Criminal behaviour- Characteristics Flashcards
What are the characteristics of criminal behaviour?
There are no specific characteristics of criminal behaviour because there are so many different types of crime
What do Andrews and Bonta say criminal behaviour includes?
- an act prohibited by law and punished by the state
- action considered to be a violation of moral or religious code
- action that violates norms of society
- action that causes serious psychological stress and damage to victim
What is meant by ‘crime is a social construct’?
Although crime has a definition it doesn’t consider factors that can influence criminal behaviour e.g. historical context, culture and how those things an change
Is everyone criminal?
Muncie&McLaughlin
- likely most people have demonstrated several criminal behaviours
e.g. going on your phone while driving, vaping in cars
Is criminal behaviour always wrong?
May be deemed morally right in some occasions
NELSON MANDELA
- campaigned against racial prejudice, arrested and convicted for conspiracy to overthrow the government
PANKHURST
- arrested and jailed many times in her fight for equality
NOW
- climate change activists
What are the 7 types of crime according to Farr & Gibbons?
1- Property predatory crime
2- Property fraudulent crime
3- Interpersonal violence general
4- Interpersonal violence sexual
5- Transactional vice
6- Order disruption
7- Folk/mundane crime
What is property predatory crime?
Taking personal property without permission
- burglary, theft, robbery
What is property fraudulent crime?
Deceit or manipulation with purpose of converting property or services of other to their own use
- fraud, bribery
What is interpersonal violence general?
Actions that threaten or cause actual personal harm
- murder, assault, kidnapping
What is interpersonal violence sexual?
Actions that threaten or cause actual personal harm with a sexual element
- rape, sexual abuse
What is Transactional vice crime?
Involved in ‘victimless’ offences, willing exchange of goods and services
- prostitution, drug dealing
What is Order disruption crime?
No direct victim but concern is raised about potential victims
- resisting arrest, loitering, rioting
What is folk/mundane crime?
Broad category, range from minor rule violations to more serious violations
(inconvenience/nuisance)
- sharing copyright movie, not paying TV license
What are career criminals?
Use crime as their primary method for financing their morally bankrupt lives, certain psychological traits bond them
JENNIFER CHASE
- habitual offenders
Traits of career criminals
Rationalisation
Divert blame, rationalise their own behaviour
Traits of career criminals
Entitlement
Self-centred, oblivious to others needs
- have a right to commit the crimes they desire
Traits of career criminals
Asocial Value system
‘criminal thinking’
- rarely show remorse or empathy
- lack of self control
- fail to adhere to acceptable social standards
Traits of career criminals
Sentimentality
See themselves in a positive light
- rationalisation fuelled by sentimental attitude
Traits of career criminals
Impulsive
Nobility to control behaviour, dominating characteristic
Traits of career criminals
Family dyusfunction
Common- lack of support, emotional and financial
Lack of stability, dysfunctional environment e.g. drug misuse
Traits of career criminals
Easily distracted
Cannot remain focused on-target with socially acceptable objectives
- fall back to old patterns
Traits of career criminals
Power centric
Power struggle, encounter becomes battle
- exploit weaker opponent
Traits of career criminals
Invincibility
Inflated sense of optimism
- fantasy they won’t get caught
Traits of career criminals
Cognitive laziness
Lack of ambition
- strong desire to live outside the rules and test boundaries
Serial killers
Holmes and Holmes
Reported many serial killers shared characteristics of being white, male and between the ages of 24-35
Tended to be intelligent or at least ‘street smart’ and were considered ‘charming and charismatic’
- different sub types of serial killer
What are the 4 types of serial killer?
1- Visionary
2- Mission
3- Hedonistic
4- Power control
What is a visionary serial killer?
- motivated to kill by voices
- lose touch with reality
- orders from God or the Devil
- declared insane or incompetent to stand trial
What is a mission serial killer?
- eliminate a certain group of people
- in touch with reality
- stalk potential victim
- display organised typology
What is a hedonistic serial killer?
- lust/thrill- sexual gratification and violence
- distinct process, crimes are protracted, crimes are similar
- comfort orientated, kill for financial gain/personal gain, property & money
- more likely to be female
- tend to be geographically mobile, hard to catch
What is a power control serial killer?
- derive sexual gratification from from dominating and controlling the life of another
- sociopath, live by their own rules, still aware of norms and values
- prolonging their crimes, strong compulsion to strangle victims also use weapons
- more likely to involve sexual activity
