Download The Nature of Crime

The Nature of Crime
Understanding Crime and
Victimization
Question:
What Causes Crime?
Five Theories
Why does crime occur?
Because they want to: Choice Theory
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Choice Theory
• People choose to commit a crime after
weighing the potential costs and benefits
• Example: Drug dealing
– Benefit: large profit, prestige, power, drugs
– Potential cost: apprehension, punishment, loss of
power
Choice Theory
• According to “Choice Theory,” punishment
must be strict, sure and swift to outweigh any
benefits of the crime
– People will not choose crime if they fear
punishment (costs)
– Assumes that all criminals exhibit rationality and
make choices
Why does crime occur?
Because they want to: Choice Theory
Because they’re different: Biological Theory
Biological Theory:
(Biochemical, Neurological, and Genetic)
• Linking physical traits (at birth or soon after)
with tendencies toward violence, aggression,
and anti-social behavior
• Example: Low birth weight babies
– Low birth weight  Poor educational
achievement  Delinquency
Biochemical Factors
• Antisocial behavior could be linked to:
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Improper diet
High levels of sugar and caffeine
Environmental contaminants
Hormonal imbalance
Hypoglycemia
ABNORMAL levels of organic/inorganic substances could
influence behavior
Neurological Factors
• Abnormal Electroencephalograms (EEGs)
• Hostile, nonconforming, impulsive behavior
• Minimal brain dysfunction (MBD)
• Explosive rage
Genetic Factors
• Twin studies
– Monozygotic (identical) vs. Dizygotic (fraternal) of
the same sex
– Adopted children: If behavior runs parallel with
biological parents (especially father)
Why does crime occur?
Because they want to: Choice Theory
Because they’re different: Biological Theory
It’s in their heads: Psychological Theory
Psychological Theory
• Linking psychological abnormality to criminal
behavior
• Psychological views of crime are divided into
four major areas
Psychoanalytic Theory
• Freudian
• Damage that occurs in childhood causes an
imbalance in later life
• Neurotic: extremely anxious and fear that impulse may
break through their personality
• Psychotic: primitive impulses have broken through and
control personality
• Little evidence exists that mentally ill people are any
more criminal than mentally sound people
Behavioral Theory
• Behavior is learned through interactions with
others
– Social Learning Theory
• Modeling behavior after violent adults and reinforced
by peers
Cognitive Theory
• How people perceive and mentally represent
the world
– Moral development theory
• Distinguishing between right and wrong
• Criminals lack ability to make moral judgments
The Psychopath
• Criminal behavior as a function of a disturbed
personality
– Fail to learn from mistakes
– Not deterred by punishments
– Incapable of caring for others
– Abnormally low level of anxiety
– Thrill seekers; repeat offenders (serial
murderers/rapists)
Why does crime occur?
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Because they want to: Choice Theory
Because they’re different: Biological Theory
It’s in their heads: Psychological Theory
Society is the real culprit: Sociological Theories
Social Structure Theory
• United States is stratified
– Disorganized neighborhoods
– Deviant Values and Cultures
– Strain
Social Process Theory
• People commit crimes as a result of
socialization
• Family
» Severe discipline, lacking warmth
• School
» Tracking, labeling
» Deviant peers
» High school dropouts
Why does crime occur?
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Because they want to: Choice Theory
Because they’re different: Biological Theory
It’s in their heads: Psychological Theory
Society is the real culprit:Sociological Theories
It’s Political: Conflict Theory
Conflict Theory
• Economic and political forces cause criminality
– Criminal law and justice system control the poor
– Powerful and rich impose their morality on the
entire society
• Theft of $500 property by a poor person is punished
more severely than the misappropriation of millions by
a large corporation
Other Theories
• It’s a matter of development: Integrated
Theories
• It’s how you live: Victimization Theories