THEORIES OF CRIME CAUSATION Flashcards
Classical Criminology
• People have free will, which they can use to elect to engage in either criminal or
noncriminal behaviour.
• Criminal behaviour will be more attractive if the gains are estimated to be greater than
the losses.
• The more certain, severe, and swift the reaction to crime, the more likely it is that the penalties will control the behaviour.
Routine Activities Theory
There will always be a certain number
of people motivated by greed, lust, and other forces inclining toward lawbreaking. The determining factor, particularly in predatory crimes such as those involving violence and theft, are the activities of potential victims. There are three important elements that influence crime:
• The availability of suitable targets, such as companies and individuals;
• The absence of capable guardians, such as auditors and security personnel; and
• The presence of motivated offenders, such as unhappy or financially challenged
employees.
Biological Theories
criminal behaviour is not the result of choice (the calculation of benefits and potential losses), but rather is caused by the physical traits of those who commit crime.
Cognitive Theories
stress inadequate moral and intellectual development as lying at the root of
criminal acts. There are also personality theories, which illustrate belief that traits such as extroversion are responsible for a significant amount of crime.
Integrated Theories (James Q. Wilson and Richard J. Herrnstein)
Wilson and Herrnstein maintain that while
criminal activity is a choice, this choice is heavily influenced by biological and psychological factors. They also explore social factors. The factors include family life, schools, and gang membership
Conditioning Theory (H. J. Eysenck)
the failure of a person
to incorporate satisfactorily the dictates of society represents the major explanation for
subsequent criminal behaviour
Strain theories
crime as a direct result of the frustration and anger people experience over their inability to achieve the social and financial success they desire
The best-known strain theory is Robert Merton’s theory of anomie
maintained that the discrepancy between what people are indoctrinated into desiring and the ways that are available to them to achieve such ends is the cornerstone for explanation of criminal behaviour. the innovators, those who refuse to play by the accepted rules of the game, but turn to outlawed methods in order to achieve what the society has told them that they must have to be acceptable members.
Social Learning Theories
hold that criminal behaviour is a function of the way people absorb information, viewpoints, and motivations from others, most notably from those to whom they are close, such as members of their peer group.
Theory of Differential Association (Edwin
H. Sutherland)
criminal behaviour
1 is learned
2 in interaction with other persons in a process of communication
3 is acquired through participation within
intimate personal groups
4 the criminal learning process includes not only techniques of committing crime but also the shaping of motives, drives, rationalisations, and attitudes. Crime techniques can often
5 the specific direction of motives and
drives is learned from definitions of the legal codes as favourable or unfavourable
6 the principle of “differential association.” According to this postulate, a person becomes criminal because of an excess of definitions favourable to violation of the law over definitions unfavourable to violation of the law.
7 differential association may vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity
8 earning criminal and delinquent behaviour involves all the mechanisms that are involved in any other learning
9 learning differs from pure imitation
10 while criminal behaviour is an expression of general needs and values, it is not explained by these general needs and values because noncriminal behaviour is an expression of the same needs and values.
Social Process Theories
criminality is a function of individual socialization and the social-psychological interactions people have with the various organisations, institutions, and processes of society
Social Control Theory (Travis Hirschi)
argues that the institutions of the social system train and press those with whom they are in contact into patterns of conformity, o the extent a person fails to become attached to the variety of control agencies of the society, his or her chances of violating the law are increased.
Four aspects of affiliation are addressed by social control theory
Attachment refers primarily to affectional ties with persons such as parents, teachers, and peers.
Commitment refers to cost factors involved in criminal activity.
Involvement concerns matters such as time spent on the job, that is, participation in activities related to future goals and objectives.
Belief refers to a conviction about the legitimacy of conventional values, such as the law in general and criminal justice
prescriptions in particular.
Differential Reinforcement Theory (Ronald Akers)
people learn social behaviour by operant conditioning, behaviour controlled by stimuli that follow the behaviour. Behaviour is reinforced when positive rewards are gained or punishment is avoided (negative reinforcement). It is weakened by negative stimuli (punishment) and loss of reward (negative punishment). Whether deviant or criminal behaviour is begun or persists depends on the degree to which
it has been rewarded or punished and the rewards or punishments attached to its
alternatives.
Psychological Theories
criminal behaviour is the product of mental processes.
