Criminology is the study of crime and the criminal justice system.
The criminology major exposes students to the dimensions of the crime problem, explanations of the prevalence of various types of crime, and the various agencies and programs designed to prevent and control crime and delinquency. The agencies and programs include the police, courts, probation and parole systems, and correctional institutions. Attention is also given to such issues as women and crime, youth and crime, and the place of control agencies in the larger societal context. Some criminologists teach in universities or colleges. Research positions are another common career path for criminologists.