Comparison of Positivist and Classical School of Criminology

This article compares and contrasts the positivist school of criminology with the classical (classicism) school of criminology, including an appraisal of the ensuring key theorists within each school of thought. It covers the nature of crime, criminal law, and the different theories within the positivist school.

Criminology

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Statement:“Compare and contrast the positivist school of criminology with the classical
(classicism) school of criminology, including an appraisal of the ensuring key theorists within
each school of thought............................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Criminology means the study of crime and criminal behaviour which is informed
principles of sociology and other non-legal fields that includes psychology, economics, statistics,
and anthropology. Also criminology covers about various kinds of aspects upon crime taking
place within society. Criminology is based over study of various types of crimes informing about
principles of sociology and various non- legal fields covered inn relation over individual living
within society. Scope of criminology is wider as it covers about various aspects which is based
upon criminal perspective existing within society. Nature is dynamic as it directly impacts
society. In this file things covered is based upon statement which is related over positivist and
classical school of criminology
MAIN BODY
Statement:“Compare and contrast the positivist school of criminology with the classical
(classicism) school of criminology, including an appraisal of the ensuring key theorists
within each school of thought
Crime means an unlawful act which makes punishable through state or other authority.
Also crime includes modern crimes and criminal law within it that leads upon protecting society
with various purpose(Brisman, and South, 2018). This is one of the most important preselective
which helps in protecting society from criminal activities and category created by law. It makes
laws applied over creating relevancy in relation over criminal law with applicability. Crime is
based upon various kinds of offences making act performed that directly impacts community,
society and state. In order to control crime legislation and act are formed within United
Kingdom. Criminal law basically deals with public wrong effecting public at large. In criminal
law offences like murder, rape, theft and sexual offences has been covered. The criminal offence
handled within lower court and Magistrate court as per jurisdiction given to them. Trials and
investigation process upon criminal activity is covered within criminal code that acts as
comprehensive statute. The state (government) has the power to severely restrict one's liberty for
committing a crime. In modern societies, there are procedures to which investigations and trials

must adhere. If found guilty, an offender may be sentenced to a form of reparation such as a
community sentence, or, depending on the nature of their offence, to undergo imprisonment, life
imprisonment or, in some jurisdictions, death(Blagg and Anthony, 2019). Some jurisdictions
sentence individuals to programs to emphasize or provide for their rehabilitation while most
jurisdictions sentence individuals with the goal of punishing them or a mix of the aforementioned
practices.
Crime has been existing from very long time within society and various perspective in
relation to control it is explained by Adam and Eve. As the advancement of the concept took
place various criminologists formed there opinion that made the terms coined in more effective
manner. This gave birth to four schools which are Pre-classic school, classic school, positive
school and neo classic school.
Classical School
This school is an classic school of criminology which is founded by philosophers like
Cesare Beccaria, Jeremy Bentham and Romill. These philosopher's made school develop over
belief that men is an selfish part of society which leads upon making crime to be committed by
him. In the school main aspects of committing crime is related to pleasure and pain gained
through committing an offence. Further, the school related upon concept of demonism which
relates over negative influence created over human through elements present in society.
(Bottoms, and Wiles, 2020). Becacria has proposed that punishment for crime should be
proportionate which is dependent over nature of crime. Also classical school has formed opinion
that punishment should be equal for everyone allowing balance to be maintained upon in relation
to adjudication. The ideology of school is coined upon creating judgement which is focused upon
making criminal impact. The classic school makes principle developed in relation to
punishments which is related to crime. In order to prove relevancy over the concept three main
theory has been developed that has been explained as follows:
Rational Choice Theory
As per the theory crime committed is result of conscious choice. In this individuals
require to choose over committing crime that is based upon free will decision. Also the theory
has been making individual choose upon commuting crime with benefits outweigh the costs of
disobeying the law.
Routine Activities Theory

The theory is related upon key elements based upon activities which helps in making
offerings done by motivating offender with an attractive target lacking capabilities in relation
over targets making offender face situations over presence making crime rate increased in
society. Also the theory has made motivation provided within offenders helping in focusing over
new and better life.
Situational Choice Theory
The situational choice theory is related over ideas making crime committed upon
situations constraining as per opportunities formed. In other terms theory makes persons
behaviour its main perspective leading towards committing crime. The theory is better developed
over making situation take place leading upon committing crime as per its situations existing in
society.
Positivist School
The positive school is also termed as Lombrosian School that has been founded by
Cesare Lombroso, Enrico Ferri, Raffaeleo, and Garofalo. Also school is focused over criminals
and not on crime(Blagg, and Anthony, 2019). As per the school positivist is having various
understanding about right and wrong which helps in making crime to be punished. Also school
has started upon making crime based upon environmental factors. Thus school is related upon
three min theories which are biological, psychological and sociological relating with behaviour
of crime. The positive school of Criminology is based up[on various aspects and theories in
relation upon various patterns of criminal behaviour. This has been brought into light over
various factors that includes criminality. This school of criminology makes crimes determined in
relation to individual. Also the school is based upon measuring various aspects that helps in
determining about factors which is related to crime and criminality. Also to prove this various
kinds of theories has been explained given as follows:
Specific Theories within the Positivists School:
As the classic school and positive school pf criminology various important theories has
been covered which is based upon scholars at the time and today used for explaining about
behaviour or criminals(Baumer, Vélez and Rosenfeld, 2018). There are three categories of theory
used within the school which are discussed as follows:
Biological Theories

The theory is based upon and person biological and hereditary theory which makes
theories implied which is not entirely an criminal fault. This makes them identifying with
criminality. Lomborose has made suggestion which feels typical criminal with the book of
Criminal Mann within which description is made over traits and characteristics of prisoners
which makes criminality identified(Baumer, Vélez, and Rosenfeld, 2018).
Psychological Theories:
Psychological theories has been dealing with mental health which an individual has been
making analysis done. This is based upon crime and various kinds of abnormal activities which
is related to inappropriate process related to personality of an individual. This theory covers
about physiological perspective with needs of individual.
Sociological Theories
Sociological Theories in relation upon criminal behaviour that makes social constructs
surrounding by an individual. These theories has been structured which is based environment
around individual. This is the people that is related over close and intimate contact of an
individual making taught done in relation over Social structure and context, as well as
sociological theories are an important part making analysis possible over behaviour.
These schools has helped in making theories attempt to be explained in relation over
connections with the facts which are observed in relation over patterns, construct policies, and
better understand how factors are related(Nguyen and Loughran, 2018). Then definition of
Renzetti's has defined the theories as those interconnection which is based upon statements or
propositions which explained about two or more events or factors that is related to another
perspective(Barak, 2018). These theories has helped in making balance to be created in relation
over serving justice in its real sense. The classical theory has helped in developing deeper
analysis over crime and its various aspects which made students of law attain string clearance
over topic related to crime. Then it has helped students develop legal skills related to problem
solving which has helped in making law students in today's world develop understanding about
process related to crime. Also it has helped teachers to develop teaching techniques over crime
which lead upon formation of criminology. Through the thinking of the school punishments were
highlighted and there needs within society is understood with more effectiveness. Also through
this legal aspect has been covered which makes crime and punishment understood more
effectively. The positive school has made understanding developed about various perspectives

which has helped in making factors and elements of crime to be identified more effective making
modern criminal law developed more effectively. This has helped in preparing structure which is
important over legal development. It has helped in making basic structure of crime understood
in more effective manner. These schools has lead over making criminology recognized as more
important study in relation to legal academic. The concepts of these schools made students learn
about criminal law in better and effective manner.
It is clear that these schools has helped in making criminology enshrine with various
perspective of crime. This made academic integrity in terms of law served which more
effectiveness(Snaphaan and Hardyns, 2021). Also the schools has made sure that they are able
to contribute in modern criminology studies. Further, theories given by these schools made
Morden criminal law in England to be establish as per the legal standards making criminal
problems solved in more effectiveness. Also criminology has made various aspects of crime
developed which makes legal terms developed over crime helping in securing justice. Through
concepts of these schools criminology has become more relevant study in relation to crime.

CONCLUSION
From the above discussion it can be concluded that criminology means study of those
aspects which is related to crime and its various elements understood in more effective manner.
They are used for making law students develop appropriate knowledge, skills, techniques and
tools which helps students to understand criminal law in better manner. Also there are various
kinds of aspects that has been covered within criminology. The file is based upon tow schools of
criminology which are classic and positive school. Both schools has lead upon making modern
criminology studies established in better manner. The philosophers of these schools has made
various elements to be identified helping in making criminology achieve more relevancy over
criminal laws and crime. They made elements of crimes to be marked out which has helps in
creating better understanding about criminal law in terms of criminology. Also various kinds of
theories given by these schools has been explained with the concept.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Barak, G., 2018. Newsmaking criminology. In The Routledge Companion to Criminological
Theory and Concepts (pp. 193-196). Routledge.
Baumer, E.P., Vélez, M.B. and Rosenfeld, R., 2018. Bringing crime trends back into
criminology: A critical assessment of the literature and a blueprint for future
inquiry. Annual Review of Criminology, 1, pp.39-61.
Blagg, H. and Anthony, T., 2019. Decolonising criminology: Imagining justice in a postcolonial
world. Springer Nature.
Bottoms, A.E. and Wiles, P., 2020. Environmental criminology (pp. 273-293). Routledge.
Brisman, A. and South, N., 2018. Green cultural criminology. In Routledge handbook of critical
criminology (pp. 132-142). Routledge.
Brisman, A. and South, N., 2019. Green criminology and environmental crimes and
harms. Sociology Compass, 13(1), p.e12650.
Brown, S.E., Esbensen, F.A. and Geis, G., 2018. Criminology: Explaining crime and its context.
Routledge.
Bruinsma, G.J., Bruinsma, G. and Johnson, S.D. eds., 2018. The Oxford handbook of
environmental criminology. Oxford University Press.
DeKeseredy, W.S., 2021. Contemporary critical criminology. Routledge.
Farrington, D.P., 2018. Developmental criminology. In The Routledge Companion to
Criminological Theory and Concepts (pp. 60-64). Routledge.
Farrington, D.P., Kazemian, L. and Piquero, A.R. eds., 2018. The Oxford handbook of
developmental and life-course criminology. Oxford Handbooks.
Goyes, D.R., 2019. Southern green criminology: A science to end ecological discrimination.
Emerald Group Publishing.
Hayward, K. and Ilan, J., 2018. Cultural criminology (pp. 262-266). Routledge.
Hillyard, P. and Tombs, S., 2021. Beyond criminology?. In The Palgrave Handbook of Social
Harm (pp. 11-36). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Lanier, M.M., Henry, S. and Anastasia, D.J., 2018. Essential criminology. Routledge.
Loughran, T.A., 2019. Behavioral criminology and public policy. Criminology & Public
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Maruna, S., 2021. Criminology, desistance and the psychology of the stranger. In The social
psychology of crime (pp. 287-320). Routledge.
Nguyen, H. and Loughran, T.A., 2018. On the measurement and identification of turning points
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Snaphaan, T. and Hardyns, W., 2021. Environmental criminology in the big data era. European
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White, R., 2018. Climate change criminology. Policy Press.
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