Social Science

Course summary

Criminology considers various theories and ideas about how and why crimes occur. It also looks at ways to control and prevent criminal behavior – in addition to the way law enforcement operates, and the mechanism of the criminal justice system. Why do people commit crimes? Why are some types of crime focussed upon more in society? Why are some people more likely to be treated as criminals by society than others? These are just some of the ideas explored in Criminology. The first topic you will look at is underreported crime – why do crimes such as hate crimes and domestic abuse remain underreported in society? How can we change this to get justice for victims? You will learn about psychological and sociological theories of crime and the ‘solutions’ these theories suggest to our crime problems in society. You will also learn about how a case is investigated from the crime scene through to the court verdict. In addition, you will look at punishment – what works?