Crime has been part of society ever since humanity started the whole concept of "society," and we seem to be no closer to solving the problem of crime than we were thousands of years ago.

Sociologists, Criminal Justice researchers, and others have been trying to scientifically determine why some people commit crime and others don't. There are many theories that attempt to explain how and why people become criminals, and each one has a different set of assumptions, claims, and policy implications. This course will be an overview of the most popular scientific theories about crime causation, and will prepare the student to discuss, propose, and implement behavior and policies that may reduce criminal offending.