Ma'anar ƙamus na ilimin laifuka shine binciken kimiyya na laifuka, masu laifi, da tsarin shari'ar laifuka. Ya ƙunshi nazarin musabbabi, yanayi, da sakamakon ɗabi'un aikata laifi, da kuma bincika hanyoyin kariya da sarrafa laifuka. Masu binciken laifuka kuma na iya bincika tasirin manufofin shari'a da ayyuka, da kuma haɓaka ra'ayoyi game da halayen aikata laifuka da dangantakarsa da abubuwan zamantakewa, tattalin arziki, da tunani.
