Abstract:
Classical school of criminology tries to explain the crime causation and the methods adopted to control them in
their own rationalization. It developed as a separate school of though in the 17th and 18th century which rejected
the somewhat barbaric methods used under the pre-classical era which was heavily influenced by the
demonological thought and the classical school changed this idealism with the rational choice theory which
advocates that humans as rational beings have free will to decide on their actions or omissions. This article is
written with a Sri Lankan perspective as to how the ideas of classical school of criminology has found its place in
the administration of the criminal justice system in the country. When one considers the development of the
criminal laws in Sri Lanka, it is solely based on the English common law principles and developed through the
statutes. This article focuses on the Sri Lankan criminal justice system and how it has incorporated some of the
ideas as advanced under the classical school of criminology.
