WINTER

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Crime
and

Punishment
- Yulong -

Area of Study
An analysis of the
epistemological bases behind
(A) criminological theories and
(B) crime prevention
methodologies in different
societies across time and space.

Crime
Defined by the legal
system:
A crime is what is against the
law

Criminological Theories
Labelling Theory
Bad labels stigmatise and by doing so
evoke the very behaviour the label
signifies

Criminological Theories
Theories about the
nature, extent, cause
and control of criminal
behaviour

Criminological Theories
Psychology
Biochemistr
y

Conflict
Strain

Control

Learning

Ecology

Crime Prevention
Methods
Reduce crimes by applying ideas
derived from criminological
theories
Reduction in stereotypes
Positive education

Epistemological Bases
Many criminological theories
contain a pinch of science
and a pound of ideology
the primary weakness is a
lack of basic
epistemological
- Criminology and Criminal Justice Professor Chris
Eskridge
understanding

Epistemological Bases
Labelling Theory
Self-fulfilling prophecies do occur
Selective skepticism
Kuhns theory ladenness

Epistemological Bases
Criminological Theory
typically contains:
Assumptions about human
nature/causation
Description of phenomena
Prediction of phenomena

Epistemological Bases
Crime Prevention Methods
How do we know which
criminological theories to
choose, and whether theyre
reliable?

Choice of Topic
As we have taken certain
assumptions behind the
theories/methods for granted,
it is important to examine
whether:
They are epistemologically sound
They should be adjusted to
increase their epistemic validity

Guiding Questions
What is the epistemological nature
of criminological theories and
crime prevention methods?
Are they, inherently, epistemologically
sound or flawed?
Which of them are more
epistemologically sound, and why?

JTB
Limitations of JTB
Logical Fallacies
Reliability of Evidence

Overview
Criminological theories in different
societies
Theories about crime prevention
methodology
Conclusion
Common strengths/problems in
epistemic validity of criminological
theories and crime prevention
methodologies
How they can become more
epistemologically sound to achieve
their intended effects (i.e. crime

Another example
Disproportionate number of
African Americans arrested for
crimes
Police bias, or disproportionate black
involvement in crime?
Blacks were actually arrested less
often when compared as a proportion
of the crimes committed (e.g. 30.8%
of white robbers vs 21.4% of black
robbers)

What I Hope to
Achieve
Examine criminological theories
and crime prevention
methodologies across societies
and generalise their inherent or
avoidable epistemological flaws.

Potential Concerns
Scope
When do I know how much
justification is adequate
justification?

Summary
Criminological theories in
different societies
Theories about crime prevention
methodology
Conclusion
Common strengths/problems in
epistemic validity of criminological
theories and crime prevention
methodologies
How they can become more
epistemologically sound to achieve
their intended effects (i.e. crime

Thank You