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Causes and Nature of Crime Theory
Theory of crime
General theory of crime
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Introduction:
- Provide a simple definition of crime using Hayes and Prenzler (2015).
- List different categories of crime, including street and violent crimes with a brief definition, and graffiti and homicide as examples (Hayes and Prenzler 2015).
- An overview of the idea that psychological and sociological theories can be used in understanding crime.
- Introduce social learning theory in relation to graffiti (Winfree, Backstrom and Mays 1994).
- Introduce evolutionary theory in relation to homicide (Durrant 2009).
Body paragraph 1:
- Elaborate on the issues with the definition of crime, including acts that are not only “criminal” but also morally wrong (Hayes and Prenzler 2015).
- Explain the basic purpose of crime theories, being to identify
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Body paragraph 2:
- Social learning theory is one crime theory which combines the ideologies from behavioural theories, classical and operant conditioning, and explores how individuals’ mental processes impact such conditioning (Hayes and Prenzler 2015).
- Bandura (1971) explains that behaviour is not restricted to conditioning theories wherein an individual will learn from responding to direct experience, rather can also be learnt from simply observing the experiences and behavioural responses of others.
- Include quote: ‘Man’s capacity to learn by observation enable him to acquire large, integrated units of behaviour by example without having to build up the patterns gradually by tedious trial and error.’ (Bandura 1971, p. 2).
Body paragraph 3:
- Graffiti is classified as a street crime which costs Australia approximately $1.34 billion per year (Hayes and Prenzler
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- Troubled youth often experience positive emotions when engaging in graffiti thus, when applying social learning theory, if other individuals observe a positive response to this crime it increases the occurrence of graffiti (Morgan and Louis 2009; Winfree, Backstrom and Mays 1994).
- Bandura’s social learning theory consists of four processes including a behaviour being noticed, the behaviour being remembered, that behaviour being re-enacted, and a consequence resulting from the behaviour (Hanna, Crittenden and Crittenden 2013).
- Social learning theory is an effective criminological theory as its application to graffiti in particular reveals characteristics of likely offenders, and such findings can be utilised to predict future incidence.
Body paragraph 5:
- To optimise the basic functions of individual survival and reproduction, evolutionary history has encouraged the biological foundations of humans to inherit adaptations (Hayes and Prenzler 2015).
- Individuals that identify more with the r/selected strategy in the r/K theory tend to portray more opportunism, impulsivity, aggression and dominance (Hayes and Prenzler
The two theories that are being analyzed in this paper are Ronald Akers’ Social Learning Theory and Travis Hirschi’s Social Bonding Theory. Hirschi's social bonding theory is one of many control theories which all take on the task of explaining the core cause of crime; however, this particular theory seems to be the most popular and able to stand the test of time. The Social Bond theory contains four elements that explain what criminals lack that causes them to be more prone to illegal activity, these elements are attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief. On the other end of the spectrum is Akers’ Social Learning Theory, which attempts to explain the correlation between and individual's social environment and their behavior depending on what is praised or punished in an individual's specific social organization. (Walsh & Hemmens)
Social behavior responds to a complicated network of rewards and punishments. The more a behavior is rewarded, the more likely it is to continue. On the flip side of this, the more a behavior is met with negative consequences, the more it is likely to stop. In any given social situation, whether someone commits a crime is largely dependent on his past behavior, or whether someone has received a positive reinforcement to a that crime. According to Social Learning Theory, crime is a direct response to this reinforcement. So in other words, if rewards are greater than punishments, the crime will be committed. Social Learning Theory is meant to operate as a general theory of crime.
One example of the “Social Learning Theory” is the Bobo doll experiment conducted by Albert Bandura in 1961. In this experiment children were either exposed to an adult exhibiting aggressive behavior or non-aggressive behavior towards the doll. When it came time for the children to interact with the doll, the children who were exposed to aggressive behavior were more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior (Nolen, n.d.).
Differential association theory best explains the burglary deviance. There are many principles associated with this type of learning theory. Edwin Sutherland’s theory discusses how crime is a learned behavior where one’s family, peers, and environment are of great influence. Differential association theory seeks to prove that criminal behavior is learned and this paper will evaluate the connection between the two.
Social learning theory was first developed by Robert L. Burgess and Ronald L Akers in 1966 (Social Learning theory, 2016). In 1973, Akers wrote a book entitled Deviant Behaviour: A Social Learning Approach, which discussed Aker’s conception of the social learning theory. He developed social learning theory by extending Sutherland’s theory of differential association (Cochran & Sellers, 2017). Social learning theory is based on the principles of Pavlov’s operant and classical conditioning. Akers believes that crime is like any other social behavior because it is learned through social interaction (Social Learning theory, 2016). Social learning theory states that the probability of an individual committing a crime or engaging in criminal behaviour is increased when they differentially associate with others who commit criminal behavior (Cochran & Sellers, 2017). Social learning theory is classified as a general theory of crime, and has been used to explain many types of criminal behaviour (Social Learning theory, 2016). Furthermore, social learning theory is one of the most tested contemporary theories of crime. There are four fundamental components of social learning theory; differential association, definitions, differential reinforcement and imitation (Social Learning theory,
Morrison, W. (2009) 'What is crime? Contrasting definitions and perspectives', in C. Hale, K. Hayward, A. Wahadin and E. Wincup, (eds), Criminology. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Through Social Learning Theory, an individual can be studied based on the behavior acquired by a role model. Verbal conditioning procedures and observation influences the response to an individual’s personality. Environment factors contribute to the Social Learning Theory. Antisocial model is a major contribute to crime, which influences negative characteristics. The Social Leaning Theory has three core social concepts the must be followed: observational learning, intrinsic reinforcement and modeling process.
Differential association theory best explains the burglary deviance. There are many principles associated with this type of social learning theory. Edwin Sutherland’s theory discusses how crime is a learned behavior where one’s family, peers, and environment are of great influence. Differential association theory seeks to prove that criminal behavior is learned and this paper will evaluate the connection between the two.
Winfree, T., & Abadinsky, H. (2nd Ed.). (2003). Understanding Crime: Theory and Practice. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth publishers.
Social learning theory argues that individual behavior is shaped through the process of reinforcement and punishment. It argues crime is largely detrmined during childhood as a result to incompetent parenting, and tends to persist thereafter.. Differential reinforcement is defined as the balance of anticipated or actual rewards and punishments that follow or are consequences of behaviors. Social learning theory focuses on four principles: Differential association, differential reinforcement, imitation and definitions. The debt of differential association theory can be seen in these for principal said to affect the individual's probability of committing law violations.
It is said that social learning theory, proposed by Albert Bandura (1977), is perhaps the most influential theory of learning and development. This theory argued that criminal behavior is learned meaning, it is learned from others through social interaction, known as observational learning. Juveniles today feed off what they see; for instance, they see someone break into a house, of course, they are going to attempt to do the same thing. Some juveniles do this because
There are numerous ideas in the area of criminology that attempt to interpret the causes behind why people commit crimes. Social process idea is one such idea and affirms that criminal actions are taught by viewing criminalistic actions by others (Schmalleger, 2012). The four kinds of Social method theories are Social learning idea, Social command idea, labeling idea, and dramaturgical viewpoint. Throughout this term paper, we will gaze at two of these theories, Social discovering theory and the Social command theory. This essay will converse about the Social method theory's significance to criminology, as well the history of its development.
The social learning theory is known as the learning theory, which was advanced by Edwin Sutherland in 1939 he was the one who discovered criminality is learned through a process of differential association. Social learning theory is a behavior that is learned in much the same way and that such learning that people are not born criminals. Pattern and behavior of crime are learned from others who commit crimes or from the individual environment. The interactionist theory states each person has the power to break the law. No one person is born with criminal intent, criminal behaviors is through thought interactions and with socialization especially within a group.
Behavior and social learning are two theories that are inherently intertwined. Behavior to some extent is taught for social reasons, and social learning can very much shape and create behaviors. While behavior is something intentionally taught, social learning can teach and reinforce many unintentional behaviors, such as dishonesty or aggression. In order to adequately discuss these two interrelated topics, theory exploration is in order.
Behaviorism is the point of view where learning and behavior are described and explained in terms of stimulus-response relationships. Behaviorists agree that an individual’s behaviors is a result of their interaction with the environment. Feedback, praise and rewards are all ways people can respond to becoming conditioned. The focus is on observable events instead of events that happen in one’s head. The belief that learning has not happened unless there is an observable change in behavior. “The earliest and most Ardent of behaviourists was Watson (1931; Medcof and Roth, 1991; Hill 1997). His fundamental conclusion from many experimental observations of animal and childhood learning was that stimulus-response (S-R) connections are more likely to be established the more frequently or recently an S-R bond occurs. A child solving a number problem might have to make many unsuccessful trials before arriving at the correct solution” (Childs, 2004).