The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to Criminology. During this course we will study not only criminological theories, but also types of crimes, how to measure crime, and the role criminology plays in the criminal justice system. This class will help to familiarize you with criminological theory, in addition to helping you gain a greater understanding of factors that contribute to criminal behavior. First, we will be exploring the concepts of crime, law, and criminology. Second, we will be examining theories of crime causation, including biological, psychological, sociological, and integrated theories of criminality. By the end of this course, you should know more about why individuals engage in criminal and/or deviant behavior. Throughout the course, you will be presented with many different theories of criminality.. No textbooks required. This course uses open educational resources that are freely available online or provided in class – links for readings and where to find readings are found on the syllabus. The Criminal Justice Program (CRJ) at BMCC, in the Department of Social Sciences, Human Services, and Criminal Justice, is committed to providing students with access to high-quality Open Educational Resources (OER). We have developed our College’s first Zero Textbook Cost degree plan, with leadership from Jean Amaral, BMCC’s Open Knowledge Librarian, permitting students to potentially complete the entire degree by enrolling in courses that use OER, and so incur no textbook costs.
What are the objectives for learning in CRJ 102: Criminology?
All CRJ 102 courses share the same goals for students who take the course. We call these “class objectives,” and all faculty who teach this course are giving students an opportunity to meet these goals over the semester. Class Objectives for CRJ 102 are:
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Describe the history and purpose of criminology.
2. Identify the extent to which the theories of criminology have been applied both in practice and in policy.
3. Discuss the theories that characterize criminology.
4. Explain all of the preceding in a coherent manner in both oral and written formats.
