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Important Definitions of Criminology

Submitted by Prateek Kher on

Dr M.J. Sethna

Criminology we should say is the study of the meaning and the constituent factor of crime, understanding of the causes, of the remedies what goes by the name of the crime.

Donald Taft

Criminology is the study which includes all subject matter necessary to the understanding and prevention of crimes together with punishment or treatment of delinquent of criminals.

Webster

Criminology is the scientific study of crime as a social phenomenon or criminals and mental traits, their habits, their discipline etc

Ellit and Merril

Criminology may be defined as the scientify study of crime and its treatment.

Hubert Johnson

Criminology is the Scientific and practical application of findings in the area of 

  1. a crime causation, criminal behavior and etiology (Etiology refers to the cause or origin of a disease or abnormal condition)
  2. The nature of social reaction as symptom of the characteristics of society and
  3. the prevention of crime.

Sutherland

Criminology is the body of knowledge regarding crime as a serial  phenomenon.

Sutherland has classified Criminology in three categories. He Observed that "Criminology" consists of three principle divisions as follows:

  1. the Sociology of Law which is an attempt at scientific analysis of the conditions under which the criminal laws developed, and which is seldom included in general books of criminology.
  2. Criminology, which is an attempt at Scientific analysis of the causes of crime, and
  3. Penology which is concerned with the control of crime.