Does Bangladesh require a reimagined inclusion of 'crime education' in school curriculum?

In Bangladesh, conversations about crime often begin only after it happens. A brutal murder makes headlines; a rape case sparks outrage on social media. Only then do we demand justice, stricter laws or better policing. Yet criminologists have long argued that crime is not merely a legal problem to be punished after it occurs. It is a social process that can, and should be, prevented through education, awareness and early intervention.

This raises a straightforward question: 'Should concepts of crime, justice and prevention be introduced much earlier in Bangladesh's education system?'

At present, criminology in Bangladesh is mostly confined to higher education and even there it remains highly limited in scope. Only three institutions in the country offer criminology as a standalone degree programme, which means the discipline is still in its very early stage of institutional development. Only three universities in the country - the University of Dhaka, the University of Chittagong and Maulana Bhashani Science and Technology University - offer criminology as a standalone undergraduate programme. The curriculum across these programmes covers crime causation, criminal behaviour, policing, justice systems, prevention strategies and policy analysis. For the overwhelming majority of young Bangladeshis, however, structured learning about crime and justice simply does not exist in school.

They may study moral science or civics at a basic level, but critical topics such as consent, digital safety, legal rights, gender-based violence and the real-world consequences of criminal behaviour are either glossed over or entirely absent. Students enter adolescence and adulthood without a clear understanding of how crime operates in society or how the legal system is meant to protect them.

International evidence on developmental criminology consistently finds that antisocial tendencies often surface in childhood or early adolescence, shaped by environment, education, peer influence and social learning. One of the most influential longitudinal studies, the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development, demonstrated that early behavioural intervention can dramatically reduce the likelihood of later criminal involvement. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has repeatedly emphasised that prevention strategies rooted in education and youth engagement are far more effective and less costly than punishment alone.

Edwin H Sutherland, a foundational figure in criminology, made the same point decades ago that crime should not be treated solely as a reactive issue but as a social process that can be prevented through concerted education and awareness from an early age.

In Bangladesh, policy priorities often work against this logic. In a developing education system, resources are usually directed toward fields with clear economic returns such as engineering, business and medicine. Social sciences, especially criminology, are often seen as less "practical" and less hands-on.

But this view is short-sighted. Crime weakens economic growth, safety and social stability. Bangladesh already faces rising urban migration, gender-based violence, cybercrime and juvenile delinquency - problems rooted in inequality and weak prevention.

Introducing basic crime and justice education at the school level does not mean turning children into mini lawyers. It means building awareness. Students can learn personal safety, legal rights, digital responsibility, consent, ethical behaviour and conflict resolution in age-appropriate ways. These lessons have tangible outcomes. Awareness about cybercrime can curb online harassment and teenage fraud. Education on consent and gender respect can help reduce gender-based violence over time.

Such knowledge also empowers potential victims. Many people in Bangladesh remain unaware of their rights or support systems when facing harassment or abuse. Early exposure could enable them to seek justice more confidently and promptly.

Sceptics may question whether an already overburdened curriculum can accommodate another subject, especially when even cultural activities struggle for space. Would it just become another rote-learning exercise? The concern is fair but the answer is integration, not addition. Criminology ideas can be embedded in moral science, civics and life-skills classes supported by discussions and community engagement. The aim is not memorisation but building a practical moral compass in adolescents.

We should not rush into a one-size-fits-all national policy. A better approach is pilot projects in rural and marginalised areas where vulnerability is higher. Using rigorous evaluation methods, outcomes can be measured, variables controlled and cost-benefit analysis done before scaling successful models. The goal is not a quick political fix but a grounded approach that reduces deviance while fitting local contexts.

Communities should also help shape crime-control strategies. Relying only on punishment ignores deeper causes of crime. An offender-centric response after a crime has already occurred under complex circumstances is necessary but it is not sufficient. Greater attention must also go to potential offending demographics and individuals with identifiable criminal propensities, guiding them before harm is done.

Bangladesh's short national attention span and "gold-fish memory" have long meant that criminal trends receive only fleeting emphasis. A sustained, preventive focus through education could change that.

Many countries have already moved in this direction, incorporating civic education, safety awareness and behavioural learning into school systems. Prevention, they have learned, begins long before the courtroom or police station. It begins in classrooms, in family conversations and in the way society teaches right from wrong.

Expanding criminology at universities is important, with links to psychology, education, public health and technology. But the real shift has to begin earlier - in schools, where awareness is formed long before theory arrives. With crime-related challenges already shaping everyday life in Bangladesh, the question is less about whether and more about how long we can keep postponing it - before education starts reflecting the society it is meant to serve!

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