Sociology Criminology

1. Crime has been defined in the past as “an intentional act in violation of the criminal law committed without defense or excuse, and penalized by the state as a felony or misdemeanor” (Schmallenger). The textbook’s author has defined crime as “human conduct in violation of the criminal laws of the federal government, state, or a local jurisdiction that has the power to make such laws” (Schmallenger). The notion of crime can change over time as statutory laws change. Developments in legalistic, political, sociological, and psychological viewpoints can change the notion of crime (Schmallenger). Criminology is impacted by this changing nature, because how crime is defined influences what and how crime should be studied. Assumptions made …show more content…
According to the social problems theory, crime is the result/manifestation of other problems in society, such as poverty, limited accessibility to education/healthcare, and discrimination (Schmallenger). This theory maintains that by addressing social problems, crime rates would decrease. Social responsibility emphasizes that crime is a result of an individual’s choice. Theorists who subscribe to this perspective hold that social programs would do little to reduce crime rates, because individuals who are prone to the criminal lifestyle will not be swayed by social changes (Schmallenger). Instead, social responsibility advocates emphasize rehabilitation and punitive approaches to crime. Decisions based on the social problems theory might encourage increased funding to social programs, while social responsibility advocates would feel funds would be better spent on incarceration alternatives …show more content…
What is a theory? What purposes do theories serve? What role do research and experimentation play in theory building in criminology? (3 points) Schmallenger defines a theory as “a series of interrelated propositions that attempts to describe, explain, predict, and ultimately control some class of events.” Theories are an active part of criminology. They are used as potential explanations for criminal behavior. In this context, they are tested to see if they accurately explain and can predict that behavior. This knowledge could be useful when taking measures to prevent crime. Research and experimentation are a means of establishing, testing, and proving or disproving theories. Data could be used by criminologists in order to compile a theory. From there, the theory is researched further through methods of testing, such as a controlled experiment. The combination of information obtained via experiment and research allow criminologists to nullify or confirm a