Insight Into Criminal Behavior

1736 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Biological causes of criminal behavior

Juvenile exposure to criminal behavior increases the chances that those individuals will also engage in criminal behavior. Research gives us insight to prevent or reduce criminality and rehabilitate violators of the law that engage in criminal behavior. What causes people to commit crimes? Interdisciplinary criminology gives us a better understanding from several fields of study of a better understanding of crime. Influential factors that influence criminal behaviors are psychological, sociological, and biological. How do we help rehabilitate criminals? Each approach agrees on a criminal’s devotion to aggressive behavior, but they differ in their conclusions. Psychological involves personality, addressing certain felt needs, and defective mental processes. Sociological deals with cause and control of criminality. The social structures, cultural values, peer groups, and family all make-up this approach. The biological approach deals with a person’s biological make-up such as heredity, neurotransmitter dysfunction, and brain abnormalities as major components in criminal behavior.
Each approach consists of different methods of control, expression of behavior, and influences on criminal behavior. Situational and environmental factors provide setting and opportunity for crime to occur. Cultural forces help us analyze the context for occurring crimes. Phenomenological determines the personal meaning that a crime holds for the offender. Different researchers use different approaches to their theories but each have something to contribute to our understanding of the critical components of development. A contribution to an individual’s development begins in the womb and continues to develop well into adulthood. Many considerations shoul...

... middle of paper ...

...sness." Pp.424-426 in Encyclopedia of Social Psychology, edited by R.F. Baumeister and K.D. Vohs. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.
Hoffmann, John P. 2009. "The Status of General Strain Theory." Pp.156-168 in Criminological Theory: Readings and Retrospectives, edited by H. Copes and V. Topalli. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Horne, Christine. 2009. The Rewards of Punishment: A Relational Theory of Norm Enforcement. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
Rowe, Richard, Barbara Maughan, and Thalia C. Eley. 2006. "Links between Antisocial Behavior and Depressed Mood: The Role of Life Events and Attributional Style." Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology 34:293-302.
Lösel, Friedrich, Thomas Bliesener, and Doris Bender. 2007. "Social Information Processing, Experiences of Aggression in Social Contexts, and Aggressive Behavior in Adolescents." Criminal Justice and Behavior

Show More
Related

  • Nature versus Nurture: Criminal Behavior

    2165 Words  | 5 Pages

    Within the past decade there has been a wide range of research and evidence available based on both sides of the nature or nurture debate. Along with further research that identifies a number of determinants that have some form of influence towards criminal behavior and activity. This researc...

    Read More

  • Laub and Sampson’s Age-Graded Theory of Informal Social Control

    1003 Words  | 3 Pages

    Moffitt, Terrie E. 1993. “Adolescence-Limited and Life-Course-Persistent Antisocial Behavior: A Developmental Taxonomy.” Psychological Review 100:674–701.

    Read More

  • The Developmental Theories

    1153 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... Crime in the Life Course. Retrieved from http://criminology.fsu.edu/center/jjeep/pdf/annual2003/chapter7ar03.pdf Moffitt, T. E. (1993). A Developmental Taxonomy. Retrieved from http://www.psychology.sunysb.edu/ewaters/552-04/slidsets/brian_mcfarland_aggression/moffitt_aggression.pdf Siegel, L. J. (2000).

    Read More

  • Psychological Theories Of Criminology

    1313 Words  | 3 Pages

    However as research in to the causes of criminality has developed, we have now come to understand that these aspects of appearance do not contribute to the likelihood of someone becoming criminal. Osborn and West (1979) furthered this study of genetics by comparing the criminality of parents to children and found that the children that had parents with a criminal record have a 40% chance that they will also go on to commit crime (ref). Although this seems to give fairly substantial support the link between genetics and criminality, on the other hand 60% of the children did not go on to commit crime so this study does not have strong support for the criminal gene. Other suggestions have been made that links biology to criminality such as personality traits leading people to be more likely to be come criminal. Hans Eysenck (1977) suggested that individual differences originated in aspects of biology. One example of a personality trait that is used to explain this concept is neuroticism and how this is developed from a difference in arousal levels of the nervous system compared to ‘normal’ people, and this is established in development through childhood (ref). Overall the biological approach does contribute some valuable points to the study of

    Read More

  • Which Trait Theory Most Explains Criminal Behavior

    1238 Words  | 3 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • Biological Approach To Criminal Behavior

    1267 Words  | 3 Pages

    1. Cesare Lombroso applied the methods of natural science (observation, measurement, experimentation, statistical analysis) to the study of criminal behavior. Lombroso rejected the classical theory of crime, associated with Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham, which explained criminal activity as freely chosen behavior based on the rational calculation of benefit and loss, pleasure and pain. Critically analyze both schools of thought and provide an opinion as to what theory you believe is more relevant.

    Read More

  • Akers' Social Learning Theory

    2220 Words  | 5 Pages

    High crime rates are an ongoing issue through the United States, however the motivation and the cause of crime has yet to be entirely identified. Ronald Akers would say that criminality is a behavior that is learned based on what an individual sees and observes others doing. When an individual commits a crime, he or she is acting on impulse based on actions that they have seen others engage in. Initially during childhood, individuals learn actions and behavior by watching and listening to others, and out of impulse they mimic the behavior that is observed. Theorist Ronald Akers extended Sutherland’s differential association theory with a modern viewpoint known as the social learning theory. The social learning theory states that individuals commit crime through their association with or exposure to others. According to Akers, people learn how to be offenders based on their observations around them and their association with peers. Theorist Akers states that for one, “people can become involved in crime through imitation—that is by modeling criminal conduct. Second, and most significant, Akers contended that definition and imitation are most instrumental in determining initial forays into crime” (Lilly, Cullen, and Ball 2011:57). Although Akers’ theory has been linked to juvenile delinquency in the past, it has also been tested as a possible cause of crime overall. Individuals learn from observation that criminal behavior is justifiable in certain circumstances. In connection with juvenile delinquency and crime, peers and intimate groups have the most effect on individuals when associated with criminal behavior. One is more likely to mimic the behavior of someone who they have close ties with, whether the behavior is justifiable or...

    Read More

  • Is Crime a Biological or Learned Behavior?

    1281 Words  | 3 Pages

    There has always been a fascination with trying to determine what causes an individual to become a criminal? Of course a large part of that fascination has to do with the want to reduce crime, and to determine if there is a way to detect and prevent individuals from committing crime. Determining what causes criminality is still not perfectly clear and likewise, there is still debate as to whether crime is caused biologically, environmentally, or socially. Furthermore, the debate is directly correlated to the notion of 'nurture vs nature'. Over time many researchers have presented various theories pertaining to what causes criminal behavior. There are many theories that either support or oppose the concept of crime being biological rather than a learned behavior.

    Read More

  • Strain Theories of Criminal Behaviour

    2001 Words  | 5 Pages

    Williams, F., & McShane, M. (2010). Criminological Theory, (5th Edition). New Brunswick, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.

    Read More

  • The Development of a Criminal Mind

    1330 Words  | 3 Pages

    In today’s society, one will find that there are many different factors that go into the development of a criminal mind, and it is impossible to single out one particular cause of criminal behavior. Criminal behavior often stems from both biological and environmental factors. In many cases criminals share similar physical traits which the general population do not usually have. For example criminals have smaller brains than properly adjusted individuals. However biological reasons cannot solely be the cause of criminal behavior. Therefore, one must look to other sources as to how a criminal mind is developed. Social and environmental factors also are at fault for developing a person to the point at which they are lead to committing a criminal act. Often, someone who has committed a violent crime shows evidence of a poorly developed childhood, or the unsuitable current conditions in which the subject lives. In addition if one studies victimology which is the role that the victim plays in the crime, it is apparent that there are many different causes for criminal behavior. Through the examination of biological factors, in addition to the social and environmental factors which make up a criminal mind, one can conclude that a criminal often is born with traits common to those of criminals, it is the environment that exist around them that brings out the criminal within them to commit indecent acts of crime.

    Read More

  • Sociological Theories Of Crime

    1278 Words  | 3 Pages

    The forecast of such behavior includes cognitive functioning, socioeconomic status, and depression factors with the history of anti-social behavior, social achievement, and social involvement. It’s a mix of factors regarding the individual concerns of failure, failure to meet society’s expectation and of society to provide for the individual, failure of the individual to stay out of trouble, failure to be arrest free and disappointment of a failed rehabilitation process and the continuation of a criminal

    Read More

  • The Social Bond Theory

    869 Words  | 2 Pages

    Agnew, R. (1985). Social Control Theory and Delinquency: A Longitudinal Test. Criminology Volume 23 , 47-59.

    Read More

  • Juvenile Delinquency

    1475 Words  | 3 Pages

    Bartol, A. M., & Bartol, C. R. (2011). Criminal behavior: A psychological approach (9th ed).

    Read More

  • Are Criminals Born or Made?

    2147 Words  | 5 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Causes of Criminal Behavior

    776 Words  | 2 Pages

    Different schools of thought propose varying theoretical models of criminality. It is agreeable that criminal behaviour is deep rooted in societies and screams for attention. Biological, Social ecological and psychological model theories are key to helping researchers gain deeper comprehension of criminal behaviour and ways to avert them before they become a menace to society. All these theories put forward a multitude of factors on the outlooks on crime. All these theories have valid relevancy to continuous research on criminal behaviour.

    Read More

More about Insight Into Criminal Behavior

Open Document