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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
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Even after the measurements were supplanted by fingerprinting, anthropometry was an important part of criminology and surveillance.
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Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
Hundreds opposed Smith’s parole Smith’s chances for parole were already unlikely, as research shows the main factor influencing parole decisions is the presence of a victim or the victim’s family, said Hayden Smith, professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of South Carolina.
—Emma Tucker, CNN, 21 Nov. 2024
Veltri earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology from the University of South Florida and a law degree from the Widener University School of Law in Delaware.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2025
WATCH For decades, true-crime fans were captivated by the French criminology expert and author Stéphane Bourgoin, known for his jailhouse interviews with some of the country’s most sinister offenders.
—airmail.news, 7 Aug. 2024
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Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
Hundreds opposed Smith’s parole Smith’s chances for parole were already unlikely, as research shows the main factor influencing parole decisions is the presence of a victim or the victim’s family, said Hayden Smith, professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of South Carolina.
—Emma Tucker, CNN, 21 Nov. 2024
Veltri earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology from the University of South Florida and a law degree from the Widener University School of Law in Delaware.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2025
WATCH For decades, true-crime fans were captivated by the French criminology expert and author Stéphane Bourgoin, known for his jailhouse interviews with some of the country’s most sinister offenders.
—airmail.news, 7 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for criminology
Cite this Entry
“Criminology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/criminology. Accessed 27 Feb. 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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