Characteristics of Criminal Behaviour

Question 1

What is Andrews and Bonta’s (1998) definition of criminal behaviour?

Answer 1

An act prohibited by the law and punished by the state
An action considered to be a violation of moral or religious code
An action that violates norms of society
An action that causes serious psychological stress and damage to a victim

Question 2

What is meant by the statement ‘Crime is a Social Construct’?

Answer 2

If society tells us a an act is illegal, everyone in society believes this
The definition of crime does not consider other contexts

Question 3

What are some examples of actions that used to be a crime in the UK but are not anymore?

Answer 3

Abortion
Homosexual acts
Insulting the royal family

Question 4

What are some examples of actions that we were not aware are crimes?

Answer 4

Gambling in a library
Being homeless
Having a heart attack in public

Question 5

What are some examples of actions that are crimes in other countries but are not criminal in the UK?

Answer 5

Jaywalking
Free speech
Taking pictures of parliamentary buildings

Question 6

What did Muncle & McLaughlin (1996) say about criminal behaviours in everyday life?

Answer 6

Most people have demonstrated several criminal behaviours before e.g. littering, using social media under 13, speeding and vaping in a car

Question 7

What is an example to show that criminal behaviour is not always wrong?

Answer 7

Nelson Mandela - Arrested fro campaigning against a prejudice government
Emmeline Pankhurst - Arrested for fighting for women’s rights

Question 8

How many types of crime did Farr & Gibbons (1990) describe?

Answer 8

Seven

Question 9

Name the seven types of crime.

Answer 9

Property predatory crime
Property fraudulent crime
Interpersonal violence general
Interpersonal violence sexual
Transactional vice
Order disruption
Folk/ mundane crime

Question 10

Describe property predatory crime and give an example.

Answer 10

Persons are involved in attempting or taking property without permission e.g. robbery, car theft and burglary

Question 11

Describe property fraudulent crime and give an example.

Answer 11

Persons are involved in deceit or manipulation with the purpose of converting property of others to their own e.g. freud and bribery

Question 12

Describe interpersonal violence general and give an example.

Answer 12

Persons are involved in actions that cause personal harm e.g. murder, assault and kidnapping

Question 13

Describe interpersonal violence sexual and give an example.

Answer 13

Persons are involved in actions that cause personal harm containing a sexual element e.g. rape and sexual abuse

Question 14

Describe transactional vice and give an example.

Answer 14

Persons are involved in victimless offences in an exchange of services e.g. prostitution and drug dealing

Question 15

Describe order disruption and give an example.

Answer 15

Persons are involved in actions where there is no direct victims however there are uprising concerns of victims e.g. resisting arrest, loitering and rioting

Question 16

Describe folk/ mundane crime and give an example.

Answer 16

A broad category whereby persons are involved in actions ranging in minor rule violations e.g. copyright and not paying TV licences

Question 17

What are career criminals?

Answer 17

Criminals who commit crimes to finance their own lives and build their life on criminal lifestyles

Question 18

Name the traits of career criminals.

Answer 18

Rationalisation
Entitlement
Asocial value system
Sentimental
Impulsive
Family dysfunction
Easily distracted
Power centric
Cognitive laziness

Question 19

Describe the rationalisation trait.

Answer 19

People tend to blame and question others and generally do not evaluate the consequences of their actions

Question 20

Describe the entitlement trait.

Answer 20

Self-centered and oblivious to the needs of all others

Question 21

Describe the asocial value system trait.

Answer 21

Rarely shows remorse and empathy for their actions

Question 22

Describe the sentimental trait.

Answer 22

Criminals see themselves in a positive light and feel sentimental towards certain things e.g. dogs

Question 23

Describe the impulsive trait.

Answer 23

An inability to control one’s behaviour and temperament

Question 24

Describe the family dysfunction trait.

Answer 24

Lack of emotional and financial family support leads to other problems

Question 25

Describe the easily distracted trait.

Answer 25

Distraction issues and often lose focus on legitimate goals

Question 26

Describe the power centric trait.

Answer 26

Habitual offenders tend to look at situations as a power struggle, a battle between the strong and the weak

Question 27

Describe the invincibility trait.

Answer 27

Often have self-inflicted sense of optimism ‘ill never get caught’

Question 28

Describe the cognitive laziness trait.

Answer 28

The lack of ambition and lack of well-thought ideas

Question 29

What did Holmes & Holmes (2002) say about characteristics of serial killers?

Answer 29

Many serial killers shared the same characteristics of white, male and between the ages 25 - 34 and usually are intelligent and charismatic

Question 30

What are the four types / characteristics of serial killers?

Answer 30

Visionary
Mission Oriented
Hedonistic
Power control

Question 31

Describe the visionary type / characteristic of a serial killer.

Answer 31

Motivated to kill by voices or visions in their head
Frequently report their actions are due from God or the Devil
Kill quickly and do not engage in staging a crime
Often usually declared insane or incompetent

Question 32

Describe the missed oriented type / characteristic of a serial killer.

Answer 32

Believe they have a calling to eliminate certain groups of people for a better society
The killer may stalk a potential victim
Generally displays an organised typology (clean crime scene)

Question 33

Describe the hedonistic type / characteristic of a serial killer.

Answer 33

Have two stereotypes: thrill and comfort
Established link between sexual gratification and violence
Distinct processes for them to follow during crime

Question 34

Describe the power control type / characteristic of a serial killer.

Answer 34

Derives from sexual gratification from dominating and controlling the life of another
May be a sociopath and they choose to live by their own rules whilst knowing societal values
Large gratification from prolonging crimes
May use weapons or strangle them