Sociology & Criminology for a Changing World
Criminology is the scientific study of crime—but what counts as “crime” is neither fixed nor self-evident. The term criminology derives from the Latin crimen (accusation, offence) and the Greek logos (study or knowledge). At its most basic level, criminology is therefore the study of crime. Yet this seemingly simple definition raises a more fundamental question:
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) is an approach to crime prevention that emphasizes the design and management of built environments to reduce opportunities for crime and enhance perceived safety. Rather than focusing on offender rehabilitation or punitive deterrence, CPTED works proactively to shape spaces in ways that discourage criminal behavior while supporting social cohesion
Situational Crime Prevention (SCP) is an evidence-based strategy that reduces crime by altering environmental conditions and increasing the perceived risks for offenders. It shifts the focus from changing offender motivation to managing the situations in which crimes occur. Situational Crime Prevention (SCP) represents a shift in criminological thinking from offender-focused explanations of crime toward a
Space and Surveillance theories examine how crime is shaped by physical environments, urban structures, neighborhood conditions, and practices of surveillance and social control. Rather than locating the causes of crime solely in individual motivation or pathology, these approaches analyze how spatial organization, environmental design, community structures, and visible disorder influence where and under what conditions
The Broken Windows Theory was developed by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling. According to the authors, even minor signs of neglect, like a broken window, should be repaired quickly to prevent further decay, maintain order, and reduce crime. Destruction in urban areas is therefore inextricably linked to crime and causes it. A seemingly
Turning Point Theory, also known as the Age-Graded Life-Course Theory of Crime, was developed by Robert J. Sampson and John H. Laub. This influential approach in developmental criminology argues that criminal behaviour is not static over the life course. Instead, it can change in response to key life events or turning points that strengthen or