In today’s world, crime and deviant behavior rank at or near the top of many people’s concerns. In this course, we will study the field of Criminology – the study of crime. We will look at possible explanations for crime from the standpoint of psychological, biological and sociological perspectives, explore the categories and social consequences of crime, and investigate how the criminal justice system handles not only criminals, but also their misdeeds. Why do some individuals commit crimes why others do not?  What aspects in our culture and society promote crime and deviance? Why are different punishments given for the same crime? What factors…from arrest to punishment…help shape the criminal case process?