Depiction of the History of Criminology in Great Britain

Abstract

The article examines the historical development of criminological doctrines in Great Britain from the 17th to the first half of the 20th century. It analyzes the main stages in the formation of British criminology: from the early philosophical ideas of Hobbes, Locke, and Blackstone to the establishment of the classical school in the works of Bentham and Paley, the influence of positivism in the works of Romilly, Maudsley, and Goring, to the sociological turn represented by the research of Booth, Rowntree, and the Webbs. Special attention is paid to the specifics of the British approach to understanding the causes of crime, methods of its study, and counteraction strategies. The article explores key theoretical concepts and their influence on the development of criminal law policy and the penitentiary system in Great Britain. It demonstrates that the British criminological model was formed under the influence of unique historical, cultural, and legal factors and is characterized by pragmatism, empirical validity, and reformist orientation.