What Are the Duties of a Criminologist?

Criminologists study criminal behavior and the laws that govern them.

A criminologist is an academic professional who utilizes his background in sociology and psychology to analyze various aspects of criminal behavior. In addition to determining the root cause of crimes, criminologists also examine how laws and policing behavior affects crime patterns.

Academic Duties

Many criminologists are employed within academic environments, such as colleges, universities and proprietary schools. Serving as professors within an organization's criminal justice department, criminologists develop lesson plans and deliver one-on-one and classroom instruction to students, teaching subjects related to the field, including law and sociology.

Consulting

Some criminologists work in the private sector. In this capacity, criminologists serve as consultants to clients, such as police departments and law firms. As subject-matter experts, criminologists educate clients on such areas as criminal statistics, criminal behavioral patterns and laws that govern these crimes.

Public Sector

Government agencies, such as police departments and correctional institutions, provide employment opportunities for criminology experts. Criminologists assist with the reformation and improvement of policies, procedures and services. Criminologists may work either as an employee of the institution or an independent contractor.

Areas of Research

A criminologist studies many subjects, such as psychology and sociology, determining how each relates to criminal behavior. She examines the age, race and financial background of those who commit specific crimes in specific locations. The goal of this research is to identify patterns that may be used to reduce or eliminate certain crimes. For instance, when a criminologist recognizes that the perpetrators of a string of burglaries are about the same age and from the same region, she suggests that authorities review the environment, such as quality of education and other socioeconomic factors, to link its effects to the criminal behavior.

Continuing Education

A criminologist researches criminal laws and behaviors, whether he works in the private, public or academic sector. Success in his profession relies on his ability to stay current with legal reforms and crime statistics, as these changes may alter the conclusions of past research.

References

• Criminal Justice USA: Criminologist
• State University: Criminologist