Criminology –

cja314

(3 credits)

Criminology is an introductory course in the study of crime and criminal behavior, focusing on the various theories of crime causation. This course highlights the causes of crime, criminal behavior systems, societal reaction to crime, and criminological methods of inquiry.

This undergraduate-level course is 5 weeks. To enroll, speak with an Enrollment Advisor.

Topics and Objectives

Research Methods, Theory Development, and Patterns of Crime
- Differentiate between deviance and criminality.
- Analyze the purpose of criminology and the functions of criminologists.
- Determine how criminological research dictates social policy as it relates to crime control.
- Identify the four primary definitional perspectives of crime according to criminological thought.
- Evaluate the history of data collection methods and crime analyses.
- Assess the major contemporary sources of crime data and their limitations.
Psychological and Psychiatric Foundations of Criminal Behavior
- Identify the major principles of the Classical School of criminological thought.
- Compare the major theoretical principles of classical versus neoclassical criminology.
- Evaluate policy implications inherent with the Classical School.
- Identify causal factors of criminality according to biological theorists.
- Discuss the policy implications of biological theories.
- Identify the central principles of the psychological and psychiatric perspectives of crime.
- Evaluate the influence of psychological and psychiatric theories on the law and social policy.
Conflict Theories
- Identify major theoretical principles associated with a sociological perspective of crime.
- Describe the primary theoretical underpinnings of social structure, social process, social development, and social conflict theories.
- Assess policy implications according to social structure, social process, social development theories, and social conflict theories.
- Identify common critiques of social structure, social process, social development, and social conflict theories in criminological thought.
Types of Crime
- Distinguish between personal and property crimes, including motivational factors of the offender.
- Evaluate causal factors associated with white-collar, corporate, and organized crime.
- Describe contemporary policy issues associated with the attempted control of organized crime.
- Analyze social policy and political implications associated with the regulation of public order crimes.
- Evaluate the implications of drug abuse and drug-related crimes in contemporary American society.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the law enforcement response to the war on drugs.
Criminology, Social Policy, and Future Directions
- Evaluate the correlation between evolving technologies and evolving criminal behaviors.
- Describe contemporary cybercrimes and policy implications for combating these crimes.
- Analyze potential civil liberty violations inherent with the attempted control of cybercrimes.
- Identify specific, historical crime-fighting measures adopted by the federal government, including relevant legislation.
- Evaluate the role of globalization as it relates to international policy making.
- Analyze the primary typologies of terrorism, including specific categories associated with each typology.
- Critique the projected crime control policies of the future, including potential implications as they relate to transnational crimes.

The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses.
While widely available, not all programs are available in all locations or in both online and on-campus formats. Please check with a University Enrollment Advisor.
Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice.

Criminology –

cja314

Research Methods, Theory Development, and Patterns of Crime

Psychological and Psychiatric Foundations of Criminal Behavior

Conflict Theories

Types of Crime

Criminology, Social Policy, and Future Directions

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