Chapter 3 Flashcards
Classical and Positivist Theories
The Classical School:
People have free will over criminal and lawful behavior.
Main principles - Criminal behavior is rational; most people have the potential to engage in such behavior.
People choose to commit a crime after weighing costs and benefits of their actions.
Severity, certainty, and speed of punishment affect the crime rate. Punishment should fit the crime rather than the offender. Criminal justice system must be predictable, with laws and punishments known to the public.
Influence declined in 19th century.
Neoclassical Criminology: An approach to crime that is grounded in the concept of rational choice but that views the accused as exempted from conviction if circumstances prevented the exercise of free will. Criminal law must take into consideration the differences among individuals.
What it gave rise to: Propagated sentencing reform, criticisms of rehabilitation, and greater use of incarceration.
Positivist school: A school of thought that argues science can be used to discover the true causes of crime, which include factors outside of offenders’ control.
Main tenets:
Human behavior is controlled by physical, mental, and social factors, not by free will.
Criminals are different from non-criminals.
Science can be used to discover the true causes of crime and to treat offenders.
Biological, trait, and development theory
First half of the 20th Century.
Criminal behavior as outcome of physical or psychological differences between offenders and non-offenders.
Focus on impact that physical traits and genetics have on a person’s propensity to engage in crime, e.g., brain structure and brain chemistry).
Sheldon’s study of juvenile delinquents concluded that criminal behavior could be linked to different body types, or somatotypes.
A link might exist between chromosomal abnormality and criminal behavior.
And the elusive XYY chromosome.
Developmental theory: are criminal traits caused by biological genes or childhood rearing (nature vs. nurture).
Adoption studies tried to prove this but had mixed, unreliable results.
Most agree that individual traits likely influence criminal behavior.
Very important: NOT A PREDICTOR OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, ONLY A POTENTIAL CAUSE OF AN INDIVIDUAL’S CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.
Social Structure theories
Social disorganization theory: A theory maintaining that neighborhood characteristics, including poverty, racial heterogeneity, and resident transiency, break down social controls and lead to criminal behavior.
Disagrees with biology theories.
Dangers of social disorganization theory:
Encourages racial homogeneity. Can be used as a reason to keep immigrants and races marginalized in barrios and ghettos.
Strain theory: A theory that argues criminal behavior is caused by feelings of strain, which occur when people believe that legitimate means of achieving success are not accessible to them.
Crime occurs when people living in disadvantaged, dysfunctional, and generally norm-less families or communities feel as though legitimate opportunities for success and prosperity are out of their reach and so turn to crime to address the imbalance.
People could experience strain vicariously, i.e., be affected by the strain felt and experienced by others close to them.
This theory has actual evidence to support it and is considered reasonable.
Social Process theories
Learning theory: A theory asserting that criminal behaviors are learned from associating with others and from social interactions and social experiences. Assumes that people are born “good,” and only learn criminal motivations and behaviors from others. Criminal behavior is learned while interacting with others, especially in one’s primary group (family). But if we only learn bad behavior from others, who was the first bad person?
Control theory: A theory that describes criminal behavior as a natural outcome of people’s desire to seek pleasure in the absence of effective social controls. Assumes people are born “bad” and must be controlled or learn to control themselves in order to be “good”. All people naturally pursue their self-interests and seek pleasure while trying to avoid harm.
Instead of asking, “why do people commit crime?” we should be asking, “why don’t people commit crime?”
Social Bond theory says we don’t commit crimes when we have strong ties to society: Attachment to family and prosocial others,
Commitment to social norms and institutions,
Involvement in conventional activities that leave little time to think about or engage in crime, Belief in shared social values and norms.
Labeling theory: A theory contending that labeling a person as a deviant or criminal makes that person more likely to engage in future criminal behavior.
Labeling particular acts as criminal:
Encourages us to consider why particular acts are labeled as criminal and how labels can affect future criminal behavior.
Groups determine certain behavior should be criminalized.
Edwin Lemert claimed that people who experience stigmatizing social reactions to their behaviors will begin to identify themselves as a deviant.
Social Conflict theory
A theory that explains crime as an outcome of conflicting interests between groups in society and the dominate group’s attempts to control and exploit groups with less power. Sometimes also called radical or critical theory.
Criminal justice system serves the interests of dominant groups and classes of a society.
Groups oppressed based on class division, sexism, and racism.
Laws are designed to oppress those who are not in power.
Environment Criminology Theory
Also called crime science; explain criminal behavior. Environmental criminology theorists attempt to explain patterns of crime events and focus on how offenders find and choose their crime targets.
Routine activity theory: Crime is caused by changes to people’s daily routine activities. Explains the elements necessary for a crime to occur, as well as the types of controllers who can block criminal opportunities.
- A motivated offender
- A suitable target
- Absence of a capable guardian
Situational crime prevention: A theory maintaining that crimes will occur if crime opportunities are easy to commit, carry low risk, provide large rewards, provoke people, and are excusable, as judged by a wide range of potential offenders. All people are potential criminals depending on the situation.
Doesn’t explain why crime happens, just ways to reduce it.
In their own words: Offenders speak
Armed Robbery
Motives: Financial gain and temptation.
Never secretive or ambiguous.
Bridges property and violent crimes.
Belief: Committing irrevocably to the offense.
Most difficult aspect: Transfer of goods.
Can either flee or force victims to flee.
Burglary
Primary motivation: Money.
Noneconomic reasons may motivate too.
Derive psychic rewards.
For a real or imagined wrong.
Carjacking
Symbolic of contemporary urban violence.
Motivated by opportunity and situational inducements.
Exacerbated by “boom or bust” cycles.
Always under financial pressure.
Lucrative sale of stolen vehicles and parts.
