CRIMINOLOGY

Over the past 200 years, advances in forensic science, such as fingerprinting, ballistics, lab analysis of evidence, and surveillance, have become an increasingly crucial part of criminal investigation. But, while TV shows tend to make technology seem infallible, sometimes the facts are ambiguous or the science is dead wrong.

Gathering evidence and finding patterns are still at the heart of solving crimes, and criminologists continue to theorize about what makes the criminal mind tick. Nineteenth-century scientists tried predicting criminal potential based on physical characteristics, while recent advances in DNA testing suggest that genetics may play a role. Today, brain scans reveal clues to traits including aggression and impulsivity, while other studies consider environmental influences such as poverty, neglect, and abuse.

Is the criminal mind different from yours or mine? And if so, how can we better understand it and prevent crimes from happening? These questions are at the core of modern criminology. Despite varying religious beliefs or shifting social mores, the definition of criminal appears to have changed little since ancient times, though methods of detection, prosecution, and punishment certainly have.