Criminal Justice Careers: Criminologists

Criminologists study crime and criminal law. They analyze criminal behavior patterns and criminal laws, and provide theoretical explanations for criminal and delinquent behavior. Primarily involved in research and teaching, criminologists supply a great deal of knowledge to the study of policing, police administration and policy, juvenile and delinquency, corrections, correctional administration and policy, drug addiction, criminal ethnography, macro- level models of criminal behavior, radical criminology, theoretical criminology, and victimology. In addiction, they evaluate various biological, sociological, and psychological factors related to criminology. Some criminologists may also engage themselves in community initiatives and evaluation and policy projects with local, state, and federal criminal justice agencies.

Web Link Library: http://www.criminaljusticeusa.com/criminologist.html This website describes what a criminologist is, what they do, where they work, and the kind of training they need. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/criminologist This website describes a criminologist as someone who studies the etiology of crime, criminal behavior, types of crimes, and social, cultural and media reactions to crime. http://www.princetonreview.com/careers.aspx?cid=47 This website describes a day in the life of a criminologists. http://careers.stateuniversity.com/pages/714/Criminologist.html This website describes the definition and nature of the work

Related Article:
Title: Do Executions Lower Homicide Rates? The Views of Leading Criminologists.
Database: EbscoHost
Abstract: The question of whether the death penalty is a more effective deterrent than long-term imprisonment has been debated for decades or longer by scholars, policy makers, and the general public. In this article we report results from a survey of the world’s leading criminologists that asked their expert opinions on whether the empirical research supports the contention that the death penalty is a superior deterrent. The findings demonstrate an overwhelming consensus among these criminologists that empirical research conducted on the deterrence question strongly supports the conclusion that the death penalty does not add deterrent effects to those already achieved by long imprisonment.”

Professional Associations:
American Society of Criminology is an international organization whose members pursue scholarly, scientific and professional knowledge concerning the measurement, etiology, consequences, prevention, control, and treatment of crime and delinquency. The society was organized in Berkeley, California in December 1941. Members include practioners, academicians, and students in many fields of criminal justice and criminology. Roughly sixty-five percent of the membership is made up of university professors who engage in social and behavior science-based criminological research. Membership in the American Society of Criminology is open to any who wish to advance the interests of the field.

Western Society of Criminology (WSC) is a regional professional society devoted to the scientific study of crime. The attracts criminology scholars, students, government officials and public and private practioners from around the world. Through the annual meeting, WSC members discuss the latest criminological research, interact with prominent scholars, policy makers and legislators. Membership fees are due in February. Renewal corresponds with annual meeting. The current fee is $45.00.

The International Association for the Study of Organized Crime (IASOC) is a professional association of criminologists, researchers, working professional, teachers, and students. IASOC works to promote greater understanding and research about organized crime in all its manifestations. IASOC was founded in 1984. Membership dues are annual and are $25.00. Membership to the International Association of the Study of Organized Crime (IASOC) is open to researchers, teachers, working professional, and student in all countries.

Related Legal Code: Delaware
Legal Code: Title 16 Health and Safety
Chapter 51. The Department Of Health And Social Services
Subchapter III. Mental Hygiene Clinic 5141. Establishment and composition. The Department may maintain mental hygiene clinics which shall be composed of such professional assistants as may be recommended by the Secretary.

36 Del. Laws, c. 241 1; Code 1935, 3073; 16 Del. C. 1953, 5141; 53 Del. Law, C. 84, 2; 54 Del. Laws, c. 591, 24

5142. Duties and powers of clinic.
(a) The mental hygiene clinic shall examine all public or private school children within the state who are 2 or more years retarded, when so requested by the superintendent or other executive head of such school.
(b) The clinic shall likewise undertake and carry on a continuous survey and examination of all mentally retarded persons.
(c) The clinic may observe, examine, study and treat the inmates of any institution supported in whole or in part by the State, or any county thereof and may likewise observe, examine, study and treat any person charged with any offense in, or subject to the jurisdiction, of any court within the State, when requested to do so by a judge or judges thereof.
(d) The clinic may likewise, when requested, extend its psychiatric services to all social agencies of the State, general hospitals and all institutions for the mentally retarded for the purpose of the discovery and treatment of mental disorders.
(e) The clinic may, though the State Psychiatric and Criminologist, apply for the commitment of any person to the Delaware Psychiatric Center under any laws of the State relating to such commitments.

36 Del. Laws, c.241, 1,2 ; Code 1935, 3073; 16 Del. C. 1953, 5142; 55 Del. Laws http://delcode.delaware.gov/title16/c051/sc03 Additional Information
Criminologists work closely with many law-enforcement officers, and the few who leave often pursue a variety of law-enforcement careers. Criminologists become police officers, FBI agents, and state medical examiner more often than any other careers. A number use their psychological training as springboards to careers as therapists, psychologists, and counselors. http://www.princetonreview.com/careers.aspx?cid=47 In order to become a criminologist a minimum two-year masters’ degree in criminology is required. However university employed criminologists typically have PhD. Generally, criminology programs focus on crime and deviant behavior as found in psychology and sociology. Students enrolled in such programs will learn about design and systems analysis, and how it pertains to crime and criminal justice. http://threadcontent.next.college.com/NEXT(ddle2da707)/Main/CourseMode/Thread/L References

Wikipedia (2009, April 27). American Society of Criminology. Retrieved 8/27/2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/american_Society_of_Criminology

Princeton Review. Associated Careers. Retrieved 8/27/2009 from http://www.princetonreview.com/careers.aspx?cid=47

Criminal Justice USA. (2004) Criminologist. Retrieved 8/27/2009 from http://www.criminaljusticeusa.com/criminologist.html

State University. (2009). Criminologist Job Description, Career as a Criminologist, Salary, Employment- Definition and Nature of Work, Education and Training Requirements, Getting the Job. Retrieved 8/27/2009 from http://careers.stateuniversity.com/pages/714/Criminologist.html

IASOC. Homepage. Retrieved 8/27/2009 from http://www.iasoc.net/

Western Society Of Criminology. (2009, May). About Us. Retrieved 8/27/2009 from http://www.sonoma.edu/ccjs/wsc/index.htm

State of Delaware: Official Website (2009, August 17). Chapter 51. Title 16. The Department Of Health And Social Services. Retrieved 8/27/2009 from http://delcode.delaware.gov/title16/c051/sc03

Radelet, M.(2009). Do Executions Lower Homicide Rates? The Views of leading Criminologists. Journal of Criminal law & Criminology, 99(2), 489-508. Retrieved from Ebscohost.

References: Wikipedia (2009, April 27). American Society of Criminology. Retrieved 8/27/2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/american_Society_of_Criminology Criminal Justice USA. (2004) Criminologist. Retrieved 8/27/2009 from http://www.criminaljusticeusa.com/criminologist.html State University. (2009). Criminologist Job Description, Career as a Criminologist, Salary, Employment- Definition and Nature of Work, Education and Training Requirements, Getting the Job http://www.sonoma.edu/ccjs/wsc/index.htm State of Delaware: Official Website (2009, August 17) Radelet, M.(2009). Do Executions Lower Homicide Rates? The Views of leading Criminologists. Journal of Criminal law & Criminology, 99(2), 489-508