Empirical Criminology I

A key factor in the advancement of Criminology as a science has been the empirical investigation of crime, which has supported and promoted its theoretical study. The course aims to critically present and analyze some of the most significant criminological studies and the criteria for their scientific validity. Prior to classifying these studies into the two dominant paradigms of "Criminology of the Passage to Action" and "Criminology of Social Reaction," the course introduces the particularities of criminological research methods and techniques based on existing research experience. Within the framework of this course, measurement studies, as shaped by contemporary methodological approaches, are explored, as well as studies that fall within the first theoretical paradigm, investigating the role of crime-generating factors (individual, social, economic, environmental) in the passage to action. These studies are examined and analyzed in terms of their overall methodology, while their research data are compared with those of studies adopting the perspective of the Criminology of Social Reaction. Additionally, the comprehensive contribution of these studies to shaping criminological thought is evaluated.