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Criminology includes the study of all aspects of crime and law enforcement—criminal psychology, the social setting of crime, prohibition and prevention, investigation and detection, capture and punishment. Thus, many of the people involved—legislators, social workers, probation officers, judges, etc.—could possibly be considered criminologists, though the word usually refers only to scholars and researchers.
Examples of criminology in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The 30-year-old former criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University is accused of driving to the neighboring University of Idaho and killing four students.
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Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2025
What the criminology data will say, (is) that if punishment is swift and certain, there is a deterrent effect. ...
—Hannah Pinski, The Courier-Journal, 20 Dec. 2024
At the time of the murders, the 30-year-old Pennsylvania native had been working towards his doctorate in criminology at the school.
—Chris Spargo, People.com, 20 Mar. 2025
The 30-year-old was a former criminology graduate student at Washington State University in Pullman, just nine miles from the Idaho-Washington border.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 15 Mar. 2025
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Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2025
What the criminology data will say, (is) that if punishment is swift and certain, there is a deterrent effect. ...
—Hannah Pinski, The Courier-Journal, 20 Dec. 2024
At the time of the murders, the 30-year-old Pennsylvania native had been working towards his doctorate in criminology at the school.
—Chris Spargo, People.com, 20 Mar. 2025
The 30-year-old was a former criminology graduate student at Washington State University in Pullman, just nine miles from the Idaho-Washington border.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criminology
Cite this Entry
“Criminology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/criminology. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
criminology
noun
crim·i·nol·o·gy
ˌkrim-ə-ˈnäl-ə-jē 
: a scientific study of crime, of criminals, and of their punishment or correction
Medical Definition
Legal Definition
criminology
noun
crim·i·nol·o·gy
ˌkri-mə-ˈnä-lə-jē
: the scientific study of crime as a social phenomenon, of criminals, and of penal treatment
criminologically
adverb
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