CRIMINOLOGY: An Introduction and Overview

CRIMINOLOGY
An Introduction and Overview

By
FRANCIS C. POSTRADO
BS Criminology

What is CRIMINOLOGY?
Etymological Definition -
Criminology (from Latin crīmen,
"accusation"; and Greek -λογία, -logia)
is the scientific approach to studying
criminal behavior.
The term was coined in 1885 by
Raffaele Garofalo, an Italian law
professor.

What is CRIMINOLOGY?
Classic Definition – According to
Edwin Sutherland and Donald Cressey:
Criminology is a body of knowledge
regarding crime as a social phenomenon.
It includes within its scope the processes
of making laws, of breaking of laws,
and of reaction toward the breaking of
laws.

Making of laws
Law is passed because of the consensus of the will
of the public. In the Philippines, we have bicameral system
of legislation. It is called bicameral because it is composed
of two houses; the Senate and the House of
Representatives. We have three major divisions or
branches in the government; the executive, vested on the
office of the president; the legislative, cited and explained
above; and the judiciary vested on the Supreme Court. We
are being represented by the legislative branch in making
laws.

Early laws worldwide setting:
1. Code of Hammurabi- Babylon (1700 B.C.)
2. Mosaic Code- Israelites (1200 B.C.)
3. Draconian Code- Greece (17th century)
4. Hindu Code of Manu- India
5. Koran- Islamic Society
6. Law of twelve tables- Romans (451-450 B.C.)
7. Sumerian Code- Summer (3500 BC.)
8. Law of Moses ( 1500 B.C.-1900 B.C.)

Early laws in the Philippines:
1. Maragtas Code (1215) -the oldest law of Panay
Island.
2. Kalantiaw Code (1433) -2nd code of criminal
justice.

Breaking of Laws
· All violations of laws are violations of
the will of the majority in the society.
Violation of the provisions of the
criminal laws created by the public thru
representation is called CRIME.

Crime- is an act or omission in violation of
criminal law.
Act- is outward movement tending to
produce effect.

Reaction of the society towards the
breaking of laws
Society either reacts positively or negatively
when someone commits crime.
However, seldom has the society reacted
positively; it reacts negatively by imposing
punishment on the law-breaker.

Phenomenon- observable; something which
can be observed; any fact, circumstances, or
experiences which can be explained scientifically.

Objectives of Criminology
The development of a body of
general and verified principles and
of other types of knowledge
regarding this process of law,
crime, and its control and
prevention, and the treatment of
the youthful offenders.

Nature of Criminology
Criminology continues to bring together in a
very amorphous manner people who do the
following kinds of work:
1. academicians (often sociologists) who
teach students a subject called criminology,
including those criminologists who also do
research and write on the subject;
2. teachers who train other people for
professional roles in crime control and
criminal justice work;

3. those who are involved in policy research
within the criminal justice system; and

4. those who apply criminology that is all the
people who are employed in criminal justice agencies,
ranging from policemen to lawyers to prison wardens to
correctional workers.

Even this list of broad groupings does not exhaust
the possibilities as criminology and criminal justice
increasingly play prominent roles in the further
development of society.

Criminology Distinguished
from
Other Related Disciplines
Criminology: An Interdisciplinary Science
It involves two or more academic fields,
namely:
1. Sociology
2. Criminal justice,
3. Political science,
4. Psychology,
5. Economics,
6. Natural Sciences

Criminology Distinguished from
Criminology and Criminal Justice
Criminology Criminal justice
explains the origin,
extent, and nature of
refers to agencies
crime in society of social control

Criminologist Criminal Justice Scholars

-identify the nature, -seek more effective
extent and cause of methods of crime
crime. control and offender
rehabilitation

Criminology Distinguished from
Criminology and Criminal Justice

Overlapping Area of Concern. Criminal justice
experts cannot begin to design effective programs
of crime prevention or rehabilitation without
understanding the nature and cause of crime.
They require accurate criminal statistics and data to
test the effectiveness of crime control and
prevention programs.

from
Criminology and Deviance
Studies Criminal Studies behavior
behavior that departs from
social norms

NOTE: Not all crimes are deviant or unusual
acts and not all deviant acts are illegal.

from
Criminology and Deviance
Overlapping Area of Concern. There is a
thin line that distinguishes criminal act from
deviant act. For example, when does
sexually oriented material cross the line
from merely suggestive to obscene and
therefore illegal?

Is Criminology a Science?
There is at present a continuing argument
whether criminology is a science or not. Edwin
H. Sutherland and Donald Cressy both
American Criminologist argued that
criminology is not a science but it has hopes of
becoming a science.
However, George L. Wilker said that
criminology cannot possibly become a science
due to lack of universal proposition of crime
and scientific studies of criminal behavior is
impossible.

So How Criminology become a
Science?
Criminology is a science in itself when applied to law
enforcement and prevention of crimes under the following
nature:
1. It is an applied science - in the study of the causes of
crimes, anthropology, zoology, psychology, sociology and other
natural sciences may be applied. While in crime detection,
chemistry, medicine, physics, mathematics, ballistics,
photography, legal medicine, question documents examination
may be utilized. This is called Instrumentation

2. It is a social science - in as much as crime is a social
creation and that it exists in a society being a social phenomenon,
its study must be considered a part of social science.

3. It is dynamic- criminology changes as
social conditions changes. It is concomitant with
the advancement of other sciences that have been
applied to it.

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

The Scope of Criminology
1. Study of the causes of crimes and development of
criminals.
2. Study of the origin and development of criminal
laws.
3. Study of the different factors that enhances as:
a. criminal sociology- study the effects of social
conditions on crime and criminals including the machinery of
justice and the evolution of criminal law and punishment.
b. criminal psychiatry- study of human mind in relation
to criminality.

c. criminal ecology- the study of criminality in
relation to spatial distribution on a community.
d. criminal demography- study of the
relationship between criminology and population
e. criminal epideomology- study of the
relationship between environment and criminality.
f. Criminal physical anthropology- study of
criminality in relation to physical constitution of
men.
g. Victimology- study of the role of the victim
in the commission crime.

4. Study of the various process and measures
adopted by society violation of criminal laws:
a. the detection and investigation of crimes,
b. the arrest and apprehension of criminals,
c. the prosecution and conviction of the criminal in a
judicial proceeding,
d. the enforcement of laws, decrees and regulations,
e. the administration of the police and other law
enforcement agencies,
f. maintenance of recreational facilities and other
auxiliary prevent the development of crimes and criminal
behavior.

Three Divisions of Criminology
• Criminal Etiology- it is an attempt at
scientific analysis of the causes of the crime.
• Sociology of Law- which is an attempt
at scientific analysis of the conditions which
penal/criminal laws has developed as a
process of formal and social control.
• Penology- which is concerned with the
control and prevention of crime and the
treatment of offenders.

The Criminologist
Criminologists are interested as how criminal
laws are created, who has the power to create them,
what are the purpose of such laws, how they are
enforced and violated.

The criminologists study the kinds of sanctions
or incentives that can best protect the environment.
The criminologists study the relationship between
ideology and power in the making, enforcing, and
breaking of laws.

Criminologist, defined
A Criminologist is a person who studies the
causes of crimes, its treatment and prevention using
scientific methods.

Criminologists use scientific principles
• Gather data
• Create theories
• Employ established method of social science
inquiry
• Experimental designs
• Sophisticated data analyses

Is a Policeman considered a
Criminologist?
Generally speaking, a policeman is a
criminology practitioner not a
criminologist, because he is focused only
in the enforcement of the law, which is
only one aspect in the work of a
criminologist.

What is a Criminology
Practitioner?
A criminology practitioner is any person who is a
consumer of the knowledge and research of
criminologists, applied in the prevention, control and
treatment of a crime.

Examples: any member of any law enforcement
agency of the government, crime laboratory
technicians, correctional officers, and other workers
of the criminal justice system.

What is then is a Licensed
Criminologist?
A licensed criminologist is a degree holder
of Criminology or a Criminology practitioner
who passed the licensure (Board)
Examination for Criminologist and is
registered with the Professional Regulation
Commission (PRC).

R.A. 6506- an Act Creating the Board of
Criminology in the Philippines and for other
purposes

Criminology in the Philippines

Philippine College of Criminology Criminology Curriculum: Only 5
formerly Plaridel College, 1956 subjects dealt with Criminology proper,
1st Criminology School i.e. explaining etiology and nature of
Sta Cruz, Manila crime

R.A. 6506 (July 1, 1972): Provides Recognized Crim Org: Professional
Board Examinations to Criminology Criminologists Association of the
Graduates and Guidelines in the Philippines (PCAP) & Philippine
Practice of Criminology Profession. Educators Association for Criminology
Education (PEACE)

More of Criminal Justice;
Ched Memo Order (CMO) 21, Seriesof
emphasized on operations of agencies
2005: Criminology is now under the
of justice, specifically police
umbrella of Criminal Justice Education
departments, courts, and correctional
along with Law Enforcement
facilities.
Administration, Correctional
Administration, Industrial Security
Management, and Forensic Science

Oldest school introduced
criminology in the Philippines
ESCUELA DE DERECHO DE MANILA of 1898 established by
FELIPE G. CALDERON of TANZA founder and first Dean, after his death,
rename to MANILA LAW COLLEGE whose educational principles in
Criminology was introduced in the Philippines on 1953 and took effect in
1954 by establishing sister institution, THE PHILIPPINE COLLEGE OF
CRIMINOLOGY.

The Unveiled History of Law and Criminal Justice Educations
and Practices in the Philippines
by
Prof. Danilo I. Gregorio,
1st ,Advance Edition, 2011
Copyrighted 2010, (Unpublish)
0929-386166645/0915-4403691

Practice of Criminology Profession
(Republic Act No. 6506: Criminologist Law)
Law enforcement
administrator (Police, NBI,
etc.)
Forensic practitioner:
Fingerprint Examiner, Forensic
Ballistician, Forensic
Photographer, etc.

Correctional Administrator

Industrial Security
Officer/Consultant

Instructor in schools offering
criminology programs

Pre-Employment Eligibilities
Criminology PRC License – Republic Act No. 6506

Honor Graduate Eligibility – Presidential Decree 907

Civil Service Eligibility
NAPOLCOM Eligibility

Agency Eligibility
Certified Security Professional License

Government Agencies Available for
Criminology Graduates

Government Agencies Available for

Other government agencies requiring public safety agents

Private Agencies Available for

Credit and Lending Corporations

CRIMINOLOGY: An Introduction and Overview

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