Criminology

This article was written by Amy Judge, Year 10

-Why is Criminology so Fascinating? 

-Have you ever wondered why people commit crimes? -What drives them to break the law? 

Criminology is the scientific study of crime and its criminals and their minds. This study looks into the criminals' why, what and when. Criminology is a perfect study to learn as it tests your problem solving skills, interpersonal skills, analytical skills, observation skills and many more.   

When you think of a criminal, a typical person will see them as the ‘bad guy.’ However, criminology asks the question of: 

What makes them into that bad person?

If you work with criminology you must remember that a criminal is still a person, no matter what they do. So you need to picture yourself in their situation and understand absolutely whatever you can about them. Criminology isn't just about catching ‘bad guys’. It's a dynamic field that thinks into the why behind crime.

Being a criminologist means being in a very intellectual field. The specific majors that many future criminologists major in are criminology, psychology, and sociology. 

What are the three theories of criminal behaviour?

Psychological, biological, and social approaches discuss various theories of criminal behaviour. The major psychological theories are approaches to the behavioural, psychodynamic, humanistic, biological and social theories exploring human behaviour. 

What is the difference between criminology and psychology?

Psychology is a huge part of criminology. However, criminology only focuses on studying causes of crime behaviour. Whereas, psychology focuses on only the human mind.  

In Fact there are many types of subjects that infuse together to form and structure criminology. These subjects include: 

Psychology: What are the psychological characteristics that might influence criminal behaviour?

Sociology: How do social factors like poverty, inequality, and family dynamics play a role?

Economics: How do economic opportunities and lack of resources impact crime rates?

Biology: Does genetics play any role in criminal tendencies?

Personally, one aspect about criminology that fascinates me, is the fact you never just look into the past, but the future of the said criminal. You would study and look into the criminals emerging trends in crime and would have to think about - What's Next? 

What jobs can you get with criminology?

• PI 

• Police 

• Layer 

• Criminal profiler 

• Criminologist 

• Forensics

• Crime Analyst

• FBI Specialist 

• Detective 

• Offender services manager

• Paralegal

     (These are only some!) 

So, if you're curious, analytical, and passionate about making an impact, then criminology might be for you. It's a field that offers a unique blend of science, social science, and problem-solving skills.

Become a part of the solution!