CRJ2153 — Criminology
3 Credits An interdisciplinary course which examines the nature and origins of criminal behavior and societal reactions to that behavior. Included are biological, psychological and sociological theories of criminal behavior; formal responses of societal control agencies, and informal responses of communities, groups, and individuals in society. Also included are current research and trends in crime control policies and programs. Pre or (PLO 1, 2) Analyze competing theories that attempt to explain the causes of criminal behavior to evaluate their application to major sources of data on crime trends and patterns, to determine which theories accurately explain crime in our society. (PLO 3, 5, 6) Evaluate the historical evolution of criminology, by analyzing biological, sociological and psychological theory relating to different historical periods in our society, to determine the areas where these theories should be applied or accepted, and those areas where a particular theory has been shown to be invalid. (PLO 3, 5, 6) Analyze how social context impacts thought concerning crime and its causes, and how it affects our responses to criminal behavior, by evaluating different cultural views of crime, and how those differing views dictate a wide disparity in how different cultures or societies respond to criminal behavior. (PLO 3, 5, 6) Evaluate the generally accepted definitions and descriptions of psychopathy to determine if the concept is valid or is outdated considering current p