Overview

Only one day after she voluntarily reported to authorities in 2008 that her two-year-old daughter Caylee was missing, Casey Anthony was taken into custody for child neglect. The following day, cadaver dogs responded to the scent of human flesh in Anthony’s car. In the criminal trial that followed—and which was broadcast nearly every day on a cable television network—Anthony was found not guilty in the death of her young daughter. She was found guilty of making false and misleading statements to investigators, but that conviction was subsequently overturned after Casey Anthony had served about 10 days in jail. To this day, no one has been convicted for Caylee’s death, and her body has never been found (“Casey Anthony Trial Fast Facts,” 2022).

The heartbreak of this story is overwhelming. What led to Caylee’s death? Who was responsible and, more importantly, how could someone commit such a heinous crime against an innocent child? How could family, friends, and even investigators ever receive some level of closure? Finally, how can society be assured that there will be a measure of accountability for Caylee’s demise?

The fascination that humans have with crime is complex and not easy for those who do not share an interest in true crime stories to comprehend. There are those who pore over every detail of investigations and trials in an attempt to understand why people do bad things to one another. Taking a multifaceted approach that includes an examination of the societal, psychological, and criminal aspects of such crimes is the focus of this chapter, specifically, the criminologists and the services they provide in the criminal justice system.

Criminology is defined as “the scientific study of crime as a social phenomenon, of criminals, and of penal treatment” (Merriam-Webster, 2024, para. 1). Another view of criminology is as “an interdisciplinary profession built around the scientific study of crime and criminal behavior, including their manifestations, causes, legal aspects, and control” (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 15). In essence, it is the study of the sociological side of human-perpetrated criminal behavior. Taking a scientific research-based approach to the elements of criminology has become important in influencing policymaking in the administration of justice. Questions answered, trends in criminal behavior noted, and resultant policy direction resulting from this research all have an impact on communities, regions, states, and beyond. Think of it this way: People may share certain common interests and life values, while others may take a very different position on the same or have an entirely opposite belief structure. If peoples’ interests and values are compromised through criminal behavior, research-produced best practices and lessons learned in areas such as crime prevention techniques have world-wide relevance. Despite the fact that crimes and punishments differ from country to country, benefits from criminological research and development of new strategies and policies have a favorable global impact.

Attributions

1. Chapter opening image: CMA Memorial (1 of 1) by Bstodd00 is released under CC BY-SA 3.0
2. Figure 3.1: Broken Glass by Rick is released under CC BY-2.0