W1: positivist school vs. classical school of criminology | cmjr303

Discussion #1

This week’s reading provides an overview of the changing boundaries of criminology, counting crime and measuring criminal behavior, and the schools of thought throughout history pertaining to the study of those that commit a crime. After reviewing the reading for week 1, as well as the week 1 discussion articles in the lesson for this week, discuss/debate with your classmates about the early history of the criminal theory and its application to crime control i.e., Positivist School vs. Classical School, plus gender, class, and race as they relate to crime. Also, discuss if racial profiling is justifiable? Ever? If the answer is yes, discuss how effective the profiling must be to remain justified? If the answer is no, do the events of 9/11 suggest a justification for other forms of ethnic profiling?