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Introduction to “Canadian Criminology”

Introduction to “Canadian Criminology”. Instructor: Office hours: Tel/e-mail:. “when there is crime in society there is no justice” Plato. Criminology: Its nature and structure – WHAT IS A…? Criminal Crime Deviant act Criminologist victim. Setting the stage…. Has crime increased?

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Introduction to “Canadian Criminology”

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  1. Introduction to “Canadian Criminology” Instructor: Office hours: Tel/e-mail:

  2. “when there is crime in society there is no justice” Plato Criminology: Its nature and structure – WHAT IS A…? • Criminal • Crime • Deviant act • Criminologist • victim

  3. Setting the stage… • Has crime increased? • Who commits the most crime? • Does capital punishment work? • What are the most serious crimes today? • Can we control crime?

  4. The crime-deviance continuum • Figure 1-1 • Define consensus vs. conflict crimes • Examples of: • Social diversions • Social deviations • Crime as relative and evolutive • Importance of frame of reference

  5. A call for Canadian Criminology • Crime is universal… so! • Differences that count • Minorities, law enforcement, sentencing, culture, politics, etc. • Significant theoretical and practical contributions • Review Canadian criminologists in Appendix 4 (also see Appendix 1)

  6. “Father of Canadian Criminology” with author

  7. The Changing Face of Crime and Criminology • Brief history • “criminology” and P. Topinard (1879) • Initial interest punishment and treatment • Secondary evolution of the study of penology • Reformers (C. Becarria & J. Bentham)

  8. The subject matter of criminology has been “blurred by shifts of both meaning and focus” N. Walker ‘87 • 1920: Maurice Parmalee’s (sociologist) contribution vs. • E. Sutherland • See Appendix 2 – variety of criminology/criminal justice journals

  9. The Criminological Enterprise • Criminal statistics • Sociology of law • Theory construction • Types of criminal behaviour • Criminal justice system • victimology

  10. The Diversity of Criminology • Sociology: social structure, social process, to social organization (Ch.7) • Psychology: science of individual behaviour (Ch. 6) • Biology: chemical, genetic, and/or neurological influences (Ch. 5) • Economics: “money the root of all evil”

  11. Geography/Environment: crime rates a by-product of physical and environmental factors • Political science: the importance of social policy (contrast European and N.A. criminologists)

  12. Integrated and Interdisciplinary approach • “paradigm shift” from unidiscipline to multi/interdisciplinary perspectives • Calls for • Integration of social sciences • Recognition of the complexity of human behaviour • Bridges specific and general aspects of crime

  13. “every man is guilty of all the good he didn’t do” - Voltaire • Criminology requires bridging theory and policy • Social and political challenges • Policy in the absence of theory is ‘guess work’ • BUT… serious ethical issues • Punish or treat • A crime or deviant act

  14. Summary • Crime is a global issue • Canada has its own unique concerns • Criminology burgeoning in Canada • Discipline rapidly evolving in a systematic and objective fashion • Criminology an applied science that resembles a living organism

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