What does criminological mean?
"Criminological" is an adjective meaning relating to criminology — the scientific study of crime, criminal behaviour, its causes, and its prevention. Where the word "criminal" points to crime itself, "criminological" points to the academic lens through which crime is analysed: criminological research examines patterns of offending, criminological theory seeks to explain why people break the law, and a criminological perspective frames punishment and prevention as questions to be studied empirically rather than merely condemned morally. The word appears almost exclusively in formal contexts — university departments, government reports, journal articles, and serious journalism — and is typically attached to nouns such as "research," "theory," "studies," or "evidence." It derives from "criminology," a nineteenth-century coinage combining Latin "crimen" (crime) with Greek-derived "-logy" (study), reflecting the era's ambition to treat crime with the tools of modern science. For anyone reading about criminal justice policy or social science, "criminological" signals that a claim rests on systematic study rather than opinion.
adjectiveRelating to the scientific study of crime, criminals, and the causes and prevention of criminal behaviour.
- Relating to criminology, the scientific study of crime, criminal behaviour, and its prevention.
"The report drew on criminological research to question the effectiveness of mandatory minimum sentences."
"Her criminological analysis of juvenile offending challenged several long-held assumptions about rehabilitation."
"The conference brought together criminologists from around the world to debate emerging trends in criminological thought."
Every criminological theory you've heard of — from broken windows to routine activity theory — exists because someone decided crime deserved the same rigorous study as any other human behaviour.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of criminological
Criminological derives from criminology, a term coined in the late nineteenth century from Latin "crimen" (meaning charge or crime) combined with the Greek-derived suffix "-logia" (study of). The word reflects the founding of criminology as a distinct social science in the work of scholars such as Cesare Lombroso. Related English words sharing the Latin root include criminal and incriminate.
Related word forms
How criminological is actually used
A formal, academic term used almost exclusively in scholarly, policy, or journalistic contexts dealing with crime research. It is never applied to individual acts or people; it describes theories, methods, literature, or perspectives within the field of criminology.
Easily confused with criminological
"Criminal" describes something relating to crime or a person who has committed one, whereas "criminological" refers specifically to the academic study of crime rather than crime itself.