1.1 Chapter Overview and Learning Objectives
1.1.1 Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, students will be able to do the following:
- Define criminology and theory.
- Explain what makes a valid theory.
- Discuss the difference between criminology and criminal justice.
- Determine what makes something a crime.
- Identify and analyze criminogenic factors.
1.1.2 True Crime Stories: COVID-19 and Crime in Portland, Oregon
Figure 1.1 Downtown Portland, Oregon during 2020 police brutality protests.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns affected the whole world. Businesses were shuttered and often closed for good. Schools transitioned to online classes, and students who relied on school lunches struggled to get regular meals. Rising unemployment, restrictions on public transportation and other resources, home environments under major strain, millions of people getting sick (over 98 million in the United States according to the CDC) and over 1 million Americans dying added to the enormous pressures of the pandemic (CDC, 2022). In addition, Portland, Oregon entered the national spotlight for two serious reasons. The first was protests in the summer of 2020 over police violence in response to the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officer Derek Chauvin, another in a long line of Black men killed by White police officers (figure 1.1). The second reason was a significant increase in gun violence since the beginning of the pandemic. As a result, Portland was described as “flailing” (Cline, 2021), and politicians began calling for someone to get the city under control.
U.S. News reported, “Nationally, homicides increased by nearly 30% from 2019 to 2020, based on FBI data. However, in Portland, deadly violence—which has been exacerbated by the pandemic—is increasing at a faster rate than nearly all major cities, with an 83% increase in homicides in 2020” (Cline, 2021). Portland Police Bureau has attributed the gun violence and an increase in shootings to an explosion of gang activity (Arden, 2021). This heightened rate of gang activity and gun violence is a continuing area of significant concern for the city’s residents, businesses, and leaders.
Criminologists look at phenomena like the situation in Portland to figure out what is happening, why it is happening, and what should be done to stop it. In this chapter, we will use this example to break down the basics of what you need to know about criminology.
1.1.3 Licenses and Attributions for Chapter Overview and Learning Objectives
“Chapter Overview and Learning Objectives” by Taryn VanderPyl is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Figure 1.1. Photo of George Floyd police brutality protests – Portland Oregon – Jul 22 – tedder – crowd during BLM speeches.jpg by Tedder, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
