Criminology
To help prepare you for this first module, your readings and videos discuss the origins of Criminology. From your Professor’s perspective (Note–remember this: potential final exam question–hint–hint: “Criminology is defined as the study of why some people commit crimes, and why some don’t”. Criminology is a relatively new discipline, only existing for several hundred years. It flows from the older, broader Social Science discipline of “Sociology, which is “the study of interactions among and between groups”. Lastly, Criminology and Sociology are part of a larger, even older, Natural Sciences discipline known as Psychology, which is defined as “The Study of the Mind”. Psychology dates all the way back to the ancient Greeks.
Part of the reason that people didn’t worry much about studying criminality before a few hundred years ago is because everyone KNEW why people committed crimes: They were possessed by evil spirits. Accordingly, the Church was responsible for the justice system, and used exorcism, drownings, and burnings, as a way to “free” the evil spirits from peoples’ bodies (unfortunately, the victim also often died along with the evil spirits).
Module One also sets the stage for understanding the major schools (or categories) in criminology that will be examined this week and in your follow-on readings/videos in the coming weeks:
-The Classical School
– The Neo-Classical School
-The Positivist School
– The Conflict/Critical/Social Constructionist Schools
So, without any further ado, here’s your first assignment:
*********SHORT ASSIGNMENT #1-DUE: 9/8/15********************
Review each of the links below and attached as described in your syllabus. Specifically,
Required Video (An Overview of Classical Criminology): Video found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwH1KioDtkA
Required Video (Beccaria and Classical Criminology): Video found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUcVZjoecCo
Required Video (Theories of Crime): An Overview: Video found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EEtz630ZZM
Required PowerPoint (attached to this assignment)
Using the Discussion Thread that I’ve set up in our Course site, post a thoughtful response (one paragraph (minimum) or two (maximum)) that
A: Discusses each of these three frames of reference–classical, positivistic, and theories of criminal behavior and their relationship to criminal justice policies.
–and–
B. Identifies which of these three frames of reference you align yourself with the most and why?