Introduction to criminology

The word criminology derives from the Latin word crīmen, which means "accusation", however crīmen derives from the Ancient Greek verb "κρίνω", and -λογία, from "logos" that means “word”, “reason”. The term criminology, originally criminologia, was coined by Italian law professor, Raffaele Garofalo, in 1885. Garofalo was a criminologist and a jurist. He was very keen on foreign legal literature, especially German one and joined the fascist movement agreeing on the elimination of those who struggled with mental conditions.

Criminology deals with a very wide range of subjects. It treats the scientific study of the nature, extent, management, causes, control, consequences, and prevention of any kind of criminal behaviour.

The study of crime involves different sorts of studies; the psychological side, is taken care of by sociologists, psychologists, psychiatrists and social anthropologists and philosophers, who were and are interested in treating criminal behaviour, one of these was Plato, who considered crime as a symptom of soul’s sickness.

Even though the psychological side of this subject might be the most fascinating to analyse and explore, the juridical side is fundamental. The latter is taken care of by police officers, crime scene investigators, private detectives, social guards, FBI and CIA agents, postal inspectors, blood spatter analysts and many others.

"Every society has the criminals that it deserves."

- H. Havelock Ellis

Henry Havelock Ellis

English physician, writer, progressive intellectual and social reformer.

Article by Azzurra Furnari