TOPIC 4 Flashcards
What is a theory
Part of an explanation
What is the aim of criminological theory?
Helps understand crime and criminal justice system
What are spiritual theories?
Events are believed to result from the influence of other worldly powers
What are three examples of spiritual theories?
- Primitive people regarded natural disasters as punishments for wrong doing)
- Blood feuds (inflicting pain on a victim or victims family)
- Trial by ordeal
Causation in scientific theories requires what four elements?
- Correlation
- Theoratical rationale
- Time Sequence
- Absence of spuriousness
What is correlation
Relationship between two variables
What are natural theories?
Make use of objects and events in the material world
Causation what scientific theories make casual arguments
Correlation - systematic variation between things (positive and negative)
Theoretical rationale - coherent explanation
Time sequence - cause must come before the effect
Absence of spuriousness
What is social control theory?
Focuses on the social factors and mechanisms that influence an individual’s decision to engage in criminal behavior or conform to societal norms.
What are social learning theory?
People are motivated to commit crime and they learn the values with people they associate with
What is labelling theory?
People in power decide what acts are crimes. Labelling someone a criminal is what makes him a criminal.
What is biological theory?
explore the influence of biological factors, such as genetics , on criminal behavior
