ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD

(Department of Sociology)

WARNING

1. PLAGIARISM OR HIRING OF GHOST WRITER(S) FOR SOLVING THE ASSIGNMENT(S) WILL DEBAR THE STUDENT FROM AWARD OF DEGREE/CERTIFICATE, IF FOUND AT ANY STAGE.
2. SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENT(S) BORROWED OR STOLEN FROM OTHER(S) AS ONE’S OWN WILL BE PENALIZED AS DEFINED IN “AIOU PLAGIARISM POLICY”.

Course: Theoretical Approaches on Crime and Criminal Behavior (9605)

Level: PGD Semester: Spring, 2025

Please read the following instructions for writing your assignments. (AD, BS, B.Ed. MA/MSc, MEd) (ODL Mode).

1. All questions are compulsory and carry equal marks but within a question the marks are distributed according to its requirements.

2. Read the question carefully and then answer it according to the requirements of the questions.

3. Avoid irrelevant discussion/information and reproducing from books, study guide or allied material.

4. Handwritten scanned assignments are not acceptable.

5. Upload your typed (in Word or PDF format) assignments on or before the due date.

6. Your own analysis and synthesis will be appreciated.

7. Late assignments can’t be uploaded at LMS.

8. The students who attempt their assignments in Urdu/Arabic may upload a scanned copy of their handwritten assignments (in PDF format) on University LMS. The size of the file should not exceed 5MB.

Total Marks: 100 Pass Marks: 50

ASSIGNMENT No. 1

(Units: 1–4)

Q. 1 How does the process of modernization contribute to the emergence of new forms of crime in society? Discuss the role of urbanization, technology, and globalization in shaping contemporary criminal behavior. (20)

Q. 2 Critically evaluate the limitations of classical criminology in explaining criminal behavior. How do contemporary criminological theories address some of the gaps left by the classical approach? (20)

Q. 3 Discuss how contemporary rational choice theory builds on classical criminology and how it explains criminal behavior. What are the strengths and weaknesses of this approach in explaining modern crime? (20)

Q. 4 Compare and contrast the theories of Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham regarding punishment and the criminal justice system. How did each theorist view the role of punishment in crime prevention, and what were the key differences in their approaches? (20)

Q. 5 Write notes on the following: (10+10)

i. Cybercrime in the Modern World

ii. Strengths of Classical Criminology

Total Marks: 100 Pass Marks: 50

ASSIGNMENT No. 2

(Units: 5–9)

Q. 1 Critically evaluate biological positivism and its role in explaining criminal behavior. How does this perspective address the relationship between biology and criminality, and what are its strengths and weaknesses in explaining the causes of crime? (20)

Q. 2 Discuss psychological positivism and its focus on the individual’s mental state in explaining criminal behavior. How does this theory differ from biological and sociological explanations of crime, and what are the implications for criminal justice policies? (20)

Q. 3 Analyze the main ideas behind sociological positivism in understanding crime. How does sociological positivism shift the focus from individual characteristics to social factors in explaining criminal behaviour, and what are its limitations? (20)

Q. 4 Explore how positivist criminological theories have treated women's involvement in crime. How have gender differences been explained in positivist terms, and what are the criticisms of these approaches when it comes to understanding female criminality? (20)

Q. 5 Discuss labelling theory and its argument that deviance is a result of societal reactions to behavior. How does this theory challenge traditional views of crime and criminal justice, and what are the implications for understanding the impact of social labels on individuals’ future behavior? (20)

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