Chapter 1

Canadian Criminology

Its nature and structure

“Obviously crime pays, or there'd be no crime.”
G. Gordon Liddy

Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education Canada Inc.

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Learning Objectives
 Understand the complexity of both criminology and
crime, particularly within a Canadian context.
 Differentiate between crime and deviance and
identify other misconceptions about criminology.
 Understand the role of criminologists, their various
methods of inquiry, and the elements that make up
the discipline of criminology.
 Recognize the many ways we gain knowledge
regarding crime.
 Appreciate the impact of the social sciences on the
development of criminology and recognize the
necessity for an integrated and interdisciplinary
approach.
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 “when there is crime in society
there is no justice” Plato
 Scientific study of crime, criminals,
victims, criminal behaviour AND its
systems
 What is a ……
 Criminal
 Crime vs. Offence vs. Deviance
 Criminologist
 Victim
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What constitutes a crime?

 Summary, indictable,
and hybrid
 Conventional and
Non-conventional
 Crime vs. offence

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What constitutes a crime?
 Consensus
 Behaviours where high agreement as to
the social harm AND strong support to
sanction & control such behaviour
 Non-consensus
 Disagreement as to social harm AND
varying support, low support concerning
sanction & control
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The notion of deviance
 Encompasses wide spectrum of conduct
that, to varying degrees, may be considered
offensive (by whom?)
 Actions that depart from social norms –
actions may or may not be against the law
 Perceptions of crime not constant, attitudes
vary, social processes define it

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Who or what is a victim?
 Criminal act committed against / on / to
a person / group / agency….
 A label, socially prescribed – can’t
exist without a law / crime
 Possible to be victimised by offender,
CJS, the state, the media…

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Setting the stage…

 Has crime increased?

 Who commits the most crime?
 Does capital punishment work?
 Most serious crimes today?
 Can we control crime?

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A call for Canadian
Criminology
 Crime is universal… so!
 Differences that count
 Minorities, law enforcement,

sentencing, culture, politics, etc.

 Significant theoretical & practical
contributions

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 The Evolving Face of Crime
and Criminology
 Initial interest punishment and treatment
 Secondary evolution of the study of penology
 Shift from legal reforms to scientifically-
oriented approach
 Reformers (C. Becarria & J. Bentham)
“The subject matter of criminology has been ‘blurred’ by
shifts of both meaning and focus”
N. Walker ‘87
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 What do Criminologist do?
 Interdisciplinary, multi-faceted
 Involves sub areas
1. criminal statistics
2. sociology of law
3. theory construction etiology
4. typology of criminal behaviour
5. 3 Ps – policing, prosecution and protection
6. Victimology
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The Diversity of Criminology
 Sociology: social structure, social
process, to social organization
 Psychology: science of individual
behaviour, internal dynamics
 Biology: chemical, genetic, and/or
neurological influences

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 The Diversity of Criminology
 Economics: “money
the root of all evil”?
 Geography/Environm
ent: crime influenced
by physical &
environmental factors
 Political science: the
importance of social
policy
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 Integrated and Interdisciplinary
approach
 “paradigm shift” from
uni-discipline to multi-
or inter-disciplinary
perspectives
 Integration of social
sciences
 Bridges specific and
general aspects of
crime

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 “Every man is guilty of all the
good he didn’t do” - Voltaire
 Criminology = bridging theory & policy
 Social and political challenges
 BUT… serious ethical issues
 Punish or treat
 A crime or deviant act
 Who decides?
 What do you think? Box 1.10
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 Summary
 Crime is a global issue
 Canada has its own unique concerns
 Criminology burgeoning in Canada
 Discipline rapidly evolving in a
systematic and objective fashion
 Criminology an applied science that
resembles a living organism
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