Foundations of Criminology and Justice

This unit introduces core concepts, categories, and measurements of crime and provides an overview of major criminological theories, types of offenders, and victim impacts. It also surveys the key players and processes across local, state, and federal criminal justice systems, preparing students for deeper study of investigation, adjudication, and corrections in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze definitions and measurement methods of crime (e.g., UCR, NCVS, clearance rates) and classify incidents into appropriate categories (violent, property, white-collar, organized, drug-related, terrorism) using case examples
• Evaluate major criminological theories (classical, social disorganization, biological positivism, labeling) and relate these theories to common offender characteristics and patterns of criminal behavior
• Demonstrate understanding of the roles, responsibilities, and interactions of criminal justice system components (local police, prosecutors, municipal courts, federal agencies, crime scene response) and identify the basic elements of criminal law
• Apply victimology concepts and crime statistics to assess the impact of crime on individuals and communities and to inform priorities for prevention, response, and resource allocation