What is the ‘new criminology’ primarily concerned with?

The focus of the ‘new criminology’ lies in critiquing traditional approaches to understanding crime and including diverse perspectives that consider the broader social and cultural contexts in which crime occurs. This perspective emerged in the 1970s and sought to challenge the limitations of classical criminological theories, which often emphasized individual pathology and neglect the influence of socio-economic factors, power dynamics, and systemic inequalities.

By integrating a more comprehensive analysis that includes various viewpoints—such as feminist, critical, and Marxist approaches—the ‘new criminology’ emphasizes the importance of understanding crime not merely as an individual act but as a social phenomenon that is influenced by a multitude of factors, including race, class, gender, and societal structure. This holistic approach allows for a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding crime and its implications for social justice.

In contrast, options that reaffirm traditional theories or focus strictly on statistical analysis fail to acknowledge the multifaceted nature of crime and ignore the contextual factors that the ‘new criminology’ seeks to highlight. Similarly, aiming to simplify the understanding of crime causes does not align with the critical and nuanced approach that characterizes the ‘new criminology’.