological research is based on empirical evidence.
• Other definitions of Criminology include:

• Criminology is the science which studies crime, forms of criminal behavior, the causes of crime, the
definition of criminality, and the societal reaction to juvenile delinquency, victimology (the study of
crime victims), theories of prevention, policing, and corrections (Sousa, 20018)
• Principal Divisions of Criminology (Tradio, 1999)

• The study of criminology has three principal divisions:

1. Criminal Etiology- an attempt at scientific analysis of the causes of crimes

2. Sociology of Law- an attempt at scientific analysis of the conditions under which penal or criminal
laws develop as a process of formal social control.
3. Penology- concerned with rehabilitation and treatment of offenders
• Three Principal Divisions of Criminology (Edwin Sutherland)

1. Sociology of Law
2. Scientific analysis of causes of crime
3. Crime control

• Three Components of Criminology (Clarence Ray Jeffery)

1. Detection of the offender

2. Treatment of the offender
3. Explaining crime and criminal behavior
Purpose of Criminology

• The purpose of criminology is to offer well-researched and objective answers to four basic
questions:

1. Why do crime rates vary?

2. Why do individuals differ as to criminality?
3. Why is there variation in reactions to crime?
4. What are the possible means of controlling criminality?
Goals of Studying Criminology

• The study of criminology seeks to achieve the following goals:

1. To describe criminal behavior

2. To understand criminal behavior
3. To predict criminal behavior
4. To control criminal behavior
Various Studies and Sciences Related to Criminology

• Criminology covers the following studies and sciences:

1. Law
2. Sociology
3. Psychology
4. Medicine
5. Chemistry
6. Public Administration
7. Education
8. Theology

9. Economics
Agencies and Sectors Associated to Criminology

• Criminology consists of the activities of the following offices and sectors, public and private:

1. Legislative bodies and lawmakers

2. Law enforcement agencies
3. Courts and Prosecution
4. Correctional Institution
5. Educational Institutions/Schools
6. Public charitable and social agencies
Agencies and Sectors Associated to Criminology

7. Public welfare agencies

8. Non-government organizations
9. The family and the home
10. The church
11. Private charitable and welfare institutions
12. Civic clubs and organizations
13. Print media, radio and television
Nature of Criminology

Generally, criminology cannot be considered a science because it has not yet acquired universal
validity and acceptance. It is not stable, and it varies from one time and place to another. However,
considering that science is the systematic and objective study of social phenomenon and other bodies of
knowledge, criminology is a science in itself when under the following nature.

•  

1. It is an applied science.
•  
•The findings or knowledge obtained in the study of crimes and criminal behaviors is used
to resolve the crime problem and treatment of criminals. In other words, Criminologists
investigate crimes in order to generate practical solutions to the problem.
Nature of Criminology

• Applied science focuses on the practical application of the principles discovered in basic science.
Natural science, on the other hand, is concerned with the physical nature or environment. In the
study of the causes of crimes, natural science such as anthropology, psychology, and sociology may be
applied. In like manner, applied sciences such as chemistry, medicine, physics, mathematics, ballistics,
polygraphy, legal medicine, and questioned document examination maybe utilized in crime detection.
 
2. It is a social science.

•In as much as crime is a social phenomenon, its study must be considered a part of social
science. This means the study of criminology includes not only the study of crimes and criminal
behavior but also the reaction of society towards crime and criminal behavior.
Nature of Criminology

• Social science refers to the intellectual and academic disciplines designed to understand the
social world objectively. It is the study of the various aspects of human society.

• 3. It is dynamic.

•Criminology changes as social condition changes. It is related with the advancement

of other sciences that have been applied to it.
Nature of Criminology

• This further means that criminology is relative. The study of crime varies from

• place to place, generation to generation, and from culture to culture. Behaviors that maybe
regarded as deviant or crime in one culture maybe conformist and highly valued in another.
Also, those acts defined as criminal today may no longer be considered as criminal acts in the
coming years.

• The study of crime changes when criminal law, values, beliefs, social structure, and other
social factor change. Remember crime is a legal term. A behavior can be labeled as crime only
when it is define by law as such. Thus, the study of crime changes when its definition changes.
Nature of Criminology

4. It is interdisciplinary.
•  

•Many disciplines are involved in the study of crimes and criminal behavior. Among them are
sociology, psychology, psychiatry, economics, political science and on.

5. It is nationalistic.
 
• The study of crimes must be in relation with the existing criminal law within the territory or country.
Finally, the question as to whether an act is a crime is dependent on the criminal law of a state.
Scope of Criminology

• The study of criminology covers the following scope:

1. Study of the origin and development of criminal law or penal law.

2. Study of the causes of crimes and development of criminals
3. Study of the different factors that enhance the development of criminal behavior such as:
Scope of Criminology
3. Study of different factors that affect criminal behavior as such:

a. Criminal demography- study of the relationship between criminality and population

b. Criminal epidemiology- study of criminality in relation to spatial distribution in a community.
c. Criminal ecology- study of the relationship between environment and criminality.
d. Criminal physical anthropology- study of criminality in relation to physical constitution of men.
e. Criminal psychology- study of human mind and behavior in relation to criminality.
f. Criminal psychiatry- study of mental and behavioral disorders in relation to criminality
g. Victimology- study of the role of the victim in crime commission 
Scope of Criminology

4. Study of various measures and methods accepted by society in cases of violation of criminal law as such:

a. the detection of crimes

b. the arrest or apprehension of criminals
c. the prosecution of suspected law violators
d. the conviction of criminals in judicial proceedings
e. the imprisonment, correction and rehabilitation of the criminal convicted of a crime
f. the enforcement of laws, decrees, rules and regulations
g. the administration of the police and other law enforcement agencies
h. the maintenance of recreational facilities and other auxiliary services to prevent the development of crimes and criminal
behavior
Major Areas of Study in Criminology

1. Criminal Sociology- includes the fundamentals of criminology; juvenile delinquency; Human

Behavior and crisis management; ethics and community relations; and criminal justice system.
2. Criminal Law and Jurisprudence- covers the study of the Revised Penal Code and its amendments,
and other laws that are penal in nature; criminal procedure; and the law on evidence.
3. Law Enforcement Administration- embraces police organization; operational planning; patrol;
industrial security management; intelligence and secret service; police records; and personnel
management.
4. Crime Detection, Investigation and Prevention- consist of criminal, special and arson investigation;
vice control; traffic management and accident investigation; and police report writing.
Major Areas of Study in Criminology

5. Criminalistics- covers the following areas:

a. Dactyloscopy- the science of fingerprinting

b. Police Photography- the study of black and white and colored photograph (both film-based photography and digital photography)
c. Polygraphy- The science of lie detection examination

d. Ballistics- study of firearms and bullets

e. Questioned document examination- study of disputed documents
f. Forensic Medicine- application of medical science to elucidate legal problems
g. Forensic Chemistry- application of chemical principles in the solution of problems that arise in connection with the administration
of justice.

6. Corrections- deals with the institutions and non-institution correctional system of approach.
CRIMINOLOGIST DEFINED

• CRIMINOLOGIST DEFINED

• Criminologist is any person who is a graduate of the Degree of Criminology, who has passed the
examination for criminologist and is registered as such by the Board (Section 22, R.A. 6506 – An Act
Creating the Board Examiners for Criminologist in the Philippines and for other purposes).

• Criminologist is a professional who studies crime, criminals, criminal behavior, and efforts to
control crime (Reid, 1997)

• Criminologist is one who is trained in the field of Criminology. Also, he or she is one who studies
crime and criminals, and criminal behavior (Schmalleger, 1996)

•  
Practice of Criminology Defined

• A person is deemed to be engaged in the practice of Criminology if he holds himself out to the public in any of the following capacities:
(Section 23, R.A. 6506)

a. As a professor, instructor or teacher in Criminology in any University, College or school duly recognized by the government, and
teaches any of the following subjects:

1) Law Enforcement Administration

2) Criminalistics
3) Correctional Administration
4) Criminal Sociology
5) Other technical and specialized subjects in the Criminology curriculum provided by the Department of Education (now Commission on
Higher Education)
Practice of Criminology Defined

b. As a law enforcement administrator, executive, adviser, consultant or agent in any government or private
agency.

c. As a technician in dactyloscopy, ballistics, questioned documents, police photography, lie detection, forensic
chemistry, and other scientific aspects of crime detection.

d. As correctional administration, executive supervisor, worker or officer in any correctional and penal institution.

e. As counselor, expert, adviser, researcher in any government or private agency, on any aspects of criminal
research or project involving the causes of crime, juvenile delinquency, treatment of offenders, police
operations, law enforcement administration, scientific criminal investigation or public welfare administration.
Privileges Given to Certified Criminologist

• Pursuant to Section 24 of R.A. 6506, all certified criminologist shall be exempt from taking any other entrance or qualifying
government or civil service examinations and shall be considered civil service eligible to the following government positions:

•  

a. Dactylographer
b. Ballistician
c. Questioned Document Examiner
d. Correctional Officer
e. Law enforcement photographer
f. Lie detection examiner
Privileges Given to Certified Criminologist

g. Probation officer
h. Agents in any law enforcement agency
i. Security officer
j. Criminal Investigator
k. Police laboratory technician
Career Opportunities for Criminology Graduates

• A myriad of job opportunities awaits criminology graduates. Most of these careers would be found in
government agencies as follows:

1. Law Enforcement Officers/ Intelligence Officers/ Investigators

a. Philippine National Police (Maritime, Hi-way Patrol, Aviation or Airport), as personnel and police officers
b. Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), as port police
c. Bureau of Customs (Custom Intelligence and Investigation Service)
d. National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), as special investigators (SI)
e. Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), as agents
f. Department of Finance (Anti-Money Laundering and Lifestyle check)
g. National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), as investigators
Career Opportunities for Criminology Graduates

h. Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), as fire officers and investigators

i. Department of transportation and communications (DOTC), as coastguards
j. Department of the Interior and Local Government
k. Other government branches with Intelligence and investigative units
Career Opportunities for Criminology Graduates

2. Member and Officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)

a. Philippine Army
b. Philippine Navy
c. Philippine Marines
d. Philippine Air Force

3. Forensic Specialist or Experts

e. National Bureau of Investigation
f. Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory
g. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) – State Colleges and Universities (SUCs) and Private Universities and Colleges (PUCs)
Career Opportunities for Criminology Graduates

 
4. Personnel and Officers of Correctional Institutions
a. Bureau of Corrections (Department of Justice/DOJ), as prison officers or guards
b. Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), as jail officers and guards
c. Parole and Probation Administration, as probation officers and as parole officers (DOJ)
d. Provincial Jail under the office of the Governor in every province, as provincial jail officers and
guards
5. Judiciary
e. Supreme Court, as sheriffs
Career Opportunities for Criminology Graduates

6. State Colleges and Universities (SUCs), Private Universities and Colleges (PUCs) and Specialized
training institutions (STIs) such as the Philippine Military Academy, Philippine National Police
Academy (PNPA), Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) as:
a. Administrators
b. Instructors
c. Training officers
d. Laboratory Technician
7. Maritime Industry
e. Sea Marshall Officer in private vessels, both national and international
• End of lesson 1

• Review before next meeting for a Quiz-