CRIM1010 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Deconstruction, Criminology, Asset Stripping
15 Jun 2018
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The study of crime
Criminology as a field of study
• criminology like crime, is not a single established field; it includes a range of varied
(different) and competing (challenging) perspectives
• Diverse disciplines have contributed to the study of criminology over a number of
years; in terms of contributing to the multidisciplinary nature of crime e.g.
researchers, scholars and writers and cultural studies
• Hence, there exists a natural diversity of viewpoints due to the different concepts,
methods and debates which are brought forward to examine criminology
issues/problems
• Social context plays a prominent role in the production of intellectual knowledge
• Knowledge is underpinned by a cycle/process:
1. who has control over the process
2. the production itself
3. the ownership and use of results of research and scholarship
• Knowledge has distinct international relations; in regards to field of criminology each
country may have its own unique social concerns, intellectual milieux, political
traditions, historical development, own theoretical emphases and biases
• to understand what criminologist do, it is important to understand why theory is
relevant to their practice (hence, appreciate the dual nature of criminology)
Approaches to Criminology:
Administrative or Professional
• The role of criminology: improving the immediate practices of the criminal justice
system, solving crime-related problems in the community
• This approach seeks to study, analyse and research alternative theories to institute
reforms that assist in decreasing crime/crime-related problems
• Directed at makig the iial justie sste ette at soe leel though a
program, an institution or a strategy
• These easues ae utilised/ipleeted i a attept to sole soial poles o
administrative difficulty within the existing system in regards to crime
Critical and Analytical
• this approach delves into the deeper philosophical issues of the day
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LINKS:
• The nature of the relationship between the practical administrative orientation (with
a focus on what can be done here and how to improve the system) and its crucial
component (with a focus on why things ought to be done in one way or another)
Defining Crime
• The definition of crime is constantly changing due to differing ideas, perceptions and
conceptions regarding what constitutes as criminal behaviour
• oes defiitio of ie is depedet upo oes patiula iteests ad patiula
worldview
• many legal definitions are built on highly contentious and unjust or unfair
propositions
~ legal and sociological definitions of crime
• There are diverse conceptions of crime which reflect a different scientific and
ideological viewpoint
• variation in definition can be problematic in determining how different types of
behaviours are dealt with in a practical manner
• a range of political and social factors contribute to the way violence is perceived and
responded to by the criminal justice system
• Hagan (1987), identifies seven different approaches to the definition of crime:
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historical constructions of crime
• The law itself is social produced and is not static —> changes result in the definition
of crime being altered
• According to social and historical contexts the legal definition of crime varies:
• For a large part of recorded European history, crime was linked to moral
prescriptions as defined by religious bodies due to the Church in the 1400s and
1600s having access to tools of justice administration
• accordingly, crime became defined as transgression against the state, not against
God
popular media images of crime
• The media:
o significant influence on the general portray of crime in society
o generate and reflects conscious crime through print and electronic media
o have a tremendous impact of how crime is defined in society
• in both fitioal ad fatual pogas, ie teds to e defied piail as steet
ies
• Media is important in the aspect that it assists in shaping our definitions of crime
and crime control, but also in producing legal changes and reinforcing particular
types of policing strategies
• The media conveys a sensationalised image of crime, and a protective view of police
and policing practices
• Grabosky ad Wilso : oets ies agaist popet, eeie
elatiel little edia attetio heeas ies of iolee … ae aoded uh
geate oeage
• skeed fous o steet ies ad izae eets
• also, the media presents less coverage or treatment towards issues such as the
destruction of environment, domestic violence, white collar crimes and OHS crime
• The representation of the police is misconstrued due to the media hindering from
showcasing the reality of much police work and the nature of actual policing e.g.
interviewing, looking over file material, research etc
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Document Summary
Critical and analytical: this approach delves into the deeper philosophical issues of the day. 1600s having access to tools of justice administration: accordingly, crime became defined as transgression against the state, not against. White, r, haines, f and asquith, n (2012) crime and criminology, oxford university. For an act to be criminal, it must be legally prohibited by the state and sanctions must apple. In many cases, harmful actions such as work place accidents are ignored or downplayed by agencies of criminal justice, even though the(cid:455) (cid:272)ause g(cid:396)eat so(cid:272)ial ha(cid:396)(cid:373), i(cid:374)(cid:272)ludi(cid:374)g death(cid:863) The act and the intent: co(cid:374)du(cid:272)t ele(cid:373)e(cid:374)ts of a (cid:272)(cid:396)i(cid:373)e (cid:396)efe(cid:396) to the a(cid:272)(cid:272)used(cid:859)s (cid:272)o(cid:374)du(cid:272)t (cid:894)a(cid:272)tus (cid:396)eus(cid:895). The (cid:373)e(cid:374)tal ele(cid:373)e(cid:374)t of a (cid:272)(cid:396)i(cid:373)e (cid:396)efe(cid:396)s to a dete(cid:396)(cid:373)i(cid:374)atio(cid:374) that the a(cid:272)(cid:272)used(cid:859)s (cid:272)o(cid:374)du(cid:272)t (cid:449)as accompanied by a prescribed state of mind (mens rea). This is regardless of the actual behaviour that takes place.
