Criminal Behaviour - Characteristics

Question 1

What are the Types of Crimes?

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What is Property Predatory Crime?

Answer 2

• Persons are involved in attempting to/actually taking personal property of others without permission
• Example = Burglary/Robbery/Car Theft

Question 3

What is Property Fraudulent Crime?

Answer 3

• Persons are involved in deceit/manipulation with the purpose of converting property/ services of others to their own use
• Examples = Embezzlement/Fraud/Bribery

Question 4

What is Interpersonal Violence General?

Answer 4

• Persons are involved in actions that threaten/cause harm to someone
• Example = Murder/Assault/Kidnapping

Question 5

What is Interpersonal Violence Sexual?

Answer 5

• Persons are involved in actions that threaten/cause harm to someone + contain a sexual element
• Examples = Rape/Sexual Abuse/Incest

Question 6

What is Transactional Vice?

Answer 6

• Persons are involved in victimless offences where there is a wiling exchange of goods/services
• Examples = Prostitution/Drug Sales/Illegal Gambling

Question 7

Describe Order Disruption

Answer 7

• Persons are involved in actions where there is no direct victim but concern is raised about a potential victim
• Examples = Resisting Arrest/Disorderly Conduct/Loitering/Rioting

Question 8

What is Folk/Mundane Crime?

Answer 8

• Broad category
• Persons involved in actions Thant range from minor rule violations (e.g. fishing without a licence) to more serious violations (e.g. regulations on commercial vehicles)
• Although much legislations is justified in terms of creating order/efficiency - folk criminal acts tend to foster public ambivalence - regarded as inconvenience/nuisance

Question 9

What are the Primary Types Crime?

Answer 9

1. Victim-based Crime (e.g. murder/theft/Violence)

2. Crimes Against Society (e.g. public order offence/drug offence/possession of weapon)

Question 10

What is the Normality of Criminal Behaviour?

Answer 10

• Most people have committed at least one Crime
• Muncie + McLaughlin (1996) = most people consider themselves law abiding citizens - average person in UK (if convicted only once for each type of crime they committed) would have spent a total of 6 years in jail + finned £61000

Question 11

I’d Criminal Behaviour Always Wrong?

Answer 11

• Sometimes criminal behaviour is morally right
• People break law in order to highlight a problem with the law - prevailing social norms
• Example = Nelson Mandela

Question 12

Who is a Criminal?

Answer 12

• UK = homosexuality was illegal until 1969 - still illegal in some places
• Should a psychologist restrict their sample group to only people who have committed/charged/been caught/punished for their criminal behaviour?

Question 13

What are the Problems with Research?

Answer 13

• Problem = not explaining one mind of behaviour - may involve violence against a person OR peaceful protests against a principle
• Range of Criminal Behaviour = more difference between characteristics of criminals