Criminology, as a science dedicated to the study of crime, the criminal, and forms of prevention, has evolved throughout history into various schools of thought that reflect the social and political contexts of each era.
In the 19th century in Italy, positive criminology emerged thanks to figures such as Cesare Lombroso, Raffaele Garofalo, and Enrico Ferri. Their approach was based on the scientific study of the criminal, aiming to find the biological, psychological, and social motives that predispose individuals to criminal behavior.
In the second half of the 20th century, critical criminology appeared, influenced by critical theory, feminism, and Marxism. Its most prominent representatives, Alessandro Baratta, Louk Hulsman, and Jock Young, questioned the traditional conception of crime as an individual phenomenon and understood it as a social construct linked to economic disparities, exclusion, and power relations.
In this framework, the Academic and Social Criminological Observatory (OCAS) presents itself as a modern tool that merges the two perspectives. OCAS connects community action with scientific research, establishing a link between theory and practice.
First, positive criminology offers scientific instruments to carry out precise diagnostics: surveys, interviews, statistical analysis, and field research that make it possible to detect risk factors in families, communities, and young people.
Second, critical criminology provides a structural perspective that helps to understand why some neighborhoods have higher rates of violence: poverty, unemployment, lack of essential services, and social stigmatization. At the same time, it can be used to analyze how the lack of employment, the presence of gangs, and the absence of recreational spaces fuel youth violence.
With this dual perspective, OCAS has the ability to develop community projects that include youth employment programs in cooperation with local companies, restorative circles to resolve disputes between neighbors, and workshops on mediation, sports, and music.
Thus, OCAS's contribution to prevention is integral. It does not just aim to generate academic reports, but seeks to directly influence social reality by designing preventive programs to foster citizen participation and evaluate public security policies.
Finally, OCAS acts as a nexus that unites the two approaches and turns them into specific measures that benefit the community. It also ensures transparency and accountability by regularly examining public policies and quantifying their real impact, guaranteeing that solutions do not remain on paper and have a tangible effect on the lives of individuals.
