02513 - Criminology

Learning outcomes

At the beginning of the course, we analyse the criminology evolution with a particular reference to the deep contrasts and differences between the concepts of moral responsibility and legal responsibility, and also about those concepts concerning legal protection and social defence.

Subsequently we review the criminological theories in order to develop the application of Lewin's field theory for the crime interpretation. Later we deal with monographic subjects such as the dynamics of criminal behaviours and the relations between mental diseases and criminal behaviours.

The conclusive subjects concern the victimological knowledge whose aims are the crime effects on victims and the more suitable methods to reduce them (for those involved in helping victims) focusing on the importance of the ability in creating relations and in reading reality in a critical and innovative way.

This knowledge aims at providing some means to analyse the crime phenomena and to know the techniques and the investigative strategies in order to protect victims (victimology) .

Course contents

• From the age of the Enlightenment to the Beccaria's work;
• Bio-anthropological theories: from the Positive School to the chromosomal syndrome and to the psychological positivism;
• Psycho-dynamic theories : the contributions of S. Freud and T.Reik, the criminal psychoanalytic diagnostics, genesis of the juvenile deviance, frustration and aggressiveness;
• Sociological theories: the sociological study of the deviance develops around two important trends; one concerning the anomy of Durkheim and one concerning the social disorganisation of the Chicago School. Both these trends lie within the structural-functional perspective of Parsons . This perspective examines the contributions of different authors (R.K. Merton, E.H. Sutherland, A. K.Cohen) together with the deviant subcultures, the labelling theory and the conflict theory;
• The review of the different theories will be done by using the instruments of the topological psychology of K.Lewin with an additional analysis of the different contributions with a special reference to the studies about criminality carried out by Enrico Ferri;
• Dynamics of the most common crimes;
• Psychiatric criminology: this aspect will focus on the investigations concerning the evaluation of the responsibility, the social danger and the relationships between mental diseases and criminal behaviours;
• Victimology evolution and instruments to improve the interaction between offender and victim.

Readings/Bibliography

Reeading for the undergraduate courses in Sociology and in Political Sciences:


BALLONI A., Criminologia in prospettiva, Clueb, Bologna, 1983.

 
BALLONI A., Criminologia e psicopatologia, Patron, Bologna, 2004 (IV edizione).

 
BISI R., Enrico Ferri e gli studi sulla criminalità, Angeli, Milano, 2004.

 
A choice between:

BISI R. (a cura di), Vittimologia. Dinamiche relazionali fra vittimizzazione e mediazione, Angeli, Milano, 2004.

Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza, anno II, n. 1, January-April 2008, available at the Website: http://www.vittimologia.it/rivista/2008vol2n1_aprile.pdf

 

Read carefully the following pages:

BALLONI A., Criminologia in prospettiva, Clueb, Bologna, 1983; pp. 9-178; pp. 205-234; pp. 245-264.

BALLONI A., Criminologia e psicopatologia, Patron, Bologna, 2004 (IV edizione); pp. 12-94; pp. 147-243; pp. 255-265; pp. 299-325.

BISI R., Enrico Ferri e gli studi sulla criminalità, Angeli, Milano, 2004; pp. 13-114; pp. 161-178.

BISI R. (a cura di), Vittimologia. Dinamiche relazionali fra vittimizzazione e mediazione, Angeli, Milano, 2004; pp. 11-119. 

Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza, anno II, n. 1, January-April 2008; pp. 5-73; pp. 91-136.

 

Reading for the undergraduate course in Social Work:

 
BALLONI A., Criminologia in prospettiva, Clueb, Bologna, 1983.
 
BISI R., Enrico Ferri e gli studi sulla criminalità , Angeli, Milano, 2004.

A choice between:

BISI R. (a cura di), Vittimologia. Dinamiche relazionali fra vittimizzazione e mediazione, Angeli, Milano, 2004.

Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza, anno II, n. 1, January-April 2008, available at the Website: http://www.vittimologia.it/rivista/2008vol2n1_aprile.pdf

 

Read carefully the following pages: 

BALLONI A., Criminologia in prospettiva, Clueb, Bologna, 1983; pp. 9-178; pp. 205-234; pp. 245-264.

BISI R., Enrico Ferri e gli studi sulla criminalità, Angeli, Milano, 2004; pp. 13-114; pp. 161-178.

BISI R. (a cura di), Vittimologia. Dinamiche relazionali fra vittimizzazione e mediazione, Angeli, Milano, 2004; pp. 11-119. 

Rivista di Criminologia, Vittimologia e Sicurezza, anno II, n. 1, January-April 2008; pp. 5-73; pp. 91-136.

Reading for the undergraduate course (4 years) in Political Sciences:

 BALLONI A., Criminologia in prospettiva, Clueb, Bologna, 1983.

BALLONI A., Criminologia e psicopatologia, Patron, Bologna, 2004 (IV edizione).

BISI R., Enrico Ferri e gli studi sulla criminalità, Angeli, Milano, 2004.

BISI R. (a cura di), Vittimologia. Dinamiche relazionali fra vittimizzazione e mediazione, Angeli, Milano, 2004. 

 BISI R. (a cura di), Psicodiagnostica e storie di vita in criminologia, Angeli, Milano, 2004.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons and seminars

Assessment methods

The exam consists in a written text with an oral interview

Teaching tools

PC, video projector, overhead projector

Links to further information

http://www.vittimologia.it

Office hours

See the website of Roberta Bisi