NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY ODISHA, COURSE OUTLINE SEMESTER X

Criminology, penology & Victimology 2015, January- june

National Law University Orissa

SEMESTER IX: B.A.LL.B & B.B.A.LL.B

COURSE OUTLINE

Criminology & Forensic Science

COURSE TEACHER

RAMAKRISHNA DAS.P.R

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 NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY ODISHA, COURSE OUTLINE SEMESTER X
Criminology, penology & Victimology 2015, January- june

Criminology and Forensic science

Criminology is the scientific study of crime, including its causation, prevention and response
by the state instruments and judiciary. Criminology is a sub group of sociology which consist
of several sub groups, including penology, bio criminology, feminist criminology and
Criminalistics. It involves analyzing illegal human behaviours and crime prevention methods.
The field of criminology blends social science and psychology with criminal justice. Besides
there are many fields of study that are used in the field of criminology, including biology,
statistics, psychology, psychiatry economics and anthropology.

Why study criminology?

Criminology is all about the causation of crimes, its effect and social implications. The study
of criminology leads to a better understanding of why crime continues to be a dominant
social problem and involves examining how crime and criminal behaviour are related to other
social issues, as well as considering the challenges which face the criminal justice system
every day. Besides, it will help you for the better understanding of criminal justice system
and its limitations. This course will provide you with the depth of knowledge and
understanding required for a career in the field of criminal justice, as well as developing the
necessary analytical skills for pursuing further study and research. This combination of
vocational direction and a strong academic base is an important factor for many of those who
choose to study criminology. In addition, the ability to gain unrivalled insights into real life
legal processes through the Legal Advice Centre really sets education at the School of Law
apart.

Forensic science

Forensic science/ medicine relates to application of medical knowledge for the dispensaton
of justice in the court of law. Thus this paper teaches a man how to use his knowledge of
anatomy, physiology, pathology, medicine, surgery, gynaecology etc to clarify or solve
related legal problems or issues. This necessitates examination of victims, accused person,
complainants, defendants, respondents and different exhibits by a medical man in relation to
some criminal or civil cases.

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 NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY ODISHA, COURSE OUTLINE SEMESTER X
Criminology, penology & Victimology 2015, January- june

The term forensic science / medicine is popular in England and Scotland and includes , both
use of medical knowledge in legal practice and legal aspects of practice of medicine. Legal
medicine is the synonym, popular in France and Germany. In many states of USA “medical
Jurisprudence” is the term still preferred to others. In India , the term “ Forensic medicine” is
getting more and more popularity.

In the present days, all over the world, dispensation of justice through legal system has
become much dependent on the medical science. However the use of medical knowledge in
legal issues is not new to the present age. The subject got its importance in Germany
followed by Great Britain and some other European countries. Its unfortunate that, in our
country medico legal investigations are much behind the standard followed in developed
countries. The educational, administrative, legal machineries and the anomalous and
pathological social psychology, all have contributed to the retarded growth of this highly
sophisticated technical discipline in our country. This course is an attempt to impart the
basics about the forensic science and its scope in dispensation of justice.

Object of this Course

1. You’ll investigate how factors such as race, ethnicity, education and socioeconomic
status can influence crime incidences.
2. You'll often look at the history and success rates of different law enforcement
methods.
3. Examination of how individuals react to specific types of crimes, along with the
overall effect of crime on Indian culture as a whole, is also included in criminology.
Crime affects more than just the perpetrator; it also leaves severe consequences for
the victims, families and other citizens.
4. To understand the fundamentals of forensic science.
5. To understand the application of medical knowledge for the proper dispensation of
justice.

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 NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY ODISHA, COURSE OUTLINE SEMESTER X
Criminology, penology & Victimology 2015, January- june

Sessional Work (45 Marks): Sessional work is planned by the course teacher in his
discretion. The tentative plan of the sessional work will be on the following basis:

Assessment Mode Marks

Content of the paper 10 Marks

Group Project References/Citation/Bibliography 10 Marks

Group Presentation/viva 5 Marks

Attendance and Class Participation 5 Marks

Mid Term Exam 25 Marks

Group Work

You will have the opportunity to work with a small group of three/four students from class to
do the assigned work and share your conclusions and observations through presentation
before the class with the instructor and other students. At the end of the semester the group
members will submit a research paper which should be of publishable quality.

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 NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY ODISHA, COURSE OUTLINE SEMESTER X
Criminology, penology & Victimology 2015, January- june

COURSE OUTLINE

NO OF
MODULES TITLE LECTURES
PART ONE
ONE Nature and scope of criminology five

TWO Major criminological thought currents Five

THREE Criminal justice System Fifteen

FOUR Police system and the prison system five

FIVE Penology &Victimology five

SIX Forensic science Ten

PART TWO-
Practical activities

Syllabus Criminology and Forensic Science

PART I

MODULE ONE

Nature and scope of criminology

1. Inter relation between criminology, penology and criminal law
2. Importance of criminology and core criminological concerns
a) Crime
b) Criminal
c) Victim
3. Schools of criminology

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 NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY ODISHA, COURSE OUTLINE SEMESTER X
Criminology, penology & Victimology 2015, January- june

MODULE TWO

Major criminological thought currents

1. Pre classicalism
2. Classicalism
3. Positivism
4. Radicalism
5. Causation of crimes
a. Bio physicial factors and criminality
b. Freuds theory of criminal jurisprudence
c. Conflict theory of crimes

MODULE THREE

Criminal Justice System: A comparative Study

1. Adversarial and Inquisitorial system of Justice

2. Investigation
3. Pre-trial inquiry
4. Prosecution
5. Trial
6. Plea bargaining
7. Confession
8. Sentencing procedure
9. Post sentence procedure
10. Double jeopardy Reforms

MODULE FOUR

Police system

1. Development of police organisation

2. Legal functions of police
3. Women police

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 NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY ODISHA, COURSE OUTLINE SEMESTER X
Criminology, penology & Victimology 2015, January- june

4. Police accountability and complaint mechanism.

Prison administration

1. Prison discipline, prison labour

2. Jail reforms Committee- prison reforms
3. Problems of under trial prisoners
4. Bar against handcuffing
5. Solitary confinement
6. Custodial tourture in prison

MODULE FIVE

Penology &Victimology
1. Essentials of an ideal penal system
2. Penal policy in India.
3. Probation and Parole
4. Victimology
a. Victims and criminal justice process
b. Victim and Compensatory Jurisprudence
c. Victim based crime prevention and crime deduction.

MODULE SIX

Forensic science

1. Forensic Science – Introduction

a. Forensic Science – Introduction
b. Forensic Science – Basic principles
c. Forensic Science Laboratory Organisation
2. Application of forensic Science
a. Scene of crime
b. Forensic Science and Crime Investigation
c. Basic Principles in Crime Investigation

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 NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY ODISHA, COURSE OUTLINE SEMESTER X
Criminology, penology & Victimology 2015, January- june

d. Scene of Crime and Forensic Aid

3. Collection of Forensic Evidence\
a. Forensic Examination of Physical Evidence
b. Physical Evidence-Nature and Types.
c. Forensic crime Investigation in Selected Cases
4. Special Forensic Science
a. Narco Analysis Test

PART II

Practical Activities

1. Visit to Police stations to understand crime management and record keeping

2. Visit to Correctional institutions for juveniles to prepare case studies on the relevant issues.

3. Visit to Prosecution Department.

4. Visit to Prison to understand the problems of prisoners, issues of under trail prisoners/
preparation of case studies and study reports.

5. Visit to Forensic Labs.

6. Visit to CBI/ Lie detection Unit.

REFERENCES.

1. Sandors & Young - Criminal Justice

2. Eastern and Piper - Sentencing and punishment

3. Lucia Zodner - Criminal Justice

4. Andrew Ashworth Mike Redmayne - The Criminal Process

5. Michael Cavadino & James Dignan - Penal Systems: A comparative Approcah
6. Michael Doherty - Criminology

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 NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY ODISHA, COURSE OUTLINE SEMESTER X
Criminology, penology & Victimology 2015, January- june

7. John Muncie & David Wilson - Students Handbook of Criminal Justice and
Criminology
8. Malleswari - Criminal Justice and sentencing: A critical study
9. Ahmed Siddiques - Criminology and penology
10. K.I. Vibhute - Criminal Justice.
11. Bajpai - Victims in criminal justice Process: perspective on Police and
Judiciary, new Delhi, Uppal Publishing House.
12. Andrew Karmen - Crime Victime: An introduction to Victimology
13. Saferstein - Criminalistics: An introduction to Forensic Science, Edited by
Ramakrishna Das, Ass. Professor, NLUO.
14. Parikh Forensic Toxicology.
15. B.R Sharma - Forensic Science in Criminal Investigation and Trials.

List of visiting faculties and the topics

1. Prof BB. Pande, Former Professor DU & NLUD - Schools of criminology
2. Singha, S.P, Vigilance - Corruption
3. Sasikanth Mishra, Member Secrtary, SLSA - Criminal Justice System
4. Sathyajith Mohanthy, ADGP - Police Reforms
5. Pradeep Kapoor, Jail DGP - Prison reforms
6. GP. Mohanthy/----, HOD, Forensic medicine and Toxicology, SCB --------- Forensic
science

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