Cursos / 1º Ciclo / / Faculty of Law :: Criminology

INTRODUÇÃO À CRIMINOLOGIA - 2025/2026

1º curricular year
Semestralidade: 1st semester
ECTS: 6

Teachers

Leading Teacher: Prof. Doutora Laura Neiva
Assistant Professor: Prof. Doutora Laura Neiva

Class type and School hours

Orientação Tutorial : 1 Horas
Prática : 1 Horas
Teórica : 2 Horas

Teaching Language

Portuguese.

Main Aims/Objectives

Understanding the structure, methodology, and main theoretical frameworks of criminological thought, as well as developing a critical and interdisciplinary perspective of Criminology as a social science.

Specific Aims/Objectives

- Understand the development of Criminology from the 19th century to the present day.
- Analyze Criminology as an interdisciplinary science, historically situated and in dialogue with other fields (such as sociology, law, and psychology).
- Understand the key concepts of Criminology (crime, law, justice, legal value, legal good, victim, and offender).
- Become familiar with the main theoretical paradigms of Criminology, their historical foundations, and practical implications.
- Understand the main theories applicable to the understanding and interpretation of crime.
- Understand the arti

Skills to be acquired

- Develop an interdisciplinary and integrated perspective of criminology.
- Understand the basic concepts of criminology from a historical and sociological perspective.
- Distinguish the main theoretical paradigms of criminology and their implications for penal and social practice.
- Identify, compare, and critically analyze major criminological theories, highlighting their limitations and implications for social practice.
- Identify the main areas of contemporary criminological intervention.
- Articulate criminological knowledge with the institutional and social contexts of application (

Teaching Procedures

This course unit will have a theoretical-practical component, based on:

- Presentation of content using audiovisual media.
- Group discussion of texts and authors, with moments of reflective debate.
- Practical exercises and case analysis.
- Use of the e-learning platform to support independent work.

Programme

I. Foundations of Criminology

- Definition, object, and boundaries of the criminological field.
- Criminology as an interdisciplinary science: contributions from Sociology, Law, and Psychology.
- Crime as the object of Criminology.
- The specificity of the criminological approach to crime: tensions between ‘nature’ and ‘society’; ‘micro’ and ‘macro’; ‘agency’ and ‘structure’.

II. Key Concepts in Criminology

- Crime, law, and justice.
- Legal value, legal good, victim, and offender.
- Crime, deviance, and social control.
- Criminology, criminal policy, and criminal justice.

III. Methodologies in Criminology

- Quantitative and qualitative methodologies in criminology.
- Data sources and collection tools.
- Ethical and operational challenges in criminological research.

IV. Criminological Currents and Theories

- A brief history of Criminology: from the Middle Ages to the classical and positivist schools.
- Etiological criminology: causal explanations of crime.
- Functionalist theories: the theory of anomie; and the theory of illegitimate opportunity structures.
- The Chicago School: urban space and crime; human ecology theory; concentric zone theory; and secondary social control.
- Labeling theories: deviance as a result of collective action; social reaction, stigma, and identity; control agencies and audiences.
- Theories of delinquent subcultures: subculture and dominant culture; reference groups and status effects.
- The feminist approach: crime and gender; women, justice, and crime.

Evaluation Type

Two written tests and a final exam to assess understanding of theoretical and historical concepts.

Teaching Resources

- Audiovisual media.
- Support texts available via e-learning.
- Practical exercises and case analysis.

Sustainability Objectives

Promote reflection on social justice, equity, inclusive security policies, and the fight against inequalities (SDGs 10 and 16 of the 2030 Agenda).

Keywords

Criminological theories; Critical criminology; Methodology in criminology; Criminal justice; Criminological intervention; Crime and society.

Main Bibliography

Complementary Bibliography