Download Theories of Criminal Behaviour

Theories of Criminal
Behaviour
Biological Roots of Criminal
Behavior
Major Principles of Biological
Theories
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The brain is the organ of the mind and the locus
of personality
The basic determinants of human behavior are
constitutionally or genetically based
Observed gender and racial differences in rates
and types of criminality may be at least partially
the result of biological differences between the
sexes and/or between racially distinct groups
Major Principles of Biological
Theories
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The basic determinants of human behavior may
be passed on from generation to generation
Much of human conduct is fundamentally rooted
in instinctive behavioral responses characteristic
of biological organisms everywhere
The interplay between heredity, biology, and the
social environment provides the nexus for any
realistic consideration of crime causation
Early Biological Theories
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Lombroso in 1876 argued
that the criminal is a
separate species, a
species that is between
modern and primitive
humans.
He argued that the
physical shape of the
head and face determined
the "born criminal".
Early Biological Theories
 Lombroso
studied and measured the bodies
of executed and deceased offenders as well
as examining living inmates to locate physical
differences or abnormalities
Claimed to have found a variety of bodily features
predictive of criminal behavior
 Long arms, large teeth, ears lacking lobes, lots of
body hair
 Also identified characteristics of particular types of
offenders
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Early Biological Theories
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Constitutional Theories
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William Sheldon
Used
body measurement techniques to
connect body type with personality and
outlined four basic body types and
associated temperaments and
personalities
Body types
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1.
2.
3.
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people could be classified into three body
shapes, which correspond with three different
personality types.
endomorphic (fat and soft) tend to be sociable
and relaxed.
ectomorphic (thin and fragile) are introverted
and restrained
mesomorphic (muscular and hard) tend to be
aggressive and adventurous.
Sheldon, using a correlational study, found that
many convicts were mesomorphic, and they
were least likely to be ectomorphic
Endomorph, Mesomorph, Ectomorph,
Modern Biological Theories
Biochemical (diet, hypoglycemia,
hormones, environmental exposure)
 Neurophysiological (brain dysfunction)
 Evolutionary theories
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Modern Biological Theories
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Hormones and criminality
 Testosterone
 Male sex hormone linked to aggression
 Research has shown a relationship between high blood
testosterone levels and increase male aggression
 Low brain levels of serotonin
Genetics and Crime: XYY Supermale
 Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes
 The last pair determines gender
 Males: XY pair
 Females: XX pair
 A study of Scottish prisoners found that a small number had an
XYY chromosome.These were identified as potentially violent
and labeled “supermale”
Criminal Families
 criminal families appeared to show criminal tendencies
through several generations
Modern Biological Theories
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Weather and Crime
 Temperature
is the only weather variable consistently
and reliably related to crime

Positive correlation between temperature and violent crime
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Moderated by factors such as time of day, day of week and
season. Cohn and Rotton have found temperature to be related
to crimes such as assault, property offenses, domestic violence
and disorderly conduct
Chemical and environmental precursors of crime
(nutrition, eating habits, and environmental
contaminants related to violent and/or disruptive
behavior)
Psychological
approach to the study
of crime
Psychological
Perspectives
on Criminality
Psychoanalytic Theory
Sigmund Freud (1856–1939): One can
understand human behavior best by
examining early childhood experiences.
 Criminality is linked to guilt feelings
(unresolved oedipal and Electra
complexes).
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Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)
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Human behaviour is
governed by primitive
urges (eros and
thanatos) of the ID.
ID requires repression
which results in
formation of Ego and
Superego.
Freudian Explanations of Delinquency
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Human nature is inherently antisocial
 Id:
infants start life with antisocial drives
 Superego: forms from experience
 Ego: helps to negotiate demands for
instant gratification with acceptable behavior
Freudian Elements of Personality
Psychoanalytic interpretations
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3 Main principles of psychodynamic theory when
applied to delinquent + criminal behaviour are
that delinquent behavior can be traced to faulty
relationships in the family during the first years
of life
These faulty relationships result in inadequate
ego and superego development
These inadequacies in turn make it impossible
for the child to control later delinquent impulses
Freudian Approach
•John Bowlby (1946) studied 44 juvenile
delinquents and compared them with noncriminal disturbed juveniles.
•39% of the delinquents had experienced
complete separation from their mothers for sixmonths or more during the first five years of their
lives compared with 5% of the control group.
• early maternal deprivation was causally related
to delinquent behaviour
Erik Erikson (1902-84)
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Stage theorist.
During adolescence
identity vs. role
confusion stage may
result in identity crisis.
Out-of-control behaviours
(e.g. drug
experimentation) reflect
identity crisis.
Behavioural Theories
Social Learning Theory
Aggression
 Is learned, not innate.
 Requires personal observation of aggression or
rewards for aggression.
 Involves behaviour modelling of family
members, community members and mass media
 Three types of learning
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Classical conditioning
Operant conditioning
Observational (vicarious) learning
Principles of Learning
Positive reinforcement: increases the
target behavior by rewarding the individual
 Negative reinforcement: increases the
target behavior by removing an unpleasant
stimulus
 Punishment: reduces the odds of the
target behavior being repeated
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Behavioural explanations of
crime
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All behaviour is learned - deviant behaviour is
said to be learnt in much the same way as other
behaviour
Direct parental control: theorists tie delinquency
to parents’ failure to effectively condition
their children away from negative behaviors
Glueck and Glueck: inconsistent and harsh
punishment correlates with delinquent children
Patterson: effective parenting (monitoring,
punishing, and reinforcing behavior) correlates
with nondeliquent children
Principles of Learning
Albert Bandura
Violence and aggression are
produced by
 An arousal event
(provocation).
 Learned aggressive skills.
 Expected success and
rewards.
 Pro-violence values.
Bandura
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Observational learning is thought to take place
primarily in three contexts:
1. In the family
2. In the prevalent sub culture
3. Through cultural symbols such as television
and books.
Observational learning:
This is where viewers learn behaviours from watching
others and may imitate them; many behaviours are learned
from the media
- Models:
A model is a person who is observed and/or imitated.
Bobo doll experiments
 show
preschoolers a short film
of a person beating up a bobo
doll.
 They were shown the short
film twice, but there were
three different endings
watched by three different
groups of children.
 First photo shown is the
demonstrated short film with a
person beating up a bobo doll.
 The second photo shown is
what the preschoolers did after
they watched the short film.
Media and Crime
Does media (TV and movies) influence
aggression, violence, and criminal
behavior?
 Conducive to role modeling:
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 Perpetrators
not punished
 Targets of violence show little pain
 Few long-term negative consequences
Media and Violence
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Media provides aggressive
scripts.
Violence is copied.
TV violence increases arousal
level.
TV violence promotes attitude
change, suspicious feelings.
TV violence promotes
justification for violence.
Media violence may disinhibit
aggressive behaviour.
Policy Implications of Behaviorism
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Criminals can learn pro-social
behaviors to replace criminal
actions
Cognitive Theory
Cognitive Psychology
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Humans’ ability to engage in complex
thoughts influences behavior
Cognitions (like behaviors) can be
learned
Focus on
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Cognitive structure (how people think)
Cognitive content (what people think)
Cognitive Structure
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Kohlberg's theory of moral reasoning: humans
advance through predictable stages of moral
reasoning
delinquency is not synonymous with immoral
behaviour
the reasoning of higher moral stages is less
likely to fit in with a criminal lifestyle
justification for violating the law can be found at
all stages
Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral
Development (1 of 2)
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Stage 1
 Right
is blindly obeying those with power and
authority.
 Emphasis is on avoiding punishment.
 Interests of others are not considered.
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Stage 2
 Right
is furthering one’s own interests.
 Interests of others are important only as a way to
satisfy self-interests.
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Stage 3
 Moral
reasoning is motivated by loyalties to others
and a desire to live up to other’s standards.
Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral
Development (2 of 2)
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Stage 4
 Right
is following the rules of society and maintaining
important social institutions (e.g., family, community).
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Stage 5
 Moral
decisions are made by weighing individual
rights against legal principles and the common good.
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Stage 6
 Moral
decisions are based on universal principles
(e.g., human dignity, desire for justice).
 Principles are considered across different contexts
and are independent of the law.
Moral Development
Research shows that
 Criminals tend to be in stages 1 and 2.
 Non-criminals are in higher stages.
 People in lower stages fear punishment.
 People in middle stages fear reaction of family
and friends.
 People in highest stages believe in duty to
others, universal rights.
Cognitive Content
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Rationalizations or denials that support criminal
behavior
For example, a criminal thinks, “I’m not really
hurting anyone.”
Criminals are more likely to express such
thoughts, but the relationship (causation or
correlation) to crime is unclear.
Extremely common for sex offenders
Policy Implications of Cognitive
Psychology
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Cognitive theory translates easily into practice.
Cognitive skills programs teach offenders
cognitive skills like moral reasoning, anger
management, or self-control.
Cognitive restructuring attempts to change the
content of an individual’s thoughts.
Combination cognitive-behavioral programs
have had significant success.
Personality traits theory
Eysenck’s Theory of Personality
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Argued against sociological theories.
Criminal behavior resulted from an
interaction of environment and biology.
Based on biology.
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Personality = Temperament (inborn/genetic)
Choleric
Neurotic
Melancholic
Central NS
Intoverted
Extraverted
Ambiverts
Peripheral NS
Sanguine
Stable
Phlegmatic
Eysenck’s Personality Theory
Suggests that high
levels of
introvertism and
extrovertism can
be related to crime.
Also introduced a
P scale
(psychoticism) to
predict criminal
behaviour.
definitions
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stable extraverts (sanguine qualities such as outgoing, talkative, responsive, easygoing, lively,
carefree, leadership)
unstable extraverts (choleric qualities such as touchy, restless, excitable, changeable, impulsive,
irresponsible)
stable introverts (phlegmatic qualities such as - calm,
even-tempered, reliable, controlled, peaceful, thoughtful,
careful, passive)
unstable introverts (melancholic qualities such as quiet, reserved, pessimistic, sober, rigid, anxious,
moody).
Extraversion - Introversion
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Reflects “need for stimulation”.
Extraverts like excitement, become bored more
easily, welcome the unconventional
Criminals are more likely to be extraverts
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Impulsive
Thrill-seeking
Willing to take chances
May be less able to internalize society’s rules – i.e.,
less ‘conditionable’.
Neurotic -Stable and Crime
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Criminals are more likely to be neurotic:
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Emotionality acts as a drive to habitual ways
of responding.
 When under stress – do what you know
best.
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Impacts criminality only if the individual
has developed anti-social ‘habits’.
More important factor as one ages (habits
become more engrained)
Psychoticism
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Is not the same as “psychosis”
No established physiological mechanism
but testosterone, monoamine oxidase and
serotonin may be involved.
Similar to Primary Psychopathy
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Cold cruelty, social insensitivity, dislike of
others, attraction to the ‘unusual.
Conclusion
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The common emphasis of all psychological
theories is on the individual.
Each theory must be evaluated on its ability to
account for criminality.
Not all theories are well supported by evidence.
Many psychological theories translate well into
treatment programs.