Criminology: A Comprehensive Guide to the Study of Crime

Criminology: The Scientific Study of Crime

Definition of Crime

Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, management, causes, control, consequences, and prevention of criminal behaviour, both on the individual and social levels. It is an interdisciplinary field that draws upon the research of sociologists, psychologists, philosophers, psychiatrists, social anthropologists, and scholars of law.

Elements of a Crime

A crime has two fundamental elements:

• Actus reus: The physical element of the crime
• Mens rea: The mental element of the crime

Miranda Warning

The Miranda Warning is a communication that police officers in the United States must give to every person who has been arrested. It informs the person of their rights, including the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney.

Autopsy

An autopsy is a surgical examination of a dead body performed by a specially-trained physician. Its purpose is to determine the cause of death and to learn about the person's health during life.

Criminal Law Process

The criminal law process involves several steps, including:

• Probable cause: The police must have probable cause to arrest someone.
• Booking: The suspect is taken to jail and processed.
• Prosecutor: The police report is given to a prosecutor, who decides whether to charge the suspect.
• Indictment: The suspect is formally charged with a crime.
• Arraignment: The suspect is brought before a judge and informed of the charges.
• Plea: The suspect enters a plea of guilty or not guilty.
• Bail: The judge may set bail for the suspect.
• Plea bargain: The suspect may negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecutor.
• Dismissal: The case may be dismissed if there is insufficient evidence.

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are verbs that are followed by a preposition or adverb. Here are some examples of phrasal verbs related to crime:

• Dredged up
• Put together
• Came up
• Turned out
• Back me up
• Draw up
• Step down
• Held up
• Turned over
• Give yourself up
• Are rounding up
• Will have to do away
• Made off

Crime Types

There are many different types of crimes, including:

• Felony (serious crime)
• Mugger (thief who attacks people)
• Pickpocket (thief who steals from pockets)
• Burglar (illegally enters a building)
• Misdemeanor (less serious crime)
• Libel (written defamation)
• Shoplifter
• Larcener (thief)
• Robber (uses violence)
• Slander (spoken defamation)
• Pilferer (steals small items)
• Perjury (lying under oath)
• Infraction (minor offense)
• Capital offense (crime punishable by death)
• Defamation (spoken or written defamation)

Person's Physical Appearance

The physical appearance of a person can provide clues about their personality and behavior. For example, serial killers often exhibit certain physical characteristics, such as:

• Dysfunctional
• Abusive
• Pyromaniac
• Self-serving
• Hostile
• Domineering
• Instrumental
• Meticulous
• Pathological liar
• Narcissist
• Psychotic
• Delusional
• Paranoid
• Hopeless
• Suicidal
• Hypochondriac
• Obsessive-compulsive
• Emotionally distant

Forensic Science

Forensic science is the application of scientific methods to legal problems. It includes a wide range of disciplines, such as:

• Forensic psychology
• Forensic toxicology
• Forensic genetics
• Forensic engineering
• Forensic entomology
• Forensic odontology
• Forensic anthropology
• Forensic pathology