CRIMINOLOGY - DEFINITION

DEFINITION
The word Criminology derives from the Latin criminis and from the Greek
logos, which means the treaty or study of crime. The
definitions, responsibilities, divisions and scopes of this
Science, varied according to different authors,
Criminologists and geographic location, according to the various
theoretical approaches and frameworks, as well as in accordance
to the time when they were expressed.
The mentioned term "Criminology" was expressed by
first time by the French anthropologist PABLO
TOPINNARD at the end of the year 1883.

According to Rafael GARÓFALO, in late 1885, the

Criminology is the science of crime. Garófalo defined it.
as the general science of crime and punishment, and
at the same time edits a first book called precisely
Criminology.
Product of a broad approach, Criminal Study is
it allows defining Criminology as the science
multidisciplinary field that studies crime, the criminal, the
victim, as well as the deviant human behavior both of
individual cases as well as the phenomena of
to determine and explain the genesis of the
phenomenon, prevent them, as well as apply the
necessary treatments or remedies for the case.
METHODS
THE METHOD IN CRIMINOLOGY.
We saw in a previous blog that the methodical approach is the
the only thing that can lead to scientific knowledge. Not
one must consider the scientific method simply as
the path that must be traveled to reach an end;
conceived in such a broad way, the method is not only
need for science but also a condition of knowledge
vulgar and even from daily practice.
The scientific method involves a series of activities
logically carried out and concatenated in such a way that
integrate a structure. "Each method consists of a series
of regular operations, of assumptions and scopes well
defined. A series of attempts without a plan, at random, although
go inspired by a sure scientific intuition, not
they don't even compose a method in the case that they lead
to discover new truths; in these cases, the truths
discoveries must be controlled through rigorous
testing methods and only then do they gain strength: the
methodical deficiency in the finding will be compensated with
the methodical precision in the verification." From where it
Another characteristic of the method emerges: its objectivity, it is
to say, its possibility of being used by any researcher
in front of the same objects. A method of knowledge that
it could only be used by one person, it could never be
to be recognized as a scientist.
This objectivity is not easy to achieve in
Criminology. As Coeppinger points out, it can be
altered by personal valuations. We should not
forget that each person, each criminological researcher,
usually has its particular conceptions in advance
from which it will try to interpret the data. The
unilateralism is a risk that must be addressed
to prevent oneself.
We must also take into account that, when trying to
to explain a criminal behavior, we have to collect
many data. Exceptionally, it will be able to
researcher to dwell long on this task; but the
it is common for that delay to be impossible. The
the investigator deals with several, sometimes numerous, cases
and he has to complete his task within a limited time since his
reports must serve as the basis for the ruling and it is of
to wish that this is dictated without anything reprehensible
delay in the action of justice. This need can
lead to incomplete data and, in some
measure, surface.
Given the eminently natural character of Criminology,
the investigations will have to adhere, in the
fundamental, to the methods proper to the sciences
naturalistic are the appropriate ones for dealing with facts.
In this methodological aspect, Criminology and Law
Penal and radical oppose each other radically. But it cannot
simply seek the accumulation of data. Although there
They will manage to get them in large quantities, on their own they will not.
would constitute nothing but a shapeless set. It will be necessary
form generalizing hypotheses that will then be
confirmed or rectified by subsequent investigations,
until extracting some rules. It is necessary to induce some
general conclusions and try to systematize them in order to
achieve scientifically structured knowledge.
Certainly, they must be taken into account and in such a way
fundamental, the methods specific to the sciences
components of Criminology. But it will be necessary to
It should be considered that the difficulties in this are much greater.
because they deal with something very complex
—the crime— which cannot be analyzed from the
purely naturalistic angle. Certainly and as
for example, it is less difficult to research the endocrine system or
the intelligence of a person who establishes the way in
that those factors contributed to determining a
criminal behavior. These difficulties should not paralyze or
exclude the action of Criminology up to now
that everything is known and easy to reach some
practical conclusion, then it would have to be maintained
immobility forever: one must take advantage of what
is possible at the moment and given the circumstances. That
it is what happens in other fields, such as Medicine,
Psychiatry, Pedagogy, etc. No oncologist will be
justification for crossing arms simply because
there is still much that is unknown about cancer and the
diagnosis and cure have many questionable aspects.
We will face similar situations in the
Applied criminology. In practice, it is common that,
lack of something better, has to undergo surgery based on
not even very high probabilities.
In Criminology, we have two aspects to study:
the crime as an individual act and criminality as
mass phenomenon. In both cases, we must start from
facts data. As the main method in the crime
individual, we have the case study. The method
fundamental for the study of criminality as
Social phenomenon is statistics.

2 THE EXPERIMENTAL METHOD.

In pure natural sciences, such as Physics and the
Chemistry, the greatest achievements have been made with the
use of the experimental method.

2.1 What does the experimental method consist of?

The experimental method consists of observations, but
not from the facts as they are presented in themselves but
intentionally provoked and under circumstances in which the
data collection is facilitated by favoring the
analysis of the elements and causes of a phenomenon.
2.2 The Experimental Method and Criminology.
If this method has achieved many successes in subjects
related to Criminology, it could be thought that it is easily
applicable to it. But that represents insurmountable difficulties.
Indeed, it is characteristic of the experiment that there is a
analysis of the factors; one is varied while the
the others remain unchanged. Thus, if one wishes to
determine the influence of atmospheric pressure on the
boiling, changes will be introduced in this factor leaving
the others remain unchanged (nature of the liquid, temperature,
etc.). Every experiment implies an analysis that is possible
in Physics, Chemistry, etc., but impossible in behavior
human and, therefore, in the crime.
We could come to this conclusion by observing the success that
the experiment has components of science
Criminology. Biology uses it, but undoubtedly not with
as good results as Physics and Chemistry.
The successes in Psychology and Sociology are still minor,
that is, in sciences that deal with more complex aspects and
with greater interference from what is not purely
naturalistic. If we examine the essence of the crime and
we consider the criminal, we will come to assert with
greater force makes difficulties: in crime it is impossible
variate a single factor while keeping the others unchanged; the
variation in one drags modifications in others and in the
total structure of behavior, that is, they remain
immediately committed the assumptions in which
base the experiment[4].
Aside from the above, we must take into account another
it is of a social and moral nature: it cannot be
to provoke the crime for the mere desire to study it. This reason
I would lose weight if we experimented with fictitious crimes, with
driving that resembles criminal activities, but that the
The experimenter is concerned that they do not become so.
really. But, even admitting the possibility — which is
a lot to admit - that the difficulties of such
experiments were defeated, will it be lawful to carry the
conclusions thus obtained until applying them to crimes
true?
But, as Taft notes, sometimes a certain is obtained
isolation of the factors at a level close to that which exists
in the experiment. Such happens in the method that some
they call therapeutic. Let's suppose the case of a minor
whose crimes are mainly due to domestic causes;
we placed him in a home with good conditions. If the
correction occurs, we will be able to accept that it was
really the home is the root cause of delinquency; the
treatment will provide proof of it and, at the same time, will
one of the factors of the crime will have been isolated. But still
then, it can be affirmed that not a single one has been altered
factor, the household one, but many others that are related
with him.
Therefore, in general, we will have to limit ourselves to analyzing
the events produced and the consequences of the measures
that are applied to them, but without expressly provoking them.
While the experiment is not suitable for studying the crime
as such, it can be used in each of the
science components of Criminology. For example,
the experiment will serve to determine the biotype, the
hormones, the level of mental development, memory, the
feelings, etc. But it should never be forgotten that,
within a system of self-assessments of what
criminal, there will be moral and legal limitations that prevent
make inclusive everything that is admissible in the field
purely curative.
3 THE INDIVIDUAL CASE METHOD.
This method owes its current importance mainly to the
impulse of American criminologists. It was founded
by William Healy.
He seeks to gather all the individual data that he can.
contribute to understanding the criminal act. The
statements from the criminal and from those who know him; they
investigate its physical and social environment; resorts to the
technical reports from psychologists, psychiatrists, educators
doctors, etc., to later infer the importance of the
different factors in the determination of the crime. The latter
labor is perhaps the most important and difficult since it does not
it seeks a mere accumulation of data, by numerous and
significant as they are, but to coordinate or interpret them
to infer an explanation.
3.1 Limitations of the individual case method.
The advantages of the method cannot be doubted;
but it has limitations that fundamentally depend
for two reasons:
It is impossible to know all the necessary data.
1) it is impossible to know all the necessary data; that
it occurs not only because in some aspects one must be
the statements of the criminal and he may have interest
not to tell the truth but also because, even assuming
the best intention of those involved in the
investigation, some of the forgetfulness are not remediable
data, the lack of control over them, etc.
The material must be interpreted away from everything
prejudice
The material must be interpreted away from all prejudice.
what is beautiful in the impossible and not only due to one's own weaknesses
of every human being, no matter how much they love science,
but precisely because researchers often have
their general conceptions about the importance
relative to the causes of the crime, conceptions for which
they are seeking confirmation in the new cases

3.2 Procedure for Obtaining Data and

reports within the individual case method.
Within the individual case method, they can
to consider numerous procedures intended for the
acquisition of data and reports. Let’s cite some of the
more common currents, to which Taft recognizes some autonomy.
3.2.1 Autobiography of the Offender
Criminals often have about their behavior,
different opinions to others which predisposes them to
explain their viewpoints; that's why it is common that
take suggestions for writing your autobiography. They usually
this way one can obtain very interesting data, especially if the
the criminal is already definitively condemned and does not have
interest in hiding data. The attitude is usually different.
when it comes to simple processed items that have interest
in showing facts that favor them in the judgment.
The limitations and advantages of the procedure are clear.
It is only applicable to criminals of a certain cultural level.
intellectual and in relation to certain crimes (the denial is
rule in some crimes, such as those of homosexuality,
violation, informing, etc.). However sincere they may be the good
will and the good faith of the writer, will set aside everything
that forgot just like everything he/she does not know for being of
unconscious nature. Likewise, it will happen that the
criminal, unaware of Criminology, put aside
facts that it considers unimportant and that they have; or it
it will stop at useful details, which it considers
fundamentals. Taft notes that, then, the
the criminologist faces a dilemma: either he allows everything
I was left to the initiative of the criminal and for
consequently, it loses important data; or suggests which ones
these are the topics that should be extensively discussed, in
whose case can twist the outcome with the introduction
from one's own prejudices or open the way for the offender to
processes of rationalization that disturb the truth of
the data and the author's spontaneous interpretation
3.2.2 The participant observer
The researcher or a trusted person adopts the
the way of life of the criminal in order to study him 'to
natural, without the deformations or inhibitions that it shows
when faced with strangers. Thus, they can be collected
useful information, for example regarding the
reactions of the criminal to prison life —the
the investigator assumes the role of another detainee—,
structure and functioning of adult gangs
youth and children, especially in these last two cases in
that is a current false sense of loyalty that makes it difficult
obtaining reliable information.
The researcher takes risks. For example, if he is discovered
and considered a traitor or if he is dragged by the spirit
from the gang, which is far from being rare, especially
in the case of children and young people.

3.2.3 The activity log.

The previous methods have the noted deficiencies;
several would be canceled if the method that Taft was used.
suggest and what we can call 'record of
activities
Important data would be recorded at the moment.
to occur, to avoid forgetfulness or distortions
later. The experience would take place,
let's assume, with a thousand individuals taken from their
childhood. Data collection would continue until
they would turn thirty years old, taking all precautions so that
those be exact. After all, they would be compared to the
records of honest people with those who have
delinquent. Undoubtedly, differences will arise and
valuable conclusions regarding the causes of crime.
But Taft himself doubts that this method will be implemented.
completely to practice, at least in all its scope.
There would be many difficulties, among which the following stand out:

The expenses, which would be enormous, to support the

researcher
2) The unexpected and extraordinary environmental changes,
what a war would be like, that can complicate the
interpretation and the possibilities of application to
ordinary circumstances;
3) The movements of the subjects investigated, which
they would be forced to follow them to their new homes;
4) The objections of the parents of the 'good' children who
they would oppose these being subjected to a study
about his possible crime. Taft considers this his
the method should be seen more as a distant goal to which
it must be understood as an immediate objective
realization
4 CRIMINAL STATISTICS.
Method par excellence for the study of crime
as a social or mass phenomenon. It is one of the
foundations of Criminal Policy.
Despite the intervention of mathematics in the
preparation of the statistics, they have serious
deficiencies against which it is necessary to take precautions.

The statistics would be reliable and a safe basis for the

criminological studies, if they included all the crimes
committed. They would even be very reliable if it only escaped
a minimal part of the criminal acts.
It doesn't happen. We can't be sure that everyone either.
data related to crimes and criminals
they are true. The limitations of the case method
Individuals are reflected in the statistics.
The first thing that can be pointed out is that the statistics
properly criminological ones are rare. In general, they are more
common prison statistics, on the number of
inmates; the penal or judicial ones, regarding cases brought before
the courts and their results, and the police ones, regarding
arrests, complaints, and investigations. In all these
in cases, greater importance is given to the type of crime or to the
imposed sanction that relates to the causes of crime.
There can also be errors regarding the time in
that the crimes occurred especially if it follows the
the legal criterion that a person is criminal only if they have already been
definitely sentenced as such. So, the data
they will be recorded in the statistics of the year in which they
produced the conviction and not of the year —or month— in which the
The fact was made. Therefore, a wave of could occur.
robots in 1978 when in fact she appeared two years later
before. The danger of inaccuracy will be particularly great
in countries like ours, where many times things happen
years and even intervals between the commission of the crime and its
final sentence. Alternatively, one could wait until
that most or all of the crimes committed in certain
year to be sentenced - or not -; but that would bring a
permanent and considerable delay in the data; would arise,
Moreover, the ongoing doubt of whether they have been recorded
all crimes or else others will appear that will force to
permanent adjustments.
4.1 Crimes that escape statistics.
It must be admitted, especially, that not all crimes
are recorded in the statistics; they escape from them:
4.1.1 The crimes committed and not discovered
a) The crimes committed and not discovered, among which
there are many thefts, scams, abuses of trust,
abortions, infanticides, murders committed by means of
poison or other non-violent means.
Sutherland and Cressev highlight above all the
crimes committed by the police and assimilates, with perfect justification,
illegal arrests for kidnappings in Bolivia and several others
other Latin American countries, we must highlight in a way
especially the crimes committed by the political police, which
ranging from illegal arrests to homicides, going through
the numerous cases of severe and minor torture, but of which
It is not known.
4.1.2 The crimes discovered, but not reported to
the authorities
b) The crimes discovered but not reported to the
authorities.—This happens with the majority of the
offenses against modesty as parents often prefer
an honorable silence to the resulting scandal of a
public trial. Also the cases in which there is no trust in
the judiciary or in the proper execution of the
sentences; then, it is thought that the complaint will not arrive.
to nothing concrete and even that she will take reprisals
against which it will be impossible to protect oneself; such, for example,
the cases in which to proceed against the police, high
political and administrative authorities and even leaders
politicians, where democracy is a myth or little
less. In Bolivia, there have been numerous cases where
They know about illegal arrests and torture; but no one is prosecuted.
criminal trials because the consequences will be worse
for the detainees and even their families. In other cases, the
the cause of silence is the full conviction that the
courts will do very little]. There are times when the crime
it exists, but the criminal case is not carried out because it has not
the author has been identified. Of particular significance is,
as for the ease of evading statistics, the crimes
committed by professionals.
4.1.3 Crimes discovered, reported, but
judicially unproven or that do not conclude with
convicting sentence.
c) Crimes discovered, reported, but not judicially
verified or that do not conclude with a sentence
condemnatory. The situation may arise due to lack of
compelling evidence, for withdrawal in the crimes of
private action, for police or judges' inefficiency,
due to special difficulties of some trials, etc.
In any case, those who committed the crime cannot be
legally included as such in the statistics.
Let's cite some examples.
The first deals with all bankruptcy offenses, of which the
lawyers know many. However, we do not know about
no case that has been definitively sentenced
since the founding of the Republic and not because our
merchants are much more honest than their
colleagues from the rest of the world. The fundamental reason was that
legal order, until the recent new codification. The
causes were once so complex that a sentence
would have produced only after several lapses and
huge expenses. Creditors preferred to save what was
could and then abandoned the cause. This was shelved
and freed the guilty party.
Four years ago, the media called the
public attention on a scandalous fact: despite the fact that
the crimes of cocaine manufacturing were numerous, that
there were generally convincing proofs because the
guilty were caught in the act, which was necessary
an effective repression and that there was an explicit prohibition of
grant the defendants provisional release if there was
tests against them; despite all these background, it
gave a very special situation: of 214 manufacturers
detained in a semester, in the end only remained in such
condition 14 and the trials languished. Of course, the
impunity was the rule and the statistics hid almost
completely the reality.
In research conducted as practical work in the
criminology chair, another rare case was verified in
regarding crimes of rape and seduction committed against
minors. There were few trials with purpose.
strictly penal; in general, the parents filed the
actions to obtain economic compensation or to
forcing the offender to marry the
victim. In most trials, having achieved these
objectives, there was a withdrawal and then the forgetting of
the cause, except in exceptional cases. These facts,
Consequently, they do not make it to the statistics.
It should also be taken into account that not all crimes
known to the authorities are registered by the police
or by the courts, not even in countries that have
better organized their statistics.
4.2 What percentage of crimes go unreported?
these and which constitute the so-called "dark figures" of
the crime or the delinquency that remains
hidden?
In his time, Ferri believed that they escape the
sanction and, consequently, to the statistics, 65% of
the crimes. This statement, like others mentioned, takes
as a point of comparison something elusive and unknown:
exactly the number of crimes actually committed.
Therefore, the figures must be taken as values
extremely relative.
Thus, Radzinowicz suggests that only 15% of crimes
committed in England are recorded; Hoard
Jones thinks that figure reaches 25 percent. For
Germany, Mayer and Wehner admit similar calculations. If
that happens in highly developed nations, it may
assume what happens in the underdeveloped. According to
Taft, in Chicago it was found that only 7% of the
serious crimes were recorded in the higher instances;
after many and special recommendations, it
achieved that 40% of the crimes were reported.
The statistics are not equally inaccurate in relation to
with all crimes. In cases of violent homicide,
armed robberies and other similar incidents, the figures are
get closer to reality. The opposite happens in scams,
frauds, tax evasion, abortions, seduction,
violations, petty thefts, and, in general, crimes
committed by fraudulent means.
Regarding the data concerning criminals, it is necessary to
to often be subject to what they declare; the possibility
a verification is usually canceled not only because
Many of such data can only be provided by
the subject being asked why, in other cases, the
verification would involve a huge investment of money,
time and efforts. Taft says that, in a case where it is
a verification was carried out, it turned out that around a
a third of the data provided by the criminals was
false.
Does the above mean that we should discard the use of
statistics in Criminology? Certainly, no.
Simply - and that is not little - that they should be used with
be very careful to avoid hasty conclusions
like those in which they frequently incurred
founders of Criminology. Statistics are not
exact, but they are less inaccurate than the assessments
axes by other means.
One of the benefits that can be derived is the
establishment of correlations between different groups of
phenomena. For example, between crime and crises
economic factors, wars, family disorganization, the
level of education, etc. However, as
methodological principle, it is advisable not to deduce from a
simple statistical correlation a causal relationship
between two variables. It may happen that this occurs, but it may
to be as well as not. One must remember the old principle
According to him, post hoc does not equate to propter hoc. Thus, the type
Lombroso's criminal was the result of the mistake of inferring that since
certain anthropological characters are found in greater
amount between the criminals and those who are not
Criminals, they are the cause of crime.
Statistics also allow for comparing characters.
of the criminals taken together and the similar ones of the
no criminals; but, if one wishes to draw conclusions
Valederas, one must always tread carefully. There
incurs in error, for example, when, based on the
Statistics show that, on average, the
criminals have lower intelligence than non-criminals and
too much importance is given to the intellectual factor in the
causation of the crime. It is often forgotten that intelligent people
they are inclusive when they commit crimes, they are more capable of evading
justice, commit crimes that are harder to discover and to
to try; they are generally in a better economic situation
than the inferiors, so they have a stronger defense.
suitable. Many cases similar to the cited one have to
to introduce oneself throughout this work.

If we take into account the limitations of the statistics and

"and proceed with caution, they can provide
many knowledge. They discover aspects that, of another
they could be careless, like the importance
criminological of the studies started, but not
completed without justifying cause.
These difficulties are immediately grasped by the
specialist; but they go unnoticed by the layperson in the
matter. That's why, while the former usually proceeds with
caution in his statements, especially in his
generalizations, there are always those who make them with full
security based only on some observation that,
many times, it is extremely incomplete and by eye of good
cubero. Few dare to venture into Physics, the
Chemistry, medicine if they do not have a background
suitable; but in Criminology they do it and with all
tranquility and awareness.
The multidisciplinary nature of the immediately stands out.
criminological research, the impossibility of it being
carried out by a single person.
A good summary of the method and the criticisms it deserves,
in Reckless, Criminal Behavior, pp. 173-181. The author
insists on the way in which, from the obtained data, it
they select some as supposed main factors
of the crime, using criteria that correspond more to the
prejudices, to the researcher's own position, than to his
real importance. This defect is so common that, according to
Reckless. Not even Healy escaped him.
Very interesting data and bibliography, in von Hertig.
Criminology, pp. 104 - 109.
The fruits that can be harvested are observed in
investigations in which individuals have been followed for a period of time
criminals; such is the case of those carried out the
Glueck spouses on criminal careers followed by
several years. Something similar is noted in the work
Delinquency in a birth cohort. of which they are the authors
Wolfgang. Son and Sellin.
V.: Principles of Criminology, p. 46.
The Human Rights Commission of Bolivia has several
publications that report complaints about this type
of crimes due to excessive repression; although several of the
cases would have no seat in reality, they would always remain
many well-founded. Attempts have been made for resources of
habeas corpus. But, as far as we know, no criminal case.
that would have concluded with the condemnation of the authorities
guilty.
Such is the case with abortions. Several reports about hospitals.
specialized in Gynecology, talk about thousands of
abortions, among which, without a doubt, many are of a criminal nature.
But they are not brought before the courts because they
they wouldn't even have time to consider them all. Only arrives
some case particularly aggravated by death or serious injury
injuries discovered.
In La Paz, between five and reports are frequently made.
fifteen daily vehicle thefts; the perpetrators almost never are caught
are discovered for which the initiation of the trial is
impossible from a legal standpoint, that is to say, they are not
notified but to the police, but not to the
courts.
We all know about crimes committed by doctors and
lawyers in the practice of the profession; but they are very
few are the trials that are initiated in this regard. Even is
it is common for the press to report on the commission of crimes
sports: but the penalties for offenders remain
reduced to those imposed by the governing bodies of
each sport. It doesn't go beyond that. This situation does not occur,
certainly, only in Bolivia.
 It is not unusual among us that, except in cases
particularly serious, the withdrawal leads, in the long run, to the
case file including in offenses of action
public
The important issue of statistical failures is
largely addressed in the works of Criminology. Sometimes,
the issue is emphasized through titles such as 'crimes
"hidden", "unreported crime", etc. See, among others,
others: von Hentig, op. cit., pp. 69 - 99; the sharp analysis of
Sellin, The measurement of criminality and geography
areas; Radzinowicz and Wolfgang, Crime and justice, all of the
second part of the first volume, pp. 121 - 240; Hood and
Sparks, op. cit., pp. 11 - 45; Goeppinger, op. cit., —con
reference to the entire methodology—, pp. 62 - 136, with many
very useful practical recommendations

FUNCTIONS PERFORMED BY THE CRIMINOLOGIST.

We are currently situated in a society
divided by its different ways of thinking,
ideologies, beliefs, and ways of behaving, the same that
they have generated both individual and
collectives that segment and fracture the social fabric,
reason why social sciences have been interested
for the study of human behavior in different fields
of knowledge
That is why criminology, being a social science, and
with its ultimate goal of progressively rebuilding the
social structure and begin to reduce trends
destructive of 21st century society.
It fulfills its primary function as an interdisciplinary science.
to provide a core of more reliable knowledge and
contrasts about crime, the criminal person, the
victim and social control" (García-Pablos de Molina, 2003,
p. 230).
However, criminological work is not simplified to
to frame it in a single specific function or role, nor to limit it
to a stadium formed by institutional paradigms in
where the criminologist focuses on a single job line
such as the administration of justice, to cite an example,
well, its field is broad enough to be able to
cover functional aspects beyond this, with this not
It means not to have its limitations, because that way it
Francisco Salvador Scimé mentions 'Like all'
discipline connected with human action, Criminology
has its field of action, of research and of
understanding, certainly not unlimited and less
undefined." (Salvador, 1999, p. 34)
The area within which it acts or manifests itself
Criminology is not simple, nor easy to determine, as its
interdisciplinary characteristic presents it as a science
in which it becomes difficult to define its object to specify its
specific subject. The issue essentially lies in its
feasible structure to admit knowledge from various
sciences that participate in their objectives through contributions from
great interest in it, despite the fact that each one of
they continue their scientific path with their own methods.
Therefore, the role that the criminologist currently has is
will be determined through space and time where
manage yourself, since your functions may vary
from one place to another according to the context that is presented
at that moment, that is why it is important for the professional
in criminology have clearly defined what their
functions and that not only lead to a trend
criminological whether: positivist, clinical, critical, realism,
abolitionism or actuarial, as its training implies a
variability of the sciences of the human field, which suggests
that, must have the disposition and an open mind to
to be able to adapt to any work area.
The functions will be presented below.
that the criminologist plays in different areas both
public and private, not intending to imply that
they are the only ones, but they are indeed a synthesis of the
more adopted.