Criminology Free Essays

All the actors are using a technique to evaluate the situation, statistics to determine who the possible suspect Is, and unique skills to help find where this person may be. Criminology Is the study of crime Its causes, its history, and Its prevention. Criminologists have many other disciplines, because they also study the psychology of criminals, the social contexts that give rise to crime in specific geographical and demographical locations, and the systems of punishment that serve to confine or perpetuate criminal activity. We will write a custom essay sample on Criminology or any similar topic only for you Order Now Crime and punishment function uniquely In each society. Therefore, criminologists concerned with crime theory are interested in comparing crime trends in different societies. The study of criminology is a very interesting major in the fact that it deals with the human brain yet it also plays a huge role in helping keep the community safe, I think that’s what fascinates me the most. When I took the personality test my result was NEFF. In the understanding me portion of the results It says, People Like me are very outgoing, enthusiastic, and spontaneous. I love meeting new people and probably have a large circle of friends ND acquaintances. Since I am always on the go and seem to have boundless energy, I am usually up for any new experience and especially love surprises! I am very curious, ask a lot of questions, and are fascinated by people or things that are out of the ordinary. Because of my vivid imagination, I have many ideas a day and am great at finding creative ways of solving problems or overcoming obstacles. I love to talk – especially about fun or interesting possibilities. People enjoy my unusual sense of humor and find me fun to be around. I pride myself on my uniqueness. I am also a insensitive and empathetic person who often has accurate Insights about others. My friends know I am devoted and affectionate and that I feel things very deeply, even If I don’t always show It. But I may also take correctly personally and find my feelings are easily hurt. When I have a lot of details to remember or projects to manage, I may become overwhelmed or discouraged. In fact, my curiosity often distracts me from the more routine parts of projects and I probably find that staying organized is one of the hardest things for me to do. Making decisions is also a struggle because there re so many interesting options calling to me at once. Whatever career I choose, it has to be something I believe in or I won’t be able to stick with it for very long. This is one of the main reasons I choose to study Criminology it is a fast pace very interesting Job that will catch my interest and keep me going. My strengths are Impressing people with my quickness and creativity. Anticipating the â€Å"right† answers people are looking for. Developing rapport easily, and changing gears quickly. Thinking quickly on my feet and articulating my strengths effectively. Networking effectively to create helpful relationships. My weakness’ are not following have checked out all of my options. Being too idealistic and setting unrealistic goals. Not being very organized and not using my time well. Exaggerating or not being completely accurate with facts. For a career that would satisfy me it would have to let me work with lots of interesting creative people. Allow me to use my creativity to solve problems. Involve work that is fun, challenging, and always varied. Let me work at my own pace and schedule, with a minimum of rules or supervision. Be consistent with my personal values. Be done in an environment that is friendly, relaxed, and appreciates humor. Rarely requires me to be responsible for lots of details. Use my imagination to create products or services that help people. The median pay is about $74,960 per year and $34. 04 per hour. The entry education level is a master’s degree. There does not need to be work experience in a related occupation or on-the-Job training. Number of Jobs in 2012 was 2,600. The Job growth is growing by 15% which is faster than average. This is a full time Job during regular business hours. Criminologist typically work in an office. They occasionally may work outside the office to conduct research through interviews or observations or present search results. The best way to get into this Job field is to have an advanced degree, strong statistical and research skills and a background in applied sociology. Criminologist would typically need a sociologist master’s degree or Ph. D. There are two types of sociology master’s degree programs: traditional programs and applied, clinical, and professional programs. Traditional programs prepare students to enter a Ph. D. Program. Applied, clinical, and professional programs prepare students to enter the professional workplace, teaching them the necessary analytical skills to perform sociological research in a reflections setting. Many students who complete a Ph. D. In sociology become postsecondary teachers. Other Ph. D. Graduates often become research sociologists for nonprofits, businesses, and governments. Courses in research methods and statistics are important for both master’s and Ph. D. Candidates. Many programs also offer opportunities to gain experience through internships or by preparing reports for clients. Although some graduates with a bachelor’s degree find work as sociology research assistants, most find positions in other fields, such as social services, administration, management, or sales and marketing. I plan to start my Journey through the criminology at DVD and then try to get into Sac State or US Davis. I think that Criminology is such an interesting major and topic that it will keep my interest, and it is expanding at a great rate 15% is the projected for the future. The fact that it deals with the human brain yet it also plays a huge role in helping keep the community safe, I think that’s what fascinates me the most. I believe I will strive in this Job force and be able to really succeed in this Job field. How to cite Criminology, Papers Criminology Free Essays Criminology CJA/314 February 14, 2013 Criminology Criminology is the body of knowledge regarding crime as a social phenomenon. Criminology is the scientific approach to studying criminal behavior (Bryant Peck, 2007). â€Å"Criminology is a multidisciplinary science. We will write a custom essay sample on Criminology or any similar topic only for you Order Now In addition to criminology, criminologists hold degrees in a variety of diverse fields, including sociology, criminal justice, political science, psychology, public policy, economics, and the natural sciences† (Siegel, 2010, para 3). History of Criminology Sir Robert Peel brought the English concept of policing and theories to include the principles of policing. This started the history of policing and criminology in America. This led to early attempts to explain crime scientifically, efforts that began in the late 18th century and continued until the end of the 19th century, when the term ‘criminology’ finally came into use, and the field became a discipline. Primary purpose for criminology Criminology Criminology is a form of knowledge viewing crime as a social phenomenon (Luckenbill, Miller, 2007). The intention of criminology is the development of a form of common and tested principles and of other types of knowledge concerning this process of law, treatment, and crime. The reason for introducing theories The important aspect about theories is that they are needed to live and to live better. Theories let us to develop and test solutions to problems we come across in life. Theorists use the scientific process to test their theories. They assemble data, generate a hypotheses—testable beliefs of behavior that can be obtained from the theory and test them using valid experiential research procedures. Around the end of the nineteenth century, a new vision of the world tested the legitimacy of classical theory and ffered a modern way of looking at the causes of crime (Siegel, 2010). Classical school Classical Criminology The classical school was established during the eighteenth century in Europe. The classical school point of view of crime is a rational means for maximizing self-interest. Neoclassical Criminology In neoclassical criminology, punishment is seen as providing both a deterrent and just deserts. Just deserts implies that criminal offen ders deserve the punishment they receive and that any criminal punishment meted out should be suitable to the type and seriousness of the crime perpetrated. Biological Theories Early Positivism Studying the behavior of the criminal is the first genuine concern represented by positivism. Positivism looks for ways to find those factors that cause the criminal conduct and remove (or treat) them, If the conduct were socially undesirable, individuals demonstrating them should be treated and returned to normalcy. Psychological and sociological theories as well as biological theories represents positivism. Positivism has had a huge effect on the way criminological theories have been shaped and the way that research has been conducted. Constitutional Constitutional factors such as Gender, age, body type, observable physical characteristics, intelligence, and personality play a role in crime. Constitutional factors influence a person to specific types of behavior and that social reaction to such behavior may determine, to a large degree, the form of continued behavior (Schmalleger, 2009,). Psychological/Psychiatric Theories Model Theory A form of social learning theory modeling theory emphasizes that people learn how to act by watching others. They must learn the aggressive behavior. Psychoanalytic Criminology Psychological theories gained popularity around the turn of 20th century, the dominance of sociological theories overshadowed biological and psychological theories of crime. Psychological theories of crime view individual difference in conduct make certain people likely to commit criminal conduct. This theory also claims that an environmental factor has initiated an internal response to the personality of the individual and that environmental factor is the cause that permits the individual to engage in immoral and criminal conduct. Several psychological descriptions tend to indicate numerous personality attributes displayed by offenders that if recognized early could foresee future criminal conduct. Social Structure Approaches Social Disorganization The importance of analyzing social structure itself became firmly grounded when the government’s New Deal reform efforts focused on rearranging society. Culture Conflict Also called cultural deviance theory culture conflict theory suggests a clash of values between differently socialized groups over what is acceptable or proper behavior is the root cause of criminality. Basically a clash between the social values of the middle-class and the conduct standards of other classes. Conduct standards can be defined as the day-to-day rules that govern the behavior of these social classes. History has shown that adherence to conduct standards often results in a clash with the mainstream culture (Lyman Potter, 2007). Social Process Theories Social Learning Social learning theory focuses more on the behavior and presents a familiar treatment or remedy for deviance. Learning theory is also aimed toward individuals in order to explain how individuals come to take part in criminal behavior. Social Control Social control theory is not new. It is a theoretical approach most closely match’s the public’s idea of why people become criminals. People tend to believe that a person becomes criminal for a variety of reason, associating with the wrong friends, an inadequate upbringing, an absence of religion, or a deficiency of education, social control theory reflects that belief. Social control theory takes a view of human nature that accepts deviance is natural (Williams McShane, 2011). Social Conflict Theories Conflict Theories Conflict theories, are based on the notion that people hold conflicting values and disagreement is common. Often pointed to as evidence of a conflict orientation are laws that seem to benefit only small groups of a selected few or powerful business owners (Williams McShane, 2011). Radical Criminology Radical criminology holds that the causes of crime are rooted in Social conditions that give power to the wealthy and the politically well-organized but exclude those that are less fortunate (Schmalleger, 2009,) . Economic conditions are also critical to many radical theories. During periods of economic depression and recession, unemployment is among the most common of the factors assumed to be associated with crime. Industry must reconcile a threat to its survival with downsizing its labor force. â€Å"A preliminary version of radical conflict theories is characterized by the work of William Chambliss in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Chambliss became interested in the making of law and the process by which it was applied. † (Williams McShane, 2011) Conclusion The study of criminology theory is a chance to examine and evaluate the way others have looked at crime throughout history. Statistics on crime are essential to criminology. They help establish the basic social facts of the crime. Criminologists are interested in answering questions about how crime should be defined, why crime occurs, and how societies seek to control crime. The history of modern criminology, which can be traced to the early nineteenth century, has not produced definitive answers to these questions. Today, the quest to understand crime is as close to us as the latest newspaper headlines and television reports. Theory is not just a popular belief, opinion, or value-driven explanation. Instead, theory is a product of the scientific approach (Williams McShane, 2011). References Bryant, C. D. , Peck, D. L. (2007). Criminology. 21st Century Sociology, 1-2(), 390-399. doi:10. 4135/9781412939645. n39 Crutchfield, R. D. , Kubrin, C. (2001). Criminology. In Encyclopedia of Sociology (2nd ed. , Vol. 1, pp. 527-539). New York: Macmillan Reference USA. Retrieved from http://go. galegroup. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/ps/i. do? id=GALE%7CCX3404400080v=2. 1u=uphoenixit=rp=GVRLsw=w Lyman, M. D. , Potter, G. W. ( 2007 ). Organized Crime (4th ed. ). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Luckenbill, D. , Miller, K. (2007). Criminology. In C. Bryant, D. Peck (Eds. ), 21st century sociology. (pp. I-390-I-399). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. doi: 10. 4135/9781412939645. n39 Schmalleger, F. (2009). Criminology Today. An Integrative Introduction (6th ed. ). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database Siegel, L. J. (2010). Criminology. Theories, Patterns, and Typologies, (10th ed. ). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Williams, F. P. , McShane, M. D. (2011). Criminological Theory (5th ed. ). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. How to cite Criminology, Papers Criminology Free Essays A modern day courtroom is more of a stage than a decided place whereby decisions are made based on the legal applications of current statutes and laws. Too often, cases are presented by highly-experienced and qualified prosecutors against rookie public defenders with minimal courtroom experience. This is the equivalent of putting a toddler into a ring with a sumo-wrestler. We will write a custom essay sample on Criminology or any similar topic only for you Order Now Decisions are made in courts based on who is the most convincing, not by what is legally provided. The eloquent tones and savvy dialects used by experienced attorneys serenade the ears of the jury members. A defendant’s guilt in serious cases involving heinous crimes and despicable acts is regularly determined by a jury’s level of shock combined with their subconscious ability to assume the worst (Hostettler, 2004). The modern day jury prides themselves on being god-like as someone’s fate rests in their hands. There is no way to be certain that a jury’s decision is not biased (Hostettler, 2004). A judge is in charge of instructing the jury before deliberations begin. These instructions are to include what information can be used and not used in determining one’s guilt or innocence. Unfortunately, today’s legal system is much the same as it was in the Middle Ages. The weapons are the only thing that has changed. Razor-like forked tongues are being used as the modern day swords, and physical torture has been replaced with psychological torture and trauma, and life sentences in a solitary environment are the new death penalty. References Hostettler, J.   (2004). The criminal jury old and new: jury power from early times to the present   day.   Portland, OR:   Waterside Press. How to cite Criminology, Papers Criminology Free Essays Question #1: List and discuss the subareas of the criminological enterprise. The criminological enterprise includes such sub-areas as criminal statistics, the sociology of law, theory construction, criminal behavior systems, penology, victimology, conflict view, and interactonist view of crime. Criminologists believe in one of three perspectives: the consensus view, the conflict view, and the interactionist view of crime. We will write a custom essay sample on Criminology or any similar topic only for you Order Now The conflict view of crime depicts society aqs a collection of diverse groups- business owners, workers, professionals, and students who are in constant and continuing conflict. The consensus views of crime are behaviors believed to be repugnant to all elements of society. The laws are thought to be written code that defines crimes and their punishments, reflects the values, beliefs and opinions of society’s mainstream. The term consensus is used because it implies that there is a general agreement among the majority of citizens on what behaviors should be outlawed and viewed as crimes. The interactionist view of crime holds that people act according to their own interpretations of reality, through which they assign meaning to things; they observe the way others react, either positively or negatively; and they reevaluate and interpret their own behavior according to the meaning and symbols they have learned from others. There is no objective reality and people, institutions, and events are viewed subjectively and labeled either good or evil according to the interpretation of the evaluator. Question #2: Explain the conflict view of crime. The conflict view of crime can be summed up by exploring the fundamental causes of crime. It is widely popular that the social and economic forces of society dictate what defines crime. Many believe the criminal justice system and criminal law are thought to be operating on behalf of the rich and power social elites. This assumption is derived by the philosophy to control the poor by establishing policies critiqued towards standards of morality and good behavior. Keep in mind that this theory was created by the dominate class of organized society. The idea is to emphasize good behavior by keeping the poor (have-not) from taking from the rich. In a capitalist society, many groups can feel marginalized, creating a feeling of being unequal, unimportant, or powerless. This is believed to lead certain groups to find equality by turning to crime to obtain the material wealth they cannot afford. The poor, on the other hand, argue that the rich and powerful use their money/position to further their interests and by doing so do it at the expense of the interest of others. They compare the harsh punishments the lower class receives for their minor crime with the rather lenient punishments that the upper class receives. For example, a business owner who commits tax fraud may get off easy by paying fines while a lower class citizen may go to prison for stealing a TV. Question #3: Discuss the social goals the government hopes to achieve by outlawing unacceptable behaviors. The goals the government hopes to achieve by outlawing unacceptable behaviors is to simply try and allow all people to live fairly and peacefully. Harmony amongst the populations is priceless because it allows us all to go about our daily activities without worrying about being robbed, murdered, or violated by our fellow citizens on a daily basis. By outlawing bad behavior, for example, robbery, allows society to expand in a number of areas economically. We are able to open restaurants, malls, banks, etc. and this allows for the flow of trade and economic advancement. Without laws in place, these businesses would fear to have thousands of dollars of merchandise in place in fear that anyone with evil intent can take what they want with no repercussion. In short, outlawing bad behavior gives the public a sense of peace knowing that their safety and property is not only valued in their minds, but by the public as a whole. We are able to live in harmony for the most and when those who choose to violate others, are charged accordingly to provide justice to all. How to cite Criminology, Papers Criminology Free Essays This essay will attempt to explain a crime chosen from an article by applying a criminological theory. The article chosen is ‘Girl in critical condition after fire that killed mother and siblings’. The writer of the article describes the events of a suspected arson attack that killed five members of the family after their home was set alight. We will write a custom essay sample on Criminology or any similar topic only for you Order Now The article then mentions another suspected arson incident that caused damage to a car belonging to a family living opposite the victims, which appears to have been set alight at the same time (The Guardian, 2012). The theory that will be applied to this article in an attempt to explain arson is Merton’s strain theory. The Oxford Dictionary defines arson as ‘the criminal act of deliberately setting fire to property’ (Oxford Dictionary, 2012). The statistics show that large proportion of arsonists have a lower social background and are predominately young adult males (Home Office, 2011). Merton believed that criminal activity is thus the result of strain between culturally encouraged goals and the legitimate means of achieving them (Newburn, 2007). The ‘American Dream’ makes an individual believe that they live in meritocracy where everyone has equal opportunity to succeed if they work and study. Unfortunately, the reality is that the socially approved means of achieving the financial success are not equally distributed (Carrabine et al, 2009). Causing the working class males to seek alternative, and therefore, illegitimate means of achieving these goals or lashing out and deliberately setting fire to public and private property. The article previously mentioned states two suspected acts of arson, but because it happened to two neighbours it eliminates revenge as a motive as well as hate crime since the two neighbours were of different cultural backgrounds. Thus, strain theory can successfully explain arson committed by an individual frustrated by the status quo who took their frustrations out by vandalism, arson and damage (The Guardian, 2012; Lilly et al, 2011). Another possible way to explain arson is by using the social learning theory. Social learning theory was based on Bandura’s research and is best known by the Bobo doll experiment. Bandura proposed that human behaviour is learned at a cognitive level when a child imitates a behaviour they witnessed by others and will be especially influenced to mimic that behaviour if they are of high status to them. His aim of his research was to see whether children learned violent and criminal behaviour by observing aggression and imitating their role models’ actions (McLaughlin et al, 2003; Morrison, 1995). Explanation of crime, such as arson, could be found through the observed and consequently, learned behaviour of a family members, peers or role models on the TV. Observational learning is primarily influential if those who model the behaviour are perceived to be rewarded for it. The BoBo doll experiment confirms this as when a child witnessed the model being punished he/she was least likely to copy the behaviour than when seeing the model was being rewarded with praise for their behaviour. This effectively explains arson in the young males as rappers, actors and video games have an overwhelming effect on the young person’s behaviour (Newburn, 2007; Rock, 2007). In conclusion, strain theory can explain arson in terms of individuals frustration created by the socially approved goals and the unavailable legitimate means of achieving the goal. While, social learning theory explains arson by proving the behaviour is learned by observing models. However, both the theories fail to take into account individual differences. Bibliography: 1. Carrabine, E. , Cox, P. , Lee, M. , Plummer, K. and South, N. , (2009) Criminology: a sociological introduction (2nd edition), London, Routledge 2. Hill, A. 2012), ‘Girl in critical condition after fire that killed mother and siblings’, The Guardian, 17th October, 2012, p. 12 3. Home Office, (2011), Criminal damage and arson effective practice. Available at: http://www. homeoffice. gov. uk/publications/effective-practice/crime-effective-practice/criminal-damage-arson (Accessed: 17th October, 2012). 4. Lilly, J. Robert, Cullen, Francis T. , and Ball, Richard A. (2011), Criminological Theory: Context a nd Consequences (4th edition), London, SAGE Publications 5. McLaughlin, E. , Muncie, J. and Hughes, G. eds) (2003), Criminological Perspectives: Essential Readings (2nd edition), London, SAGE Publications 6. Morrison, W. , (1995), Theoretical Criminology: from modernity to post-modernism, London, Cavendish 7. Newburn, T. (2007), Criminology, Devon, Willan Publishing 8. Oxford Dictionary Online, (2012), Arson. Available at: http://oxforddictionaries. com/definition/english/arson , (Accessed 18th October, 2012). 9. Rock, P. (2007), ‘Sociological theories of crime’ in Maguire, M. , Morgan, R. and Reiner R. (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Criminology (4th edition), OUP How to cite Criminology, Essay examples Criminology Free Essays Criminology in the Future Roseland Cervantes-Barilla, Heather Arthur Dreamer, Andrea Patella, Samaritan Asparagus, and Everett Titus CA 314 August 18, 2014 Paula Rootstock Crime fighting techniques are always evolving; which will help decrease crime rate over time. There are new crime-fighting methodologies developed and improved on every day; biometrics, cybercafà © spare, and DNA collection programs. Criminology has evolved greatly, however policies from the past are still used today; such as the Classical Schools concept. We will write a custom essay sample on Criminology or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, there have been many improvements in the policies in the past. Theories are developed and expanded on concerning why individuals commit crimes, such as the social learning theory and social structure theory. Although these methods help reduce crime and possibly detect criminal activity, some theories and crime-fighting methodologies violate civil liberty. Future of Crime Fighting Crime is a major part of our history, present, and our future. People are not perfect, and the world is a cruel place for people to live in now days. The future is what we need to look to, and our future is in the hands of ourselves. It is our Job to ensure that we do have a future and that our children have a safe place to live as they grow up as well. It’s important for us to take action now, that way in the future hopefully things will be better. It will not be an easy road to go down but it is one we need to go down non-the-less. Nothing is easy in life, and we have to stand up and fight for the things we want; otherwise crime will overrun the streets and spiral out of hand. Crime-fighting Methodologies Although, we need to ensure the safety of the people, the future of crime fighting needs to be mindful of an individual’s rights as well. It will take professional work, and expertise to overcome this hard road. The most-important issue when it comes future policies of crime fighting is the safety of the citizens. One of the biggest social issues of the future will be the internet. We already have a start to the future with tools like fingerprinting, facial recognition, voice recognition, and iris scans. All these things are crucial aspects to the crime fighting fields. DNA testing is another major way of identification that can’t be altered. Through the years, technology has grown and has developed. It has helped ensure public safety in many ways, it also has helped state and local communities better use existing technology. It has improved criminal records and identification systems to keep high-risk individuals from locating weapons or positions of trust. There are many databases used by the criminal Justice system from the combined DNA Index system, biometrics, cybercafà © spare and others. DNA Testing The combined DNA index system is a useful tool in solving crimes. In 1998, it was officially initiated it allowed participating forensic laboratories to compare DNA roofless with the main purpose to match case evidence to other unrelated cases or to other persons that have been already convicted of specific crimes. DNA can be very useful when solving crimes one of two ways. When a suspect is identified, a sample of their DNA can be compared to evidence of the crime scene. In the case where there is no suspect that has been identified, evidence that is left from the crime scene can be analyzed and compared to profiles in the DNA database to help identify the perpetrator. There have been many controversy about obtaining DNA the con in n article by Generated titled â€Å"Retreating Justice†; â€Å"storing DNA taken from unsuspected individuals in a criminal database undermines presumptive innocence and sets a chilling precedent for data collection by the government of its citizens. In addition, it violates the rights of people to be secure and protected from ‘unreasonable searches and seizures’ as is guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. † (http://UCLA. Procom. Org/view. Answers. PH? Questioned=()00685) Regardless how you look at it the DNA index system when used properly can solve a rime and is very useful for law enforcement. With the ongoing growth of technology, they will find more fast and efficient ways to solve crimes and catch criminals. Biometrics According to the NJ, Biometrics is the science of using one or more physical characteristics or behavioral traits to identify individuals. Biometrics helps law enforcement agencies track individuals down. One known biometric technology is fingerprinting. This method provides accurate information of detecting criminals. Fingerprinting also helps secure borders and prevent identity theft. Cybercafà © Spy;are So many people use the internet and use that as a way of communication, business, etc. This has had a dramatic rise in crimes through this technology. Public and private entities have developed these techniques and others to address cybercafà © which include fraud, child exploitation, viruses, and many more crimes. There are numerous agencies in the U. S including the federal government level the US department of Justice, homeland security, local and state Law Enforcement that have the responsibility to investigate and prosecute cybercafà ©s. Crime fighting techniques are always evolving and improving; the growth helps educe the amount of crime committed each year. There are new crime-fighting methodologies developed and improved on every day; biometrics, cybercafà © spare, and DNA collection programs. Criminology has grown greatly and has been expanded on. However policies from the past are still used today because they still apply to society and the relation to crime. However, there have been many improvements in the policies in the past. Although these methods help reduce crime and possibly detect criminal activity, some theories and crime-fighting methodologies violate civil liberty. How to cite Criminology, Papers