CJS 350: CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY

This course begins with a survey of the history and application of criminological thought which will provide a foundation for analysis of the assumptions, elements, and policy implications of theories of crime and criminal justice. The first half of this course focuses on theories within two major paradigms in criminological theory: Classical and Positivist Criminology. The second part of the course will turn to several of the more interdisciplinary theoretical approaches currently in use. We explore the perspectives on crime and criminal justice that permeate public discourse on crime and justice and critique the formal criminological theories to which these everyday perspectives are linked. We consider whether existing research provides support for widely accepted theories and we examine the criminal justice policies associated with different criminological theories.