CSS Criminology Contemporary Issues and Institutions Syllabus

Contemporary Issues and Institutions syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Contemporary Issues and Institutions in CSS Criminology, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Modern Concepts in Criminology

   5 topics

   • Terrorism, Radicalism and War on Terror
   • Media's Representation of Crime and Criminal Justice
   • Intelligence-Led and Community Policing
   • Crime and Urbanization
   • Gender and Crime in Pakistan
2. 2

   Human Rights and Emerging Crimes

   4 topics

   • Human Rights Abuses and Protection
   • Cybercrime
   • Money Laundering
   • Human Trafficking and Smuggling
3. 3

   National and International Organizations

   3 topics

   • National Agencies
   • International Policing Bodies
   • UN Bodies

Contemporary Issues and Institutions flashcards for CSS Criminology

23 of 51 cards from the Contemporary Issues and Institutions deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. Define terrorism as commonly used in criminology.

   The unlawful use or threat of violence against civilians/non-combatants to instill fear and coerce governments or societies into political, religious, or ideological goals.

2. What is 'radicalism' in the context of violent extremism?

   The process by which an individual or group adopts increasingly extreme political, social, or religious ideals that reject or undermine the established order, often as a precursor to violent extremism.

3. What was the 'War on Terror' and when did it begin?

   A global military, political, and ideological campaign led by the United States, launched after the September 11, 2001 attacks, targeting Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and other militant organizations.

4. Which Pakistani national counter-terrorism plan was adopted in 2014, and what triggered it?

   The National Action Plan (NAP), a 20-point agenda adopted after the December 16, 2014 Army Public School (APS) Peshawar attack.

5. Name the key 2014 Pakistani military operation against militants in North Waziristan.

   Operation Zarb-e-Azb, launched in June 2014 against the TTP and other militant groups in North Waziristan.

6. What is the difference between 'radicalization' and 'de-radicalization'?

   Radicalization is the process of adopting extremist beliefs leading toward violence; de-radicalization is the process of reversing those beliefs and reintegrating individuals into mainstream society.

7. Distinguish 'state terrorism' from 'non-state terrorism'.

   State terrorism is violence/coercion perpetrated or sponsored by a government against its own or another population; non-state terrorism is carried out by groups or individuals independent of any state.

8. What is the Anti-Terrorism Act under which terrorism cases are tried in Pakistan?

   The Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 1997, which established Anti-Terrorism Courts (ATCs) for the speedy trial of terrorism offences.

9. In media criminology, what does the 'CSI effect' refer to?

   The phenomenon where crime-drama television raises jurors' and the public's unrealistic expectations about forensic evidence, affecting verdicts and investigations.

10. Define a 'moral panic' as theorized by Stanley Cohen.

    An intense, exaggerated public reaction to a perceived threat (a 'folk devil') to societal values, typically amplified by the media beyond the actual scale of the problem.

11. What does the media adage 'If it bleeds, it leads' illustrate about crime reporting?

    That media disproportionately prioritizes violent and sensational crime because it attracts audiences, distorting public perception of how common such crime actually is.

12. What is 'agenda-setting theory' in media coverage of crime?

    The theory that media may not tell people what to think, but strongly influences what they think about by choosing which crime issues to emphasize.

13. Distinguish 'mean world syndrome' (cultivation theory) from reality.

    Mean world syndrome is the belief, fostered by heavy media/TV consumption, that the world is more dangerous and crime-ridden than crime statistics actually show.

14. What is 'trial by media'?

    The widespread media coverage that creates public perception of a person's guilt or innocence before or regardless of a court verdict, potentially prejudicing a fair trial.

15. Define intelligence-led policing (ILP).

    A policing model that uses data analysis and criminal intelligence to objectively guide decision-making, prioritize resources, and target prolific offenders and crime hotspots.

16. Define community policing.

    A policing philosophy that promotes partnerships between police and the community, problem-solving, and crime prevention through trust-building rather than purely reactive law enforcement.

17. Contrast intelligence-led policing with community policing in their primary focus.

    ILP is data-driven and top-down, focused on targeting known offenders/hotspots; community policing is relationship-driven and bottom-up, focused on public trust and collaborative problem-solving.

18. What are the three core components often cited for community policing?

    Community partnerships, organizational transformation, and problem-solving (e.g., SARA model).

19. What does the SARA model in problem-oriented policing stand for?

    Scanning, Analysis, Response, and Assessment.

20. What is 'hot spot policing'?

    A strategy that concentrates police resources on small geographic areas with high concentrations of crime, based on the principle that crime clusters in predictable locations.

21. State the basic relationship criminologists observe between urbanization and crime.

    Crime rates, especially property and violent crime, tend to be higher in urbanized areas due to anonymity, weakened social bonds, inequality, and concentration of opportunities.

22. Which Chicago School theory links urban neighborhood breakdown to crime?

    Social disorganization theory (Shaw and McKay), holding that crime results from weakened community controls in poor, heterogeneous, transient urban zones.

23. What is the 'concentric zone model' relevance to urban crime?

    Burgess's model where the 'zone in transition' surrounding the city center shows the highest crime due to instability, poverty, and social disorganization.

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