Lecture 10: Criminological Theories, The basics

Question 1

What is the Foci and theorists/ theories of Classical?

Answer 1

• Foci: Offenders are ‘rational actors’ who chose to commit crime. Crime can be deterred by certain and proportioned sanctions and by
disrupting convergence of offenders, victims and criminal targets.
• Theories/Theorists: Rational Choice Theory, Routine Activity Theory, General Deterrence Theory

Question 2

What is the Foci and theorists/ theory of Biological? (Positivist)

Answer 2

• Foci: Biological characteristics of individuals which result in law-violating behaviours. Offending behaviour is largely beyond
individual’s control (see Determinism) e.g. anthropology, heredity conditions, genetics.
• Theories/Theorists: Lombroso, Sheldon,

Question 3

What is the Foci and theorists/ theory of Psychological? (Positivist)

Answer 3

• Foci: Dynamic mental processes and characteristics of individuals. Offending behaviour can result from mental & mood disorders,
mental illness, personality traits, learning processes
• Theories/Theorists: Psychodynamic Theory (Freud), Behavioural Theory (Bandura, Skinner), Cognitive Theory (Kohlberg)

Question 4

What is the Foci and theorists/ theory of Sociological? (Positivist)

Answer 4

• Foci: Social factors (external to individual) e.g. social-structural factors - economy, political sphere & social disorganisation; and,
processes of socialisation e.g. with families, peers & within educational settings.
• Theories/Theorists: Quetelet, Durkheim (Social Disorganisation & Anomie), Merton (Strain Theory), Cohen, Sykes & Matza
(1957), Becker (1963), Katz (1988)

Question 5

What is the Foci and theorists/ theory of Environmental?

Answer 5

• Foci: Crimes are events that result from a convergence of offenders, victims, criminal targets and laws - at a specific time and in an
specific place.
• Theories/Theorists: Wilson & Kelling (1982), Brantingham & Brantingham (1991), Jeffery (1971), Wortley & Townsend (2016).