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Theories criminology chapter 1-4
Criminology (CJUS 3600 )
University of North Texas
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Criminology Theories Classical school of Criminology Beccaria and Bentham Freewill (choose what to do) utility (Pain vs pleasure) / Hedonism (Seek pleasure and avoid pain) Egoistic (self-seeking behavior) Rationality (anticipate consequences of different actions & calculate most beneficial outcomes) Deterrence (Prevent crime other than punishment) Greatest good for greatest number Neoclassical school of Criminology A revised version of classical theory that acknowledge individual and situational differences in motivation, rationality, and freewill (bounded free will) Similar to classical school; however focuses on the contextual (depending on) circumstances of the individual allowing for increases or decreases in punishment Positivism Cesare Lombroso Scientific perspective (reject free will- is associated with the soul which is unscientific) Cause and Effect (casual reason for every event including crime) In this model they identify what’s wrong with you and they treat you for it e. (Lobotomy-drill hole in head.) Punishment is to get rid of the trait. Rehabilitation- treat the problem describes criminal behavior as caused by forces beyond the control of the individual. Within this frame of reference, criminologists attempt to identify the causes of criminal behavior. Determinism Cesare Lombroso Human Behavior is caused by factors specific to individual Factors: Biological, psychological and environmental issues Suggest some people are born criminals 1. certainty (the probability that a misdeed will be detected and punished), 2. celerity (the swiftness with which punishment follows the criminal deed, speed of punishment) 3. severity (the painfulness or unpleasantness of the punishing outcome). Chicago School Crime is product of social ecology specifically disorganization of urban life Criminology Theories Ecology- Focus on economic disadvantage, community cohesion, social stability Dominant paradigm/ model of inquiry- environmental cause of crime Biosocial 1. Biology, Genetics, brain, Environment theory 2. Biological- on hormones— chemicals released into the blood stream by endocrine glands—and their effects on behavior. These views have looked both at men and women separately and suggest that the levels of sex hormones (testosterone and estrogen) in our bodies influence our emotions and levels of aggression. (Men High Testosterone = commit more crime) (women High estrogen= commit more crime) biological factors and their relation to crime draws a bit more on social influence and suggests that diet may play a role in determining behavior. that biological elements like hormone levels, nutrition, and prenatal factors play at least some role in the development of our personalities and, therefore, the likelihood that we will display criminal behavior. Genetics Theories that emphasize an individual’s genetic predisposition as being important in the etiology of criminal behavior say that antisocial behavior is inherited and runs in families. The central premise in these explanations centers on the belief that genes play a role in the cause of crime, and criminality is passed along some lines of families just like other inherited traits such as physical appearance and medical diseases. Briefly, behavior genetic theory identifies the amount of genetic overlap between two individuals and hypothesizes that, to the extent that the trait under observation is under genetic influence, two people who share more genes will tend to be more similar to one another as compared to another set of people who share less genetic material. trait. Indeed, the bulk of the evidence appears to suggest that antisocial behavior such as aggression and criminality carry heritability coefficients of approximately .50. This means that genetic factors account for a portion of the variance in criminal behavior, but a heritability coefficient does little to identify which genes play a role. XYY gene- more likely to commit crime MAOA gene – violent behavior 3. Brain brain is the epicenter for all human thoughts, emotions, and decision making, The interrelationships among hormones, genes, and neurotransmitters is quite complex, but suffice it to say that there is often a cyclical relationship where the body (brain) produces hormones which can activate genes, genes can impact the process of neurotransmission, which can in turn signal the brain to produce more or fewer hormones. Neurotransmitters- allows hormone and genetic factors to affect behavior One of the strongest links between brain development and later criminality centers on the issue of prenatal exposure to alcohol. Different part of the brain controls different functions 4. Environment- Criminology Theories Psychological Theories At the core of most psychological theories of crime is the belief that people who commit crimes are different, especially in the ways they think. Psychoanalytic theory Freudian psychology an idea first proposed by Sigmund Freud; based on the idea that three parts of the personality—id, ego, and superego—compete and conflict and the result is our mental state and behaviors Commit crime due to part of personality (ID, EGO,SUPEREGO) result of early life trauma ID- Instinct & drive, needs or demands for instant gratification Ego- balance Drive from ID & Superego Superego- social consciousness or authority of a person Components of the mind: 1. Ego - conscious personality, rationally mediates. 2. ID - unconscious; basic biological and psychological drives. 3. Superego - unconscious; internal morality - your conscience. People are born with antisocial predisposition Personality Theory Criminal think different than other people Behavior & emotional characteristics Criminal Personality Lifestyle perspective Criminal Personality Yochelson and Samenow largely relies on the assumption that criminal ways of thinking are something with which an individual is born A second core assumption of this approach is that the criminal personality serves to predispose individuals to criminal behavior. Criminal ways of thinking begin early in life, and such thought patterns lead individuals to make choices about their behavior—often decisions to commit crime. are impulsivity, self- centeredness, chronic lying, perceiving property of others as available for anyone to take, lacking interest in education/school, being sexually active early in life and having a “great deal of sexual thinking,” extreme optimism about the future and the risks of dangerous situations, getting great amounts of enjoyment from reckless and illegal activities, manipulativeness, being very energetic, having intense fear of pain and injury, feeling superior to others, having a very high self-image, and becoming extremely angry very quickly. These last four traits often combine when the individual feels that his or her self-image is being attacked or threatened; when such individuals feel threatened (whether that perception is accurate or not), they are likely to quickly become angry and lash out at what they perceive is threatening them. Criminology Theories Lifestyle perspective White and Walters Crime, in this theory, arises from how individuals live their lives, including the social environment they are in, the choices they make about their behaviors, and the thinking patterns they use to make choices in their everyday lives. centered on thought processes, specifically the beliefs the individual holds and uses to interpret and make sense of his or her environment and situations. Irresponsibility is the general unwillingness of individuals to see themselves as accountable for their behavior. Instead, they see their behavior as the result of other factors, especially social factors that are beyond their control or influence. Self-indulgence is the tendency of criminals to put their own desires and wants ahead of any concerns about others or considerations of how their actions may negatively affect others. Interpersonal intrusiveness refers to how criminal individuals pursue their self-indulgent goals, ignoring and acting without regard to the rights of others. Finally, because of their disregard for others, dedication to pursuing their own desires, and being unwilling to see that their behaviors are the result of their own choices, criminal behavior is often the result. Dual system suggests that involvement in risky behavior (of which delinquency would be one form) must be understood as the outcome result of two neuropsychological systems in the body the dual systems theory states that risky behavior results when sensation-seeking behavior is high or when impulsivity levels are high. seen, the dual systems theory relies heavily on information gleaned from neuroscience research. suggests that involvement in risky behavior (of which delinquency would be one form) must be understood as the outcome result of two neuropsychological systems in the body: sensation seeking and impulsivity eugenics a movement Mental Capacity a diagnosable disturbance to the emotional or perceptual abilities of an individual that leads the person to experience interactions and social environments differently from other people Developmental/ Life course Theories (DLC) emphasize that there are different issues at the core of why persons do, and then often later do not, engage in criminal behavior DLC theories emphasize aspects of our social world that influence individuals’ behaviors (especially their involvement in crime). These outside influences are important for how they affect the thinking and decisions of individuals—psychological issues. DLC criminology is concerned with three primary issues: (1) the development of offending behavior, (2) identification of risk factors unique to individuals of varying ages, and (3) the effects of experienced events on how one’s offending behavior does or does not develop. Criminology Theories future involvement in crime and delinquency. involvement in and desistance from crime across the life course. turning point- the good and the bad point in life. Moffitt’s TheoryFinal Version, two basic varieties of offenders: (1) those who engage in crime/deviance only while they are adolescents—referred to as adolescence-limited offenders; and (2) those who begin their problem behavior during childhood and remain involved in criminal activities throughout their life—referred to as life course-persistent offenders. Moffitt suggested that life course-persistent offenders and adolescence-limited offenders have distinct etiologies. In the Moffitt-inspired view, the factors associated with life course-persistent offending include hyperactivity, low verbal ability, and impulsiveness. Also, it is important to consider the biological issues of psychological abnormalities that arise from maternal drug abuse, poor prenatal nutrition, exposure (either pre- or postnatal) to toxic substances that can influence neurological development, and perhaps even genetic influences. Development of psychological structures (and consequently our thinking and behavior) is influenced by early childhood experiences, including our receipt of affection, stimulation, and nutrition. For the adolescence-limited offenders, exposure to the maturity gap, peer influence, and pressure are factors related to their delinquency and deviance Other notes Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray - authors of The Bell Curve, a mid-1990s’ book that argued criminal behavior could be explained by intelligence differences in the population and across social groups H. Goddard IQ tests Low IQ is feeblemindedness IQ of criminals is about 10 points lower than non-criminals Herrnstein and Murray People with low IQ's are destined to do badly in school, become unemployed, produce illegitimate children and become criminals Conflict view Crime and deviance are products of unequal power relationships Crime control thus becomes a tool of the powerful to control the behavior of the less powerful
Theories criminology chapter 1-4
Course: Criminology (CJUS 3600 )
University: University of North Texas
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