What is Criminology ?

According to Oxford dictionary of Law, criminology is the study of crime. It is an interdisciplinary field that combines the aspects of the legal theory and substantive legal disciplines with approaches based on psychology, sociology and moral philosophy.

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Definitions of Criminology:  

Now as we know that criminology is an interdisciplinary field so it is divided into several branches for the ease of study. Each branch provides us a different approach for learning.                    

Relationship of Criminology with other branches of learning

i.e. why human beings behave in a way they do in a given society. These behavioral sciences may be psychology or psychiatry.  

Thus, criminology helps us to understand why certain people living under certain circumstances in a certain society commit crimes i.e. murder, kidnapping, rape, assault, robbery etc. It helps the criminologists to understand human behavior and also helps them to formulate police to prevent further crimes.  

Scope of Criminology     

Criminology is the body of knowledge regarding crime as a social phenomenon. It includes within its scope, the process of making laws, or breaking laws and ways of reacting towards the breaking of laws.   

The scope of criminology is increasing day by day. It has a very significant value in both practical and theoretical terms.      

Following are different aspects of scope of criminology:

• Primary Aspect

The primary aspect of the scope of criminology is that it urges people to do research on crime and criminals and learn about their nature. They do so because it is in the nature of humans that they want to keep safe themselves and their loved ones or their property from any harm in future. It does not only happen on individual basis but also at the level of a society. The societies which show interest in crime, and ponder upon the reason of their happening, usually counter them in a better way in future. 

• Scope in Pakistani Society

Working on the true aspects of criminology is required at most in Pakistan. In Pakistan the criminal justice system has so many flaws that it creates a sense of insecurity in the Pakistani people. They don’t usually trust the police, prosecution or judiciary. This feeling is even more dangerous than the direct damage caused by a crime.  

So, by working on the true aspects of criminology, the trust of the people can be regained by discarding the flaws in our criminal justice system. This can be done by providing easy, cheap and quick justice to the victim. This would greatly discourage the criminals from doing crimes.  All of this can only be possible by correct implementation of the aspects of criminology.  

• Relation with Criminal Law

Criminal law is a field which covers all the aspects related to a crime. It is formed by legislations done by the elected representatives in parliament. However, criminologists play a key role in formulation of these laws as they have complete knowledge about the causes, affects and prevention of crime.  

• Understanding the main intention of Criminal Law

The main intention of criminal law is to create an authority of the state over the society highlighting the acts and omissions which challenge its authority.   

Any breach of these acts or omissions would be dealt by the criminal law. The field of criminology would help the people to understand the requirement of a particular criminal law, its values and its effects on the society.  

• Understanding Criminal Law of Pakistan

The criminal law of Pakistan  mostly dates back to the British colonial era. The law was molded according to the socio-cultural values of the area. That’s why it was accepted as basic criminal law even after the independence. Criminology helps us to understand the relation between our society and our criminal law and how much it is accepted by the people of our society.  

• Relation with Criminal Justice System

The field of criminology highlights the parameters of different agencies of criminal justice system. This tells about the field of work for the police, prosecution, judiciary, probation, parole and prisons.