Criminology: An Examination of the Causes of Crime and Solutions

Dr. Meghan Sacks, Professor of Criminology, Fairleigh Dickinson University
5 Tuesday afternoons, 1:30 to 3:30 pm; April 7, 14, 21, 28, and May 5, 2026.

Why do people commit crimes?  This course will provide students with an introduction to the nature of criminal behavior and the major theories of crime.  Theories on criminal behavior range from biological explanations, such as brain injuries, to psychological theories, such as insanity, to sociological theories, such as the economic barriers faced by people from lower classes.  Sociological explanations of crime currently dominate the field of criminology, and in this class, we will consider the role of family, education, and the economy in crime.  By studying what causes crime, criminologists can offer practical policies to help reduce, and sometimes even prevent, certain types of crime.  We will also critique public policies aimed at reducing crime and consider policies that might actually work.   

Meghan Sacks, PhD, earned her doctorate in Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.  She is currently a Professor of Criminology at Fairleigh Dickinson University.  In her sixteen years at FDU, she served as founder and director of the Criminology major, the Graduate Program Director, and the Internship Program Director.

Dr. Sacks teaches courses including Criminological Theory, Crime Policy, Media and Crime, and Serial Killers. Her research on the criminal justice system and the people within it has been published in several academic journals and two books, and she currently co-hosts three true crime podcasts: Direct Appeal, Women and Crime, and Campus Killings.  Prior to her academic career, Meghan served as a United States Probation Officer in the Southern District of New York.