- criminology is scientific study of crime as an individual and social phenomenon
- crime according to its legall concept is an act forbidden and made punishable by the law but if we going to define it according to criminology concept so for the act to be crime it must meet the following condition :
1 - the act must be done by a person of comptent age .
2 - the act must be voluntary and the man who does it must be free from certain forms of compulsion .
3 - the act must be intentional .
4 - knowledge .
5 - the act is done by malice or sometimes its done by negligence .
* mala in se & mala prohibita
- a crime is an act that violates the basic values and beliefs of society .
- natural laws are rooted in core values shared by many cultures
- natural laws protect against harm to persons e.g ( murder - rape - assault ) or property e.g ( theft - larceny - robbery )
* statutes are enacted by legislatures and reflect current cultural mores e.g laws that prohibit marijuana use and gambling .