We address these questions:

• How is crime socially defined?
• What social forces influence how we think about crime?
• What is the relationship between social processes and the making of criminal law?
• What social factors influence criminal behavior?
• How are different groups affected by crime and crime control?
• What roles does punishment play in society?
• What can social institutions do to reduce human conflict and injustice?

The concentration in Criminology and Criminal Justice is available at the undergraduate level. This curriculum is grounded in a liberal arts approach to and critical perspective on crime and criminal justice. Our principal objective is to provide students with the analytic tools for understanding both the variable sources and dynamics of crime and crime control. We hope thereby to promote both humane understanding of criminological issues and democratization of the crime-control apparatus. The undergraduate criminology curriculum also provides the substantive background and analytical skills essential for students who subsequently pursue graduate studies in sociology or criminal justice.