Sociology & Criminology for a Changing World
Criminal justice refers to the institutions, processes, and practices by which societies respond to crime, including policing, courts, and corrections. Due process, by contrast, is the principle that ensures the protection of individual rights and liberties against arbitrary state power. Together, they reflect one of the central tensions of modern legal systems: the balance between
Restorative Justice (RJ) represents a paradigm shift in the way societies deal with crime and conflict. Rather than focusing on punishment and retribution, restorative approaches emphasise dialogue, reparation, and the active participation of all parties involved. Victims, offenders, and community members are brought together to address harm, foster accountability, and promote healing. Restorative justice is
Victimology is the scientific study of victims of crime, their experiences, and their interactions with offenders, society, and the criminal justice system. As a subfield of criminology, it emerged in the mid-20th century and has since developed into an independent research tradition. Victimisation, by contrast, refers to the process and experience of becoming a victim.
Criminology is built on a set of fundamental concepts that provide the analytical tools to understand crime, criminal justice, and social responses to deviance. These key concepts in criminology form the foundation for both theoretical debates and practical applications in law, policing, and policy-making. They allow us to ask not only why crimes occur, but