Standard

 

CRJ 106 - CRIMINOLOGY

Course Description

Introduces the nature, extent, and factors related to criminal behavior, and the etiology of criminal offenses and offenders. Topics include: scope and varieties of crime; sociological, psychological, and biological causes of crime; criminal subculture and society's reaction; prevention of criminal behavior; behavior of criminals in penal and correctional institutions; and problems of rehabilitating the convicted criminal.

 

Competency Areas

Hours

 

Scope and Varieties of Crime

Class

5

Sociological, Psychological, and Biological Causes of Crime

D. Lab

0

Criminal Subculture and Society's Reaction

P. Lab/O.B.I.

0

Prevention of Criminal Behavior

Credit

5

Behavior of Criminals in Penal and Correctional Institutions

 

 

Problems of Rehabilitating the Convicted Criminal

 

 

 

 

 

Prerequisite:

CRJ 104

Corequisite:

 

 

Course Guide

 

Competency

After completing this section, the student will:

Hours

Class

D.Lab

P.Lab/

O.B.I.

SCOPE AND VARIETIES OFCRIME

10

0

0

Overview

Identify the manner and extent to which violations of the criminal code come to the attention of the police and the courts.

 

 

 

SOCIOLOGICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND BIOLOGICAL CAUSES OF CRIME

15

0

0

Causal factors

Summarize the major criminogenic factors and forces which thrust people into crime.

 

 

 

Crime theories

Compare and contrast social structure, social process, choice, and developmental theories.

 

 

 

CRIMINAL SUBCULTURE AND SOCIETY'S REACTION

15

0

0

Social impact of crime

Illustrate the impact of crime on persons and property.

 

 

 

Extent of crime in society

Estimate the amount or extent of crime in the U.S. and the number of people that are involved.

 

 

 

Special crime categories

Evaluate the ramifications of special topics such as violent crimes, the career criminal, and organized crime.

 

 

 

Victimless crimes

Define the so-called victimless crimes and the reasons behind the labeling application.

 

 

 

Crime reporting

List the three data collection systems.

 

 

 

PREVENTION OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR

2

0

0

Crime prevention

Describe the role of law enforcement in the prevention of crime.

 

 

 

BEHAVIOR OF CRIMINALS IN PENAL AND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS

4

0

0

Criminals in institutions

Identify the interrelationship between human behavior and institutional living.

 

 

 

PROBLEMS OF REHABILITATING THE CONVICTED CRIMINAL

4

0

0

Obstacles to changing criminal behavior

Identify the forces inherent in the adjudication process which undermine rehabilitation efforts.

 

 

 

 

Examine the concepts of "habilitation" and "rehabilitation" of criminals.

 

 

 

 

Suggested Resources

 

Suggested Resources include textbooks shown below or most current edition.

 

Barlow, H. D. (1990). Introduction to criminology (5th ed.). Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.