Criminology
Criminology is the study of actions that are punishable by law (i.e., crimes) and other behaviours that, although not punishable, violate societal norms and cause harm to individuals and society.
As in many sciences, criminology comprises theoretical, methodological, and empirical research. It also includes applied criminology, a field in which criminological knowledge can be translated into actions that impact individuals, groups, and society as a whole in various ways. It is therefore of utmost importance that criminology’s values are based on principles of universal human rights.
Criminology is an interdisciplinary subject encompassing several disciplines such as political science, sociology, psychology, economics, law, medicine, and also architecture and urban planning. Although social sciences form the core of criminology, elements of scientific research are also required for understanding and preventing crime.
The study of criminology encompasses four areas of research:
1
The social processes that lead to the punishment (criminalisation) of some acts and not others.
2
The extent, nature, spatial and temporal variation, and causes of crime on the societal, group, and individual level.
3
Society’s responses to crime, including punishment, treatment, and prevention.
4
Research on victims of crime relating to the harm caused by crime on the individual and societal level, and measures aimed at alleviating this harm. The latter is a relatively new and rapidly developing area.
The four areas are not mutually exclusive, and scholars often work with issues involving more than one area. There is, for instance, a strong connection between society’s responses to crime, protection for victims of crime, and criminalisation processes. Similarly, there is a strong connection between research on crime’s extent, nature, and changes over time, and studies of the causes of crime, and criminalisation and decriminalisation.
All laureates are celebrated for their achievements based on the four above-referenced areas of research.