Theories in Forensic psychology

Question 1

Psychodynamic theory

Answer 1

Human beings are inherently antisocial.
There is id, ego, super ego.
Id: We act only to satisfy id (instant gratification at all cost).
Ego: is between id and super ego. Relates to the ‘conscious mind’, that every action has its consequence. Delayed gratification.
Super- ego: operates according to ‘moralistic principle’, ‘seat of guilt’. Develops from early socialisation experiences.

Human behaviours is struggling between id and super ego and the role of ego is to achieve balance.

weak super-ego type (lack internal representations of behaviour that are punishable)

‘normal’ anti-social offender (super-ego is pro-criminal)

neurotic offender (over-active super-ego seeking punishment)

Question 2

Differential association theory

Answer 2

Criminal behaviour is learned through social interactions with others in a process of communication

Principle part of learning occurs in intimate groups

Learning includes the techniques to commit the crime and specific directions of motives, drives, rationalisations and motives become delinquent if have excess of definitions favourable to violation of law over definitions unfavourable

So criminal behaviour arises from the interactions we have with others and the values we learn in these interactions.

Weight of values anti- or pro criminal behaviour

Question 3

Rational choice theory

Answer 3

Offenders act to benefit themselves by making decisions which are to some extent rational

For an offence to take place needs to be an opportunity and the offender must decide that the gains outweigh the costs and therefore choose to act

Crime-specific and there is a focus on prevention of individual crime type

Crime prevention based on decreasing opportunities and attractiveness of specific crimes

Question 4

Labelling theory

Answer 4

Deviance in the ‘eye of the beholder’ because members of different groups have different conceptions about what is right and wrong (Becker, 1963)

The law reflects values of a group, the behaviour is labelled crime and the perpetrator criminal

Labelling as a result of societal reaction

Labelling as a cause of deviance: label may catch the attention of the labelling audience; label may be internalised by the individual and lead to an acceptance of a deviant self-concept

Question 5

Social Control theory

Hirsch (1969)

Answer 5

Why do people obey the rules?

Individuals are self-interested and society serves as a restraint on that behaviour and if the restraints are loosened, self-interested behaviour will emerge

Hirsch (1969) concept of the social bond: attachment, involvement, commitment and belief

Question is how much do these bonds need to be weakened before deviance results

Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990) general theory of crime: concept of low self-control – ability to restrain oneself

Inadequate child-rearing practices result in traits that lend themselves to low self-control

Question 6

Personality theory

Eysenck’s (1977)

Answer 6

Eysenck’s (1977) theory of personality
Criminality construed as a disposition to commit crime

Attributes of ‘criminal’ deduced from three sets of propositions:

1. Descriptive model of personality (Neurotisism, Psychotisism, Extrav)
2. Genetic influences on N, E and P – biological basis of personality
3. Control theory of socialisation – involves acquiring restraints in the form of a conscience

As a group criminals will be more extraverted, will exhibit lower arousal and controllability. They will score higher on P and N

Question 7

Social learning theory

Akers (1985)

Answer 7

The social environment as the most important source of reinforcement;

Acquire attitudes and skills through learning;

Criminal behaviour can be accounted for by modelling others behaviour;

Criminal behaviour maintained by social environment that produces rewards for criminal acts

Question 8

4 different levels of analysis of crime

Answer 8

1. Individual approach: Eysenck’s biosocial theory of criminal behaviour as a result of biological factors, personality and crime. You play a role in crime dev. (MH issues, personality)
2. Group and socialisation influence theories: these are
   more about direct social influences on criminal behaviour. In a sense, they are about the influence of the group (including the family) on criminality. Close group, friends, family.
3. Community or locality theories: crime is not randomly
   distributed geographically and neither is criminality. The local area and community will have an effect on crime dev.
4. Societal or macro-level theories: crime is a consequence of social structure rather than,
   say, genetic tendencies or psychiatric problems.