Crime is dealt as a phenomenon at individual or social level in the field of study called Criminology. Approaching from a socio-scientific point of view, Criminology involves the study of various forms of crime, the reasons working behind an incidence of crime, and its consequences. Regulation of crime by Governmental authorities also comes under the purview of this subject. Being an interdisciplinary subject, it draws heavily from the fields of Psychology, Sociology and Law. Raffaele Garofalo, an Italian Law Professor, was the first person to coin the term "criminology". With the rising numbers of crime and rapid diversification in the nature of it, criminology is gaining importance in today's society. In addition, fast changes in the approach and mode of investigation of the policing authorities has led to the need for better understanding of the subject, thus opening up growth opportunities for a career in criminology.

Criminology seeks to prevent crime, protect society from criminal harm, and rehabilitate criminal offenders. Careers in this field can range from law enforcement (e.g., police officer, parole officer, airport security staff) to criminal justice (e.g., criminal investigator, criminal attorney, judge) to policy making and administration (e.g., law enforcement administrator, legislator). Courses in this field include criminal psychology, criminal justice, the penal system, and specialized topics such as counter-terrorism.