Lecture 1

Question 1

Describe criminology as an academic discipline.

Answer 1

Criminology is the study of crime, its causes, consequences, and how society responds. It combines sociology, psychology, law, and other fields to understand criminal behavior.

Question 2

Describe criminology as a field of scientific knowledge.

Answer 2

Criminology uses research and data to explain crime patterns, test theories, and develop crime prevention strategies. It relies on scientific methods like case studies, statistics, and experiments.

Question 3

Describe and define crime in very simple terms.

Answer 3

Crime (simple definition): Crime is any act that breaks the law and is punishable by the government. Examples include theft, assault, and fraud.

Question 4

Describe the functions of deviant behavior.

Answer 4

Deviant behaviour helps clarify social norms by showing what is acceptable and what is not. It can also encourage social change, as some forms of deviance challenge unfair rules and lead to progress. Deviance strengthens group unity by bringing people together against rule-breaking.

Question 5

Criminological methods in archaeology

Answer 5

Criminologists use forensic techniques to study injuries on ancient skeletons, helping archaeologists understand violence in the Stone Age. This reveals patterns of warfare, murder, or human sacrifice.