Criminology
The study of the root causes of crime, criminal behavior, and society’s responses to criminal activity.
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Overview
This overview provides a brief introduction to criminology, a discipline that explores the study of crime, criminal behavior, law enforcement, and the justice system. It also highlights related subjects and resources for learning more about the field of criminology.
What's criminology?
Criminology is the interdisciplinary and scientific study of crime, criminal behavior, and the institutions designed to control and prevent crime as a social phenomenon. It focuses on creating and enforcing laws, the causes and consequences of criminal behavior, and society's responses through the legal and justice systems. It explores why crimes occur, who is affected by them, and how societies respond through laws, policing, courts, and corrections.
Drawing on insights from sociology, psychology, economics, and law, criminology examines the social conditions, individual motivations, and structural inequalities that shape patterns of crime. Criminology also evaluates the effectiveness and fairness of criminal justice policies, with the goal of understanding crime not only as a legal issue, but as a complex social problem that reflects broader forces within society. For an in-depth description of the field of criminology, see the read the Encyclopedia Britannica article on Criminology.
What are the main subfields of criminology?
Criminology studies cover a wide range of topical areas. However, most universities traditionally provide courses in the following subfields.
- Biological criminology
- Criminal justice
- Penology
- Psychological criminology
- Sociological criminology
- Victimology
Emerging subfields of criminology include biosocial criminology, computational criminology, cyber criminology, environmental or green criminology, and cultural and queer criminology.
What other subjects are important to criminology research?
Criminology is an interdisciplinary discipline examining crime from many angles to understand why crime happens and how society can prevent it, respond to it, and promote justice. Criminology researchers use knowledge, theories, and methods from multiple academic fields, including anthropology, economics, law and legal studies, political science, psychology, and sociology.
Resources for criminology majors.
If you’re thinking about majoring in criminology, these resources can provide useful background information and help guide your next steps. They explain what to expect from the major and the wide variety of career paths available to you.
- What to Know About Becoming a Criminology Major - U.S. News and World Reports
- Major: Criminology - Big Future/College Board
Criminology Literature Reviews
After choosing a topic, conducting a literature review is the next step of the writing process for every social science discipline, including criminology. The following resources provide literature reviews that help scholars learn about the key debates, theories, and major publications of a topic.
Annual Review of Criminology
The Annual Review of Criminology is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes comprehensive literature review articles in criminology. Each year, a new volume is released, consisting of articles written by leading experts in the field, providing overviews of the most important and influential research and scholarship on crime, justice, and social control.
Oxford Bibliographies in Criminology
Oxford Bibliographies provides scholarly bibliographies in most social science disciplines, including criminology. Each bibliography includes authoritative books, journal articles, websites, and other materials selected and organized by academic scholars. These bibliographies can also help researchers begin building literature reviews by identifying important authors, major debates, foundational studies, and key publications on different criminology topics.
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
When searching for literature reviews in your discipline, don’t overlook dissertations found in ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. Doctoral students are typically required to write extensive literature reviews that examine major debates, theories, methods, and key publications related to their research topic. These literature reviews can help you identify important authors, foundational studies, useful keywords, and gaps in the existing research.
Background and Reference
Criminology reference resources such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, and handbooks provide context for significant issues and topics. The following list contains some of the most comprehensive background and reference resources for criminology researchers. We provide links to either the publisher’s websites or Amazon for further details and descriptions.
Dictionaries
Dictionaries are important for understanding and contextualizing words, concepts, and terminology. These criminology dictionaries provide clarity when exploring complex criminal concepts, systems, and theories, offering clear definitions of key criminal terms.
Encyclopedias
Subject encyclopedias are reference books focusing on a single subject or academic field. Unlike general encyclopedias such as Encyclopedia Britannica, which give overviews on many topics, subject encyclopedias dive deeper into one area. Unlike Wikipedia, each article's author is clearly identified as an expert or scholar in the field. These articles are often reviewed or edited by academic editors, which means the information is more reliable and credible for academic work. Subject encyclopedias are a great starting point when learning about a new topic in a class or starting a research project. Here are some of the most useful ones to know about in the area of criminology:
Handbooks
Handbooks provide authoritative overviews, in-depth analyses, and critical discussions of a particular academic field, discipline, or topic. The following are important handbooks in criminology.
Companions & Introduction
Companions offer concise yet comprehensive introductions to a subject. Written by experts, introductions present key ideas, theories, and debates clearly and understandably. The following books are ideal for readers new to criminology studies, providing foundational knowledge without requiring prior expertise.
General Databases
Academic libraries subscribe to a diverse range of research databases of which EBSCO and ProQuest are two of the largest providers. Most colleges and universities offer access to one or both platforms. Here are some key insights about each:
- Both are multidisciplinary research databases covering multiple disciplines.
- Both provide access to dozens of subject databases with a single search interface.
- Both provide a varied mix of e-books, scholarly journals, peer-reviewed journals, trade publications, magazines, images, and newspapers.
EBSCO
EBSCOhost is a major research database platform that allows users to search multiple EBSCO databases simultaneously. The difference between EBSCOhost and Academic Search is that Academic Search can be searched as part of the EBSCOhost platform or searched separately if your institution has a subscription. To check if your institution subscribes to EBSCOhost, use EBSCO’s Find your institution page.
ProQuest
ProQuest is a major database vendor and platform that provides access to hundreds of database collections. The ProQuest platform provides a multidisciplinary search with access to scholarly ebooks, journals, video and audio, newspapers, and more, all searchable simultaneously. ProQuest is unique in providing dissertations and theses, historical newspapers, and other primary sources.
Scholarly Databases
Scholarly research databases provide peer-reviewed academic journal articles, book reviews, and other scholarly resources authored by scholars, researchers, or academics who are experts in their fields. Unlike magazines (Time, Newsweek, etc.) focused on current events, news, and general-interest stories written by journalists, articles in scholarly journals undergo rigorous review before publication. The following is a list of the most important multidisciplinary scholarly research databases.
Google Scholar
Google Scholar is a free academic search engine that helps researchers and students find scholarly literature across disciplines. It indexes journal articles, books, conference papers, theses, patents, and other resources from academic publishers, universities, and professional organizations.
- Unlike subscription databases, which publish lists of journals in their collections, Google Scholar does not provide a list of the journals, books, repositories, or conference proceedings it indexes.
- General databases such as EBSCO and ProQuest allow you to limit your results to peer-reviewed articles only. Google Scholar does not filter results for peer-reviewed articles.
- When off your school’s network, you must enable your institution’s Google Scholar library links (review process) to see full-text articles available in your institution. If Library Links are not enabled, you’ll only see paywalls, publisher links, and what’s available open-access in the public domain.
International Bibliography of the Social Sciences
The International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS), compiled by the British Library of Political and Economic Science at the London School of Economics, provides access to a vast collection of scholarly literature in the social sciences. Covering multiple disciplines, IBSS includes references to journal articles, books, newspapers, and dissertations, with records dating back to 1951.
JSTOR
JSTOR is an important scholarly research database for the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. It provides the full text of articles from thousands of influential academic journals. In addition to journal articles, users can access eBooks, book chapters, images, and primary source documents. JSTOR also provides an AI research tool that provides key points and arguments of articles.
JSTOR contains the full text of more than 2,000 journals from 1,000 publishers, with publication dates ranging from 1665 to 2015 (for certain titles). JSTOR also provides:
- Free access to Early Journal Content published before the last 95 years in the United States or before the last 143 years if initially published internationally.
- A collection of nearly 150 open-access journals covering the humanities, social sciences, and sciences.
- JSTOR allows anyone to register for a free personal JSTOR account and provides access to 100 free monthly articles.
Project Muse
Project MUSE offers online access to a vast collection of scholarly journals, books, and academic resources in the humanities, social sciences, and arts. As a leading provider of digital humanities content, it features high-quality, peer-reviewed publications from prestigious university presses, scholarly societies, and academic publishers.
ProQuest Dissertations
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses is a database of dissertations and theses from universities worldwide. It provides access to millions of full-text works across many disciplines, including the social sciences, humanities, sciences, and business. Each dissertation includes an abstract or summary that provides a concise overview of the research, its methodology, and key findings.
ScienceDirect
ScienceDirect is a leading full-text scholarly scientific database that provides journal articles and book chapters from more than 2,500 peer-reviewed journals and more than 11,000 books. It covers over 24 major subjects in the physical sciences and engineering, life sciences, health sciences, social sciences, and the humanities.
Social Science Full Text
Social Sciences Full Text provides access to a wide range of scholarly literature in the social sciences. It covers many disciplines, including sociology, psychology, international relations, political science, anthropology, economics, and education.
Web of Science
Web of Science is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary research and citation index that provides access to a wide range of scientific, technical, social science, and humanities research. It maintains rigorous criteria for the journals and publications it indexes, ensuring that only high-quality, peer-reviewed content is included. Web of Science includes 98 million papers dating back to 1900.
Criminology Databases
Searching general or multi-disciplinary databases can sometimes give you too many results. To narrow your focus, try using a database dedicated to criminology research. The list below highlights the top databases for finding criminology journals and scholarly articles.
Annual Review of Criminology
The Annual Review of Criminology is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes comprehensive literature review articles in criminology. Each year, a new volume is released, consisting of articles written by leading experts in the field, providing overviews of the most important and influential research and scholarship on crime, justice, and social control.
Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text (EBSCO)
Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text is a research database that provides access to scholarly articles, reports, and summaries covering all areas of criminal justice and criminology. It includes topics such as criminology, criminal justice, criminal investigation, criminal law and procedure, corrections and prisons, forensic sciences and investigation, history of crime, police and policing, probation and parole, substance abuse and addiction. Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text is only available on the EBSCOhost platform.
Criminal Justice Database (ProQuest)
Criminal Justice Database is a research collection that focuses on crime, law enforcement, corrections, and the criminal justice system. It provides access to full-text articles, reports, and other publications that explore real-world issues such as policing practices, court decisions, and rehabilitation programs.
National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Abstracts Database (ProQuest)
National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Abstracts provides summaries of publications on crime, justice, and public safety. It includes research studies, government reports, policy papers, and other materials from the U.S. and abroad. Topics covered include policing, corrections, juvenile justice, and victim services.
Criminology Journals
Journal Citation Reports (JCR) is widely regarded as the leading subscription-based resource for identifying high-quality, peer-reviewed journals and assessing the impact, influence, and quality of scholarly journals across disciplines, including criminology. To learn more about JCR and journal impact, go to Journal Databases.
To review the entire JCR list of highly cited anthropology journals, go to Journal Citation Reports (JCR) and choose Categories > Social Sciences, General > Criminology. Listed below are the top ten criminology journals that received the highest number of citations in 2024.
Journal of Interpersonal Violence
The Journal of Interpersonal Violence (JIV) is a peer-reviewed academic journal that focuses on violence between individuals, especially within families, intimate relationships, and close social settings. It publishes research that examines the causes, consequences, prevention, and policy implications of interpersonal violence across the lifespan.
Trauma Violence & Abuse
Trauma, Violence, & Abuse (TVA) is a peer-reviewed academic journal that focuses on comprehensive reviews of research on trauma and interpersonal violence. TVA specializes in synthesizing and evaluating existing research across disciplines. Literature reviewed includes social sciences, behavioral sciences, and the law.
Aggression and Violent Behavior
Aggression and Violent Behavior is a multidisciplinary journal that publishes research and empirical studies on aggression and violence. Topics include youth and gang violence, family violence, workplace and school violence, cyberbullying, and various forms of victimization.
Criminology
Criminology is a leading peer-reviewed academic journal published by Wiley on behalf of the American Society of Criminology. It focuses on the causes, patterns, and consequences of crime and criminal behavior. Criminology publishes broad, theory-driven research that advances core debates in the field.
The British Journal of Criminology
The British Journal of Criminology is a leading international journal publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed research on crime and society. It publishes articles from diverse disciplinary perspectives, including sociology, psychology, law, politics, and anthropology.
Journal of Criminal Justice
The Journal of Criminal Justice is an international scholarly publication that explores how different parts of the criminal justice system, such as law enforcement, courts, and corrections, interact and influence one another.
Justice Quarterly
Justice Quarterly examines how criminal justice systems operate and how laws and policies shape real-world outcomes. Published by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, it features studies on policing, courts, corrections, and broader issues such as inequality, reform, and public safety.
Crime & Delinquency
Crime & Delinquency is a scholarly journal that explores the causes, consequences, and prevention of crime within society. It features research on topics such as youth crime, gang behavior, policing, sentencing, rehabilitation, and the social factors that influence criminal behavior.
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology is a peer-reviewed journal that examines how societies respond to crime, punishment, and rehabilitation. It focuses on comparative and international perspectives, featuring studies of correctional systems, offender treatment programs, restorative justice, and community reintegration.
Journal of Quantitative Criminology
The Journal of Quantitative Criminology (JQC) is a peer-reviewed academic journal that focuses on the statistical and mathematical analysis of crime and criminal justice. It publishes research that uses rigorous quantitative methods to better understand patterns of crime, victimization, policing, sentencing, and other aspects of the justice system.
Research Methods
Research methods are qualitative or quantitative approaches used to collect, analyze, and interpret data to answer a research question. When studying social science, you will be required to take a research methods course that provides a basic introduction to principles, methods, and techniques of social science research. Listed below are resources that help you learn basic quantitative and qualitative data collection methods and various other research techniques.
Criminology Research Methods
The following resources provide in-depth information on research design concepts, methodologies, and techniques specific to criminology.
The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCR) is voluntary, meaning local and state law enforcement agencies choose whether to submit data. Its recent transition to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) captures more detail per incident than the older summary counts, changing how researchers study crime patterns.
Source: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)