How has criminology been placed in university departments in Europe and the United States?

The academic placement of criminology within universities varies significantly due to its interdisciplinary nature, which draws from fields such as sociology, psychology, and law.1

In Europe, universities have traditionally integrated criminology into legal education. For instance, in the United Kingdom, the Institute of Criminology at the University of Cambridge is housed within the law faculty. In other European institutions, teaching and research responsibilities are often distributed across law faculties, departments of sociology or social administration, and institutes of psychiatry.1

In the United States, criminology has most frequently been situated within departments of sociology. However, there has been a notable trend toward establishing separate, multidisciplinary departments that house both criminology and criminal justice. While criminology focuses on the scientific study of the causes and prevention of crime, criminal justice emerged as a distinct field in the late 20th century, focusing on the structure and functioning of agencies like the police and courts.12