LA 240 Criminology
An introduction and overview of crime as a social phenomenon from an interdisciplinary perspective. Classical concepts of criminal behavior will be discussed followed by a more detailed exploration of the contemporary major biological, psychological, and sociological explanations of criminal behavior. Other significant issues in criminology such as the measurement and extent of crime, the role of demographics (age, race, gender, social class) in the causation of and reaction to crime, and explanations of specific crime types such as non-violent (e.g. larceny) and violent (e.g. homicide) crime will also be discussed.