Criminology Glossary

20 Criminology terms

I have been studying criminology for 4 semesters. I take 5 courses about approaches to take during conversations with delinquent clients. I will finish my program in the winter 2026. After finishing CEGEP, I want to go to Montreal University to become a criminologist. Once I AM finished with my baccalaureate, I will have the choice to work with criminals in prison or with people who have been victims of a crime.

accomplice
noun
A person who helps another commit a crime.
Example: In this case it is the ACCOMPLICE's awareness of what will happen in the future, and even 'reckless knowledge' i.e. awareness of risk of the offence, can amount to liability.
fr: complice
burglary
noun
Entry into a building illegally with intent to commit a crime, especially theft.
Example: In Samuel, access to legal advice was refused prior to several interviews, one in which the defendant confessed to BURGLARY.
fr: cambriolage
Burglary
citizenship
noun
The position or status of being a citizen of a particular country.
Example: Powell believes it unlikely she had been a prostitute, as to be 'sexually promiscuous, before or during her time with Pericles...might have made it impossible for her son, even by Pericles, to be admitted by special decree to CITIZENSHIP'.
fr: citoyenneté
Counseling
verb
The provision of assistance and guidance in resolving personal, social, or psychological problems and difficulties, especially by a professional.
Example: Provision of Consultancy and Advisory Services and Training This aspect of the role of employers' association has been mentioned by Sisson (1991) in his analysis and has been advanced by Hornung-Draus as one likely to become more prominent in current environments - she claims that employers' associations are increasingly moving towards an 'image of providing services to companies, [services which] could be related to labour law COUNSELING, mediation, courses in professional training for SMEs, etc.' (2002: 214).
fr: conseil
counseling
courtesy
noun
The showing of politeness in one's attitude and behavior toward others.
Example: This kind of hosts are genuinely hospitable, with COURTESY, respect, compassion and friendliness, their performance are usually exceed the guest's expectations.
fr: courtoisie
crisis
noun
A time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger.
Example: The foreign exchange reserves of Italy declined steadily before the CRISIS but there was no sudden drop after the CRISIS.
fr: crise
debt
noun
Something, typically money, that is owed or due.
Example: Newcomb, K. (2005), 'Transformational leadership: four key points to help you and your organization', in DEBT' , November December, 2005.
fr: dette
debt
employability
noun
The quality of being suitable for paid work.
Example: Employment zones aim to help the long term unemployed to improve their EMPLOYABILITY.
fr: employabilité
fingerprint
verb
Record the fingerprints of (someone).
Example: The technique of DNA fingerprinting was invented by Alec Jefferies in 1984, but before being able to FINGERPRINT DNA certain processes have to be carried out first to prepare the DNA sample to be analysed.
fr: prendre les empreintes digitales
fingerprint
frame
verb
Produce false evidence against (an innocent person) so that they appear guilty.
Example: He clams he was framed.
fr: piéger
habit
noun
A settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.
Example: The waves of feverish religious activities in this sphere indicate that 'religion was deeply engrained as a social HABIT', and had an unavoidable impact upon people's lives.
fr: habitude
impartial
adjective
Treating all rivals or disputants equally; fair and just.
Example: In conclusion, it would be unreasonable to simply say that either the rich or the poor possessed the most political power in ancient Athens due to the fact that much of the evidence is not concrete and that many of the primary sources may have had political biases of some sort meaning that their insights would not have been completely IMPARTIAL.
fr: impartiale
offender
noun
A person who commits an illegal act.
Example: In his article 'The Responsibility of the Psychopathic OFFENDER', Ciocchetti (2003), describes how psychopaths are incapable of forming relationships because they cannot relate and respond to the reactions of others.
fr: délinquant
penalty
noun
A punishment imposed for breaking a law, rule, or contract.
Example: Thus, the mere presence of the death PENALTY in many countries appears to have a far greater symbolic value than practical significance.
fr: peine
Death penalty
penitentiary
noun
A prison for people convicted of serious crimes.
Example: Thirdly, the externalities of criminal behaviour such as cost of running a PENITENTIARY are very high.
fr: pénitencier
penitentiary
rehabilitate
verb
Restore (someone) to health or normal life by training and therapy after imprisonment, addiction, or illness.
Example: The movement to REHABILITATE Deng soon began to gain momentum.
fr: réhabiliter
rehabilitate
report
verb
Give a spoken or written account of something that one has observed, heard, done, or investigated.
Example: According to the REPORT 'Rural Poland after the integration with European Union'(5) it is difficult to determine exactly how the funds were allocated, as variety of strictly agricultural and non agricultural projects were implemented.
fr: signaler
stab
verb
(of a person) thrust a knife or other pointed weapon into (someone) so as to wound or kill.
Example: Her knowledge of Felicity's violent nature would not necessarily mean she foresaw that her accomplice would STAB a seemingly harmless ruler into the eye of a victim; after all, the rulers were there to scare their victims, not blind them.
fr: poignarder
sue
verb
Institute legal proceedings against (a person or institution), typically for redress.
Example: A contract sets the parameters of liability, and the rules of privity (ie. only a party to the contract is able to SUE) limit the persons who can claim for loss or damage under a contract.Where, however, a duty of care can be established between a person who has manufactured or supplied a product and the person injured then this injured party may be able to SUE in tort for the negligence of the manufacturer or supplier.
fr: poursuivre en justice
workshop
noun
A meeting at which a group of people engage in intensive discussion and activity on a particular subject or project.
Example: Participants reflect on and list possible actions based on their new knowledge, at the end of the WORKSHOP, leaving the event with a concrete plan to be implemented, when resources are available.
fr: atelier