We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Criminal

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Penology?

By Kathy Heydasch
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 18,215
Share

Penology is the study of the aspects of a society’s dealings with criminal behavior. This wide-ranging sociological science involves the analysis of the behavior associated with crime as well as society’s reactions to proposed and enacted punishments. Penology also studies the treatment of offenders within prison systems as well as types of probation. A penologist typically studies prisons and prison management.

There are two main aspects of penology, prisons and punishment. The study of penology and its relation to prisons can involve many topics, including prison reform, prisoner rights and prisoner abuse. The study of penology and punishment usually refers to the theories behind the motivation for crime. This includes analysis on crime deterrence, recidivism, and society’s opinion of how prisoners are treated and why.

Most people believe that it is important for some type of retribution or punishment for illegal acts to be present in order to maintain a civilization's sense of order. Penology studies where the line gets drawn in terms of how far a punishment goes. Not only does punishment need to be extensive enough to deter the committing of a crime, but it must fall short of cruel vengeance enacted by angry mobs.

The word penology has Latin roots, and the earliest recorded history of crime and punishment dates as far back as ancient Greece. Punishments have ranged from imprisonment to forced labor to death or dismemberment. Throughout world history, and even today, capital punishment and other harsh forms of retribution are debated topics. Some see severe penalties as a great deterrent for crime, and others can cite statistics which suggest otherwise. The United States remains one of the few modern countries in the world to utilize the death penalty, so it is a hotbed of controversy regarding human rights and capital punishment.

The treatment of prisoners is another area of controversy within the study of penology. Some feel that prisoners forfeit some or all of their human rights after they have been convicted of a crime. Still others feel that constitutionally-granted rights that apply to citizens of a particular country never get forfeited, even after a crime is committed.

In many parts of the world, penology has been based on historical texts, such as the Bible and the Qur’an. The extension of these scriptures has led to a theory of proportionality. This means that the punishment should fit the crime, so to speak. If a person is killed, some argue, then a life should be taken in return. Penology studies various definitions of proportionality.

Share
MyLawQuestions is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Related Articles

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.mylawquestions.com/what-is-penology.htm
Copy this link
MyLawQuestions, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

MyLawQuestions, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.