INTRODUCTION TO

CRIMINOLOGY
ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD CRIMINOLOGY
The word “criminology” itself tell us that is
essentially the study of crime. Criminology is
derived from the Latin crimen, which means
“accusation”, and the transliterated Greek
logia,which has come to denote “the study of”
 Criminology
Criminology is a noun(countable and
uncountable, plural criminologies);it refers
to the study of crime and criminals,
especially their behavior, the scientific
study and investigation of crime and
criminals.
 Origin: criminal+ -logy
Criminological- Adjective
Criminologically-Adverb
Criminologist- Noun
In 1885,Italian law professor Raffaele
Garofalo coined the term “criminology”(in
Italian, criminologia). The french
anthropologist Paul Topinard used it for the
first time in French (criminologie)around the
same.
CRIMINOLOGY DEFENITIONS:
Criminology according to Edwin
Sutherland is the body of knowledge
regarding crime as social phenomenon.
It includes within its scope the process
of making laws( Sociology of Laws), of
breaking laws(Etiology of Crimes), and
of reacting toward the breaking of laws
(Penology)
 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.
Criminology is the scientific study of crime,
criminals, and criminal behavior.
Criminologists scientifically study the following:
a. Nature and extent of crime;
b. Patterns of criminality;
c. Explanations on the causes of crime and
criminal behavior; and
d. The control of crime and criminal behavior.
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; and
4. To control criminal behavior.
 Nature of Criminology
Generally, criminology cannot be considered as
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