We’ve all heard of or seen true crime documentaries and podcasts, with many of us captivated by the mystery and intensity of these real-life stories. But do you know exactly what criminology is, and why it’s important in our society? We’re here to tell you.
What is Criminology?
Simply put, criminology is the study of crime and criminals.
It encompasses a broad range of topics, including the causes of crime, the social impact of crime, the effectiveness of crime prevention strategies, and the functioning of criminal justice institutions such as the police, courts, and prisons.
Criminologists use various methods in practice such as analysis, field research and case studies, which they use to understand the causes of criminal behaviour and develop ways to prevent reoffending.
How is criminology used in real life?
Criminology plays a vital role in understanding crime and its impact on society. It has a positive impact on our society by:
- Informing the government on policy and legislation, based on evidence and research
- Improving the criminal justice system by looking at policing and courts and identifying strengths and weaknesses
- Preventing crime through analysing patterns and understanding risk factors
- Aiding the development of rehabilitation and the support of victims
- Enhancing public safety through awareness and education alongside policy development
Criminology at BCU
Find out more about our Criminology course.
Misconceptions about Criminology
Criminology is an interesting and widely spoken about field, which in turn welcomes many misconceptions. Some common myths debunked include:
- Criminologists solve crimes: The portrayal of criminology in media has led people to believe that criminologists are detectives that solve crimes. Whilst a Criminology degree can help you to become a detective, an actual criminologist has more of a hands-off role and focuses on studying crime data and trends.
- Criminologists always work with criminals: some criminologists may work directly with criminals, however there are many roles in which you would be working in settings that don’t require direct interaction.
- Criminology focuses on violent crimes: because this is what we see in TV shows, you might think criminologists only deal with murder cases, however, criminologists can deal with a wide range of cases, from theft and drug offences to cybercrime.
Criminology careers
We’ve briefly touched on what a Criminologist does day-to-day, but what about other careers you can go into that use criminology? Here are just a few:
- Detective
- Private Investigator
- Probation Officer
- Intelligence Analyst
- Policy Advisor
You can find out more about the careers you can do with a Criminology degree.