Forensic sociology: concept and scope

Abstract

The specificity of forensic sociology is largely due to the specificity of forensics itself. Determination of the subject matter of forensic sociology is necessary for it to be treated as a separate discipline of knowledge. To this end, these elements of sociology that may be useful for professionals dealing with criminal prosecution or administration of justice must be identified, and scholarly objectives specific to forensic sociology must be set. Defining the specifics of the subject matter of forensic sociology includes also the analysis of interrelations and separateness of the discipline at issue and of other related disciplines. Sociology of law and justice has a special place among particular sociological disciplines. The relationship between forensic sociology and the said discipline largely depends on how the scope of both these fields are understood. More broadly, forensic sociology includes sociological aspects of crime and a perpetrator, of the enforcement of the penalty of deprivation of liberty, and of criminal and other proceedings. Forensic sociology can be considered multidisciplinary science in the sense that it uses achievements of other disciplines without integrating or absorbing the knowledge acquired within them. Forensic sociology thus creates general concepts as part of its basic matter of interest and inspires detailed research only into certain areas that are particularly important for it, though not necessarily for other sciences.