INTRODUCTION TO

CRIMINOLOGY
CRIMINOLOGY
according to Edwin H. Sutherland, “criminology is the entire body of
knowledge regarding crime as a social phenomenon. It includes within
its scope the process of making of law, of breaking of law and the
society’s reaction towards the breaking of laws.”

a body of knowledge regarding crimes, criminals and the effort of

society to prevent and repress it.

the scientific study of the causes of crime in relation to man and

society who set and define rules and regulations for himself and others
to govern.
Other Definitions
Criminology explores the etiology, extent, and nature of crime in
society. Criminologist are concerned with identifying the nature, extent,
and cause of crime.

Criminology is an interdisciplinary science that gathers and analyzes

data on various aspects of criminal, delinquent, and general anti-social
behavior.
Edwin Sutherland
– dean of modern criminology
– father of American criminology
– coined the word “white collar crime”
– differential association theory
– term “criminology”
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6506
AN ACT CREATING THE BOARD OF EXAMINER FOR
CRIMINOLOGIST IN THE PHILIPPINES AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11131

THE PHILIPPINE CRIMINOLOGY PROFESSION ACT OF
2018
Origin of the word “Criminology”
Etimologically, the term criminology came from the Latin word “crimen” meaning
crime and word “logos” means study.

In 1885, Raffaele Garofallo, an Italian Law Professor coined the term criminologia.

In 1889, Paul Topinard, French Antrophologist, used the term criminology in French
criminologie for the first time.
Principal Divisions of Criminology

1) Sociology of law – refers to the investigation of the nature of

criminal law and its administration.
2) Etiology of Crimes (criminal etiology) – the scientific analysis of
the causes of crimes and the criminal behavior.
3) Penology (penal science) – the study of the control of crimes and
the rehabilitation of offender.
Is criminology a science?

According to George Wilker, criminology cannot turn into science

since it has not yet attained universal or worldwide validity. Edwin H.
Sutherland , hoped that it will become a science in the future since the
causes of crimes are almost the same which may be biological,
environmental, or combination of both.
Nature of Criminology (SAND)

1) It is a Social Science because it studies crime as a social phenomenon. Crime is a

social problem which has a great impact to society.
2) It is a Applied Science because criminology as a body of knowledge has already
established universally accepted principles and concepts and these are used by other
field of study.
3) It is Nationalistic because the study of criminology takes into consideration the
history, the culture and the social norms and the laws of the country. Each country has
its own set of laws and crimes are defined by the laws of a country.
4) It is Dynamic because the concepts of criminology and their applications adapt to the
changing time.
Scope in the Study of Criminology
1. Study of the origin and development of criminal law

2. Study of the causes of crimes and development of criminal

3. Study of the other sciences that examine criminal behavior

using scientific methods such as:
a. Criminal Demography – the study of the relationship between criminality and
population.
b. Criminal Epidemiology – the study of the relationship between environment or
milieu and criminality.
c. Criminal Ecology – the study of criminality in relation to the spatial distribution
in a community.
d. Criminal Physical Anthropology – the study of criminality in relation to physical
constitution of man
e. Criminal Psychology – the study of human behavior in relation to criminality
f. Criminal Psychiatry – the study of human mind in relation to criminality
g. Victimology – the study of the role of the victim in the commission of a crime.
h. Criminal Politics – a science consisting of principles with which the state
organizes its fight against criminality. The bases are knowledge of criminal law,
of criminality, penalties and other measures of social defense.
i. Forensic Medicine – application medical knowledge at the disposal of the
administration of justice, both civil and criminal.
j. Forensic Chemistry – the application of chemical principles in the solution of
problems that arise in connection with the administration of justice.
SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN CRIMINOLOGY
School of thought – refers to a group of beliefs or ideas that support a
specific theory.

Theory – set of statements devised to explain behavior, events or

phenomenon, especially one that has been repeatedly tested and
widely accepted.
1. Demonological Theory (judeo-christian theory) – asserts that a
person commits wrongful acts due to the fact that he was possessed
by demons.

2. Classical School of Criminology (juristic/choice theory) – the classical

school of criminology grew out of a reaction against the barbaric
system of law, punishment and justice that existed. There was no
real system of criminal justice in Europe at that time. Some crimes
were specified, some were not. Judges had discretionary power to
convict a person for an act not even legally defined as criminal.
 This school of thought is based on the assumption that individuals
choose to commit crimes after weighing the consequences of their actions.
According to classical criminologists, individual have free will. They can
choose legal or illegal means to get what they want; fear of punishment can
deter them from committing crime and society can control behavior by
making the pain of punishment greater than the pleasure of criminal gains.
 
This theory however, does not give any distinction between an adult and
a minor or a mentally-handicapped in as far as free will is concerned.
Founders of classical school of criminology are Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy
Bentham.
Cesare Beccaria (Cesare Bonesana Marchese di
Beccaria) (1738-1794)
Best known for his essay, “On Crimes and
Punishment” which presented key ideas on the
abolition of torture as legitimate means of
extracting confession.
His book contains almost all modern penal reforms
but its greatest contribution was the foundation it
laid for subsequent changes in criminal legislation.
His book was influential in the reforms of penal code
in France, Russia, Prussia and it influenced the first
ten amendments to the US Constitution.
“Father of Criminology”
 Beccaria’s beliefs:
- People want to achieve pleasure and avoid pain
- Crime provides some pleasure to the criminal
- To deter crime, he believed that one must administer pain in an
appropriate amount to counterbalance the pleasure obtain from
crime.
- Famous in sayings “let the punishment fit the crime” (lex talionis,
commensurate)
 HIGHLIGHTS OF CESARE BECCARIA’S IDEAS
REGARDING CRIMES AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM
1. In forming a human society, men and women sacrifice a portion of their
liberty so as to enjoy peace and security.
2. The law must specify the degree of evidence that will justify the detention
of an accused offender prior to his trial.
3. Criminal law must be clear and certain. Judges must make uniform
judgements in similar crimes.
4. To torture accused offenders to obtain a confession is inadmissible.
5. Capital punishment is inefficacious and its place should be substituted life
imprisonment.
6. It is better to prevent crimes than to punish them. That is the chief
purpose of all good legislation.
Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832)
- His contribution to classical school of criminology is the
concept of utilitarianism and the felicific calculus.
Utilitarianism – is a philosophy which argues that “what is right
is the one that would cause the greatest good for the greatest
number of people”.
Felicific Calculus or the Pleasure and pain principle – is a
theory that proposes that individuals are human calculators
who calculate the consequences of his actions by weighing the
pleasure (gain) and the pain (suffering) he would derive from
doing the action.
- Proposed “utilitarian hedonism” which explains that the
person always acts in such a way to seek pleasure and avoid
pain.
- He reasoned that in order to deter individuals from
committing crimes, the punishment, or pain, must be
greater than the satisfaction, or pleasure, he would gain
from committing the crime.
3. NEOCLASSICAL CRIMINOLOGY (MODIFIED CLASSICAL)
This theory modified the doctrine of free will by stating that free
will of men may be affected by other factors and crime is committed
due to some compelling reasons that prevail. These causes
incompetence, insanity or any conditions that will make it
impossible for the individual to exercise free will entirely. In the
study of legal provision, this is termed as either mitigating or
exempting circumstances.
4. POSITIVISM/ITALIAN SCHOOL OF CRIMINOLOGY
- The term “positivism” refers to a method of analysis based on the collection
of observable scientific facts.
- Positivist believe that causes of behavior can be measured and observe
- It demands for facts and scientific proof, thus, changing the study of crimes
and criminals into scientific approach.
- Positive theorists were the first to claim the importance of looking at
individual difference among criminals. These theorists who concentrated on
the individual structures of a person, stated that people are passive and
controlled, whose behavior are imposed upon them by biological and
environmental factors.
August Comte
- Was a French philosopher and
sociologist and is believed to be the
one who reinvented the French term
“sociologie”
- He was recognized as the “Father of
Sociology and Positivism”
- Founder of Positivism

 
Cesare Lombroso
-Recognized as the “Father of Modern and
Empirical Criminology” due to his
application of modern scientific methods
to trace criminal behavior, however, most
of his ideas are now discredited.
-Known for the concept of atavistic
stigmata (the physical features of
creatures at an earlier stage of
development).
4 classes of criminals according to Lombroso:
1. Born criminals – individuals with at least five atavistic stigmata (ape-like)
a. Dark skin
b. Huge jaws and cheekbones
c. Strong canine teeth
d. Nose twisted
e. Unusual ear size
f. Arm span is often greater than height
g. Fleshy lips
2. Insane criminals – those who became criminals because of
some brain defect (psychological problems) which affected their
ability to understand and differentiate what is right from what is
wrong.
3. Criminaloids– those with makeup of an ambiguous group that
includes habitual criminals, criminals by passion and other
diverse types.
4. Pseudo criminals – criminals who have committed a crime by
self-defense.
Enricco Ferri
- He focused his study on the influences of
psychological factors and sociological
factors such as economics, on crimes.
- He believed that criminal could not be
held morally responsible because they did
not choose to commit crimes, but rather
were driven to commit crimes by
conditions in their lives.
Raffaele Garofallo
- He treated the roots of the criminal’s behavior
not to physical features, but to their psychology
equivalent, which he referred to as moral
anomalies.
- He rejected the doctrine of freewill
- Classified criminals as murderers, violent
criminals, deficient criminals, and lascivious
criminals.
HOLY THREE IN CRIMINOLOGY (Garo-Fe-lo)
1. Rafaelle Garofallo
2. Enricco Ferri
3. Cesare Lombroso
THEORIES OF CRIME CAUSATION
1. BIOLOGICAL THEORIES
- This refers to the set of theories that point to physical, physiological and
other natural factors as the causes for the commission of crimes of certain
individuals.
- This explanation for the existence of criminal traits associates an
individual’s evil disposition to physical disfigurement or impairment.

a. Physiognomy – the study of facial features / characteristics and their relation

to human behavior.
Giambattista della Porta
- Founder of human Physiognomy

- According to him, criminal behavior

may be predicted based on facial features of
the person.
Johann Kasper Lavater
- Supported the belief of della Porta
- He believed that a person’s character is
revealed through his facial characteristics.
b. Phrenology, Craniology or
Cranioscopy
- The study of the external formation of
the skull in relation to the person’s
personality and tendencies toward criminal
behavior.
Franz Joseph Gall
- He developed cranioscopy which was
later renamed as phrenology.
Johann Kasper Spurzheim
- Assistant of Gall in the study of
Phrenology
- He was the man most responsible for
popularizing and spreading phrenology to a
wide audience.
c. Physiology or Somatotype
- refers to the study of body build of a
person in relation to his temperament and
personality and the type of offense he is most
prone to commit.
Ernst Kretschmer
- He distinguished principal types of
physiques: asthenic, athletic, pyknic and
dysplastic.

Asthenic – characterized as thin, small and

weak.
Athletic – muscular and strong.
Pyknic – Stout, round and fat.
Dysplastic – combination of two body types.
William Herbert Sheldon
Formulated his own group of somatotype:
ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph.
a. Ectomorph – tall and thin and less social
and more intellectual than the other types. (theft)
b. Mesomorph – have well developed muscles
and an athletic appearance. (Violence, rape)
(Highest chance to commit crime)
c. Endomorph – heavy builds and slow
moving. (stafa, fraud)
d. Heredity
– Heredity, also called inheritance or biological inheritance, is the passing on of
traits from parents to their offspring; either through asexual reproduction or sexual
reproduction, the offspring cells or organisms acquire the genetic information of their
parents.
Nature Theory – it argues that intelligence is largely determines genetically,
that ancestry determines I.Q. and that low intelligence, as demonstrated by low
I.Q. is linked to criminal behavior.
Richard Louis Dugdale
Conducted a study of duke family by researching their
family as far back 200 years. He discovered that most of the
ascendants of duke’s were criminal.
Ada duke
Mother of all criminals
Henry Goddard
he traced the descendants of the Martin
Kallikak from each of his two wives and
found a distinct difference in terms of quality
of lives of descendants. He coined the term
“moron”
Charles Goring
he believed that criminal traits can
be passed from parents to offspring
through the genes.
he proposed that individuals who
possess criminal characteristics should
be prohibited from having a child.
Hutchings and Mednick (1977)
studied 1,145 male adoptees with criminal records and found the
criminality of the biological father was a major predictor of the child’s
behavior.
Sir Jonathan Edwards Family Tree
Sir Jonathan Edwards was a famous preacher
during colonial period. His family tree was
traced, none of the descendants was found to be
criminal. Out of his pedigree many becomes
presidents of the United States, governor,
member of supreme court, famous writers,
preachers and teachers.
e. Bio-chemical
Crime, especially violent, is a
function of diet, vitamin intake,
hormonal imbalance, or food
allergies.
Dr. Katrina Dalton
study of “menstruation and crime” found that
nearly half of the crimes of her sample of female
inmates had occurred during menstruation or pre-
menstruation. (premenstrual syndrome)
Alexander Schauss
compared nutritional differences of
delinquents and non-delinquents, the
surprising major difference found was that
delinquents drank more milk.
2. Intelligence as a Factor in Criminality
the classic studies of the Duke and Kallikak families were among the first to
show that feeblemindedness or low-intelligence can be inherited and
transferred from one generation to the next. Numerous test were also
conducted that lead to the development of the use of IQ test as a testing
procedure for offenders. The very first results seemed to confirm that offenders
had low mental abilities and they were found to be mentally impaired.
Alfred Binet
a French psychologist who developed the first
IQ test
the test measured the capacity of individual
children to perform tasks or solve problems in
relation to the average capacity of their peers.
3. Psychological Theories (human behavior – crime)
refers to the theories that attribute criminal behavior of individuals to
psychological factors, such as emotion and mental problems.
Sigmund Freud
- Father of Psychoanalysis / Psychodynamics
- known for his psychoanalytic theory
According to him, criminality is caused by the
imbalance of the three (3) components of
personality: the id, ego and the superego.