criminality
UK: /ˌkrɪmɪˈnæləti/ | US: /ˌkrɪmɪˈnæləti/
n. the state or quality of being criminal; illegal behavior or tendencies
n. (law) the collective criminal acts within a society or group
The word "criminality" derives from the Latin crimen (accusation, guilt), which evolved into Old French criminel (related to crime). The suffix -ity (from Latin -itas) was added in Late Middle English to form an abstract noun indicating a state or condition. Thus, "criminality" literally means "the state of being criminal," reflecting a logical progression from the concrete act of crime to its abstract conceptualization.
The study focuses on the root causes of criminality in urban areas.
High unemployment rates often correlate with increased criminality.
The government introduced new policies to reduce juvenile criminality.
Sociologists debate whether poverty directly leads to criminality.
His research examines the psychological factors behind criminality.