Introduction to Criminology

What this unit covers

The resources here follow the ideas a first course in criminology tends to meet. The mind map on changing awareness of crime sorts crime into types, including white collar crime, state crimes, technological crime, hate crime, honour crime and domestic abuse. Other maps look at Classical criminology, control theories, Victimology and Restorative justice.

Theories and perspectives

Several items deal with why people offend. The map on individualistic theories and learning theories explains operant conditioning, built on positive reinforcement and punishment. Are criminals born or made? (Biological vs Social evidence) sets two views side by side, and Cesare Lombroso and Beccaria On Crimes And Punishment (1764) are there for the early thinkers. For newer angles, try the flashcards on Green Criminology and Post-Colonial Criminology, or the BLM map on cultural criminology and media coverage.

Prevention and measurement

The Situational Crime Prevention flashcards explain the idea of engineering the environment to prevent crime, not to cure offenders. The Criminology Exam deck covers how crime is measured, including the Uniform Crime Reports and self-report studies. The Major Longitidunal studies and Farrington (2006) Cambridge Study In Delinquent Development maps suit anyone looking at risk factors.

A sensible order

1. Start with Defining criminology or what is criminology? to get the vocabulary.
2. Move to Classical criminology, then the positive school and later theories.
3. Take a quiz such as Criminology Test 1 or classicism quiz CK straight after each map.
4. Return to the maps for anything you missed, and finish with a mixed deck.

Maps show how ideas connect. Quizzes show what you can actually recall. Using them together helps you see which is which.

Where it fits

This unit sits in the Foundations of Criminology strand of the Criminology subject. The listed material mentions WJEC Criminology, and most of it is university level, with some for school students. Choose one map today, test yourself on it, and then add your own notes.