Criminology and criminology are two sciences that are often confused, generating some doubts about the field of study as well as its exact application and the methods used to investigate. In this Psychology-Online article we will address the issue by clearly differentiating between the two and explaining these distinctions in depth. Do you know the difference between criminology and criminology? There are 6 main differences that we will see below.
The criminology It is a scientific discipline that, in an interdisciplinary way, encompasses the phenomenon of crime. The main objects of study are: delinquency, crime, the offender, the victim and the means of social control. Among all the purposes offered by this science, crime prevention, the reduction of antisocial behaviors and the reparation of the victim stand out as the main ones.
Being a science that baby from different disciplines, His study includes areas of psychology, sociology, forensic and legal medicine, law, anthropology and statistics, among others. Even so, it must be clear that it is still an autonomous science with specific objects of study but with an enriched perspective through different branches of study.
Within this science we also find different branches:
- Victimology
- Criminalistics
- Criminal psychology
- Environmental criminology
Among many others. The main career opportunities for criminologists would encompass both the private sector and the public in prison, judicial, private security, police, victimization, social... It is a science with a great future, but unfortunately it is still quite recent today.
The criminology is an auxiliary discipline of Criminal Law and Forensic Science that seeks to purpose to discover who and how a crime was committed. To do this, they use very diverse scientific techniques and procedures. In short, unlike criminology, it seeks recognition, collection, identification, individualization and interpretation of physical evidence in a crime as well as the application of natural sciences in the world legal. It is often called an applied science.
As we are seeing, the differences between the two are quite noticeable, despite being similar terms, their application and their concepts are different. Many people still confuse them so it is important to differentiate them.
After seeing what criminology is and what criminology is, we can see that it is not the same to be a criminalist and a criminologist. But how exactly are criminology and criminology different?
Next we will see the 9 differences between criminology and criminology:
1. Its scientific classification
Criminology is a social science while criminology is a natural Science. The research used by criminology is social, while by criminology it is based on biology, chemistry, physics ...
2. The object of study
Another difference between criminology and criminology is what they study and research. Criminalistics studies crime as a individualized event and analyzes it through the application of natural sciences in legal sciences using evidence that he collects and analyzes with the support of medicine, toxicology, biology ...
On the other hand, criminology studies behavior patterns, crime prevention, consequences that different criminal typologies can have on society... Covers crime completely as well as the victim, the offender, reintegration, prevention ...
3. The legal aspect
One of the great differences is that criminology scientifically studies non-legal aspects of the delinquency, including its causes and consequences and looking for possible solutions to the behavior criminal. It is preventive and helps when formulating laws to adopt the best prevention measures.
Criminalistics, on the other hand, what it seeks is to determine the possible perpetrator of the crime and that the corresponding laws be applied. It is linked, in the criminal sphere, to repressive actions against the perpetrator of the crime, seeking evidence and clarifying the facts.
4. The investigative process
Criminology studies much more at a theoretical level and relies on different theories to seek solutions and explanations as well as scientific field and statistic studies.
In criminology, the investigation process is different, it is at a practical level since it examines evidence, recreates scenes, is in charge of preparing memories to present in court ...
5. How and why
Another aspect in which criminology and criminology differ is in the questions that are raised and intended to be resolved.
Criminalistics would answer the questions of:
- How did the crime happen?
- Who and when did it?
While criminology would respond to:
- Why has it happened?
- What are the causes and consequences?
6. The careers to play
Within criminology there are careers that work in government areas, courts, public services, police services, penitentiaries ... An area where a criminologist can also develop with complementary studies and that is increasingly working is in that of Criminal Mediation. The criminologist can also prepare their own Criminological Expert Reports with which to advise in the judicial field in the same way as a psychologist does, for example. Here you can see What is a psychological expert report and what is it for?.
On the other hand, in criminology, professionals develop in departments of police, hospitals and laboratories. Within this branch you can develop other careers such as: forensic scientist, crime scene examiner, laboratory analyst ...
7. The origins
On the one hand, criminology comes from the ancient practice of fingerprinting and was best developed during the 17th century. when doctors started entering court proceedings and forensic medicine took a greater place.
On the other hand, criminology is a social science that, drawing from other disciplines such as sociology or philosophy, already from the twelfth century through Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas ... the idea of looking for the causes of the crime was raised. Today has been when this science has become much more consolidated.
8. The relationship with the law
Criminology focuses on criminal law although it also addresses constitutional and prison law, analyzing it and linking it to different disciplines.
The criminology is rather an auxiliary branch of criminal law and even law in general.
9. Purpose
Finally, criminology and criminology also differ in their main objective. In criminology the main purpose is to know the causes and motives of criminal behavior at a general level in order to prevent it, among other things.
Criminalistics, on the other hand, seeks to find, investigate and verify evidence of a crime concrete to present them in court and discover the author.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
