Criminology CSS Syllabus 2026 & 2027-Download FPSC PDF

CSS Criminology is a 100-mark optional paper under Group VI of the CSS optional subjects — Law and Philosophy — grouped with Philosophy, Mercantile Law, Muslim Law and Jurisprudence, International Law, Constitutional Law, and Law. FPSC sets the CSS Criminology syllabus to cover crime theories, criminal behaviour, the criminal justice system, penology, juvenile delinquency, victimology, money laundering, cybercrime, and the sociology of deviance — with specific reference to crime patterns in Pakistan. The most repeated past paper topics across 2016 to 2025 are juvenile delinquency, criminal investigation principles, money laundering, and the scope of criminology in Pakistan — Larry Siegel’s Criminology is the standard recommended international text alongside local guidebooks aligned to the FPSC syllabus. Review the CSS optional subjects syllabus for combination rules and group requirements before confirming Criminology as your optional subject choice.

CRIMINOLOGY Syllabus (100 MARKS)

Section-I (25 Marks)

I. Introduction Basic concepts used in understanding crime, criminality and criminal behaviour.

II. Understanding Criminology Definition, meaning and scope of criminology; Criminology and criminal law; Crime as social problem; Deviance, Sin Vice, Evil, Norms, Values; Security (Physical, Social, Economic)

III. Crime and Criminals Occasional criminals, Habitual criminals, Professional criminals, White-collar crime, Organized crime, corporate crimes.

IV. Crime and Criminality: Theoretical Perspectives Early explanation of criminal behavior

 Biological Theories; Psychological Theories; Sociological Theories.

 Social Disorganization theory

 Strain theory

 Social Control theory

 Learning theory

 Labeling Theory

 Islamic perspective on deviance and crime.

Section-II (25 Marks)

V. Juvenile Delinquency Meaning, definitions (Behavioral Vs Legal), Juvenile delinquent Vs status offender, Official statistics of juvenile delinquency

VI. Juvenile Justice System  Role of police

 Juvenile court process:

 pretrial, trial and sentencing

 Role of prosecutor, defense counsel, juvenile judge, juvenile probation officer

 Juvenile correctional institutions; probation and non-punitive alternatives

VII. The Criminal Justice System:  Police and its role

 Trial and Conviction of Offenders

 Agencies: formal and informal

 Criminal courts: procedures and problems

 Role of prosecutors

 Prisons, Probation and Parole

VIII. Punitive and Reformative Treatment of Criminals Corporal punishment, Imprisonment, Rehabilitation of criminals.

Section-III (25 Marks)

IX. Criminal Investigation Principles of criminal investigation, Manual of preliminary investigation, Intelligence operations, Data base investigation, Electronic investigation, Forensic Investigation

X. Techniques of Investigations Gathering information from persons, Interviewing and interrogation techniques, Criminal investigation analysis,

XI. Legal and Ethical Guidelines for Investigators Stop and frisk operations, Arrest procedures, Search and seizure.

XII. International Policing and Criminal Justice Monitoring Organizations UNAFEI, INTERPOL, EUROPOL, UNODC, UNICEF, IPA, etc.

Section-IV (25 Marks)

XIII. Modern Concepts in Contemporary Criminology  Terrorism, Radicalism and War on Terror

 Media’s representation of Crime and the Criminal Justice System

 Modern Law Enforcement and Crime Prevention

 Intelligence-led Policing

 Community Policing

 Private Public Partnership

 Gender and Crime in Urban and Rural Pakistan

 Crime and Urbanization, Organized Crime and White-Collar Crime

 Human Rights Abuses and Protection, especially of Children; Women and Minorities; The role of civil society and NGOs

 Money-laundering

 Cyber Crime

 Role of NAB, FIA, ANF

SUGGESTED READINGS

CSS Criminology Frequency Analysis (2016–2025)

CSS Criminology Top 5 Most Repeated Topics (2016–2025)

1. Definition, meaning and scope of criminology

2. Meaning, definitions (Behavioral Vs Legal)

3. Money-laundering

4. Principles of criminal investigation

5. Police and its role