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Theories of causation of crime
Three main theoretical approaches to deviant behavior in society
Theories of causation of crime
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I agree with Giselle in that the most compelling crime theory out of the four would be the individual level as it stands as the basis in developing responses to the other three theories of crime. While any social or group level interactions have an undeniable influence, these theories have drawbacks when comparing those individuals who have given into delinquency with those who have been brought up in the same community, socioeconomic surroundings and surrounded by the same peers yet haven’t participated in criminal or delinquent behaviour. Therefore, I think it is fascinating to consider the ways and individual’s personality, beliefs, morals, attitudes and to some degree their biology shape their understanding and responses to crime, to whether
There are many views on crime and deviance and many theories to why they occur.
Finding strong evidence surrounding this topic could be significant to reducing crime rates and addressing the public health issue. What I have learn from research-based evidence and analyzing social and cultural theories, is that criminal behavior is multifaceted and is influenced by a range of determinants in which surrounds the nature versus nurture debate. I believe that nature and nurture both play significant roles to the making of a criminal.
Psychological theories of criminal behavior emphasize criminal thinking patterns or personality defects. These theories emphasize individual differences in behavior and the approaches to thinking, feeling, and decision-making that make some people predisposed to committing criminal acts.
First and foremost, the theory states that criminal behavior is learned, meaning that the behaviors of an individual are influenced and shaped by those they associate with (Clinard & Meier, 2015). The primary reference point here is the nuclear family. Parents teach their children how to walk and talk, who grow up with siblings or in some cases, elderly relatives. With good reason, it is widely held that these interactions create the foundation of the individual’s conception of societal norms and values. That being said, if the individual is capable of assessing proper behavior in society, they are also capable of learning what is considered
There are a variety of variables that will affect the way a person views crime. The most common factors are race and ethnicity, religion, social class, education, and ethics. These variables are the most common way to differentiate the belief structures our society possess . Our belief systems are not innate, they are set in place; it is a learned ideal. In essence, a person’s perception of crime is based on their upbringing and background.
I have spent the last four and one half years working in the criminal justice system as a county jailer, jail deputy and currently a police officer. Throughout my short career in law enforcement I had had a front row seat to what many industry insiders call, “The greatest show on earth.” In this class and during my undergraduate years I have studied many theories on why people commit crimes, and all theories have valid points on why people commit crime.
The foundation of our legal system rest upon the single philosophy that humans hold their own fate. Even though, we perceive in our daily lives the persistence of causation and effect. Even children understand the simplistic principle that every action will have a reaction. Despite this obvious knowledge, we as a society still implanted the belief that our actions are purely our own. Yet, with the comprehension of force that environmental factors impact our development, we continue to sentence people for crimes committed. Moreover, uncontrollable environmental influences are not the only deterministic factors we ignore in our societal view of crime. One’s biological composition can work against any moral motives that they
Trait theory views criminality as a product of abnormal biological or psychological traits. It is based on a mix between biological factors and environmental factors. Certain traits alone cannot determine criminality. We are born with certain traits and these traits along with certain environmental factors can cause criminality (Siegel, 2013). According to (Siegel, 2013), the study of sociobiology sparked interest in biological or genetic makeup as an explanation for crime and delinquency. The thought is that biological or genetic makeup controls human behavior, and if this is true, then it should also be responsible for determining whether a person chooses crime or conventional behavior. This theory is referred to as trait theory (Siegel, 2013). According to Siegel (2013), due to the fact that offenders are different, one cannot pinpoint causality to crime to just a single biological or psychological attribute. Trait theorist looks at personal traits like intelligence, personality, and chemical and genetic makeup; and environmental factors, such as family life, educational attainment, economic factors, and neighborhood conditions (Siegel, 2013). There are the Biosocial Trait theories an...
...ifferent crime patterns and thought processes of criminals. The reasons can only come from these theories and will help the justice systems become more prepared to react towards different crimes. However, with adding some enhancements, projects and experiments these two theories have the potential to change the criminology realm forever.
An integrated theory is a combination of 2 or 3 theories that offers many explanations on why crime is occurring, compared to a traditional criminal theory that just focus on one type of aspect (Lilly et al.2010). The purpose of integrated theories is to help explain many aspects into what causes criminal behavior and why one becomes delinquent. From this an argument arises can integrated theories be used to explain all criminal behavior. Integrated theories are successful in explaining certain aspects of crime on what causes one to become deviant; however one theory alone cannot explain why an individual engages in crime. This paper will examine three integrated theories and look in-depth how these theories can explain different aspects on why criminal behavior occurs and the weakness of each theory. The three integrated theories that will be discussed in this paper are Cloward and Ohlin Differential Opportunity theory, Robert Agnew General Strain theory, and lastly Travis Hirschi’s Social Bond theory.
I think that utilitarianism theory makes the most sense to me over the other crime theories. The utilitarianism theory is based on that crime is rational and the punishment should fit the crime and is what the American jurisprudence system is based on. In a free society I feel that crime is a choice individuals make and not the result of biological for social circumstances. When I evaluated biological theory, it sounds like the general consensus is that an individual is born a criminal or a hereditary trait, but there is little evidence to support that all criminals are effected biologically. As for sociological theory in some places in the world, I can see this approach being effective. However, in the United States, we are a free country
In conclusion, these explanations of crime are simplistic and therefore it is probably better to take an interactionist approach, seeing genes, society, upbringing and personality all interacting to cause criminal behaviour.
Biological theories that have been developed in the society which explain the causes of crime focus their idea on the composition of the human body. The physical body, evolutionary factors, inherited genes, brain structures and hormones influences the ability of individuals to engage in criminal activities. It means that there are certain biological compositions that when an individual has them, they cannot resist committin...
Criminals are born not made is the discussion of this essay, it will explore the theories that attempt to explain criminal behaviour. Psychologists have come up with various theories and reasons as to why individuals commit crimes. These theories represent part of the classic psychological debate, nature versus nurture. Are individuals predisposed to becoming a criminal or are they made through their environment.
Having defined criminal behavior, its wide terms the explanation of that behavior needs to be equally comprehensive. There are ranges of theories that attempt to explain behaviour i...