Introduce Theory: Understanding Crime and Victimization

Chapter 3

Introduction Theory conceptualization is difficult for most

intro / first year students We do not expect you to memorize all of them

Theory can be a semester long class itself – In our class, we are just introducing theory to you You will study theory further in:

Intro to Criminology, Research Methods, Senior Seminar… more in Masters / PHD.

Goal for us – as we learn, simply think about the theories, what theory represents your view, which theories seem accurate, which seems flawed…

The Cause of CrimeCriminologist (Definition)

Social scientists who use the scientific method to study the nature, extent, cause, and control of criminal behavior

Choice TheoryPeople choose to commit crime after

weighing the potential benefits and consequences of their criminal act People will commit a crime if they believe

it will provide immediate benefits without the threat of long-term risks If the rewards are great, the perceived risks

small, and the excitement high, the likelihood of committing additional crimes increases

Choice Theory

Video: Air marshals

Does having air marshals on airplanes deter crime?

Video: Discussion Questions

Recap - Choice Theory Crime is a matter of rational choice,

involving a calculated decision made after a motivated offender weighs the potential costs and benefits of illegal activity The decision to commit a specific crime is a

matter of personal decision based on the evaluation of available information Even predatory street

criminals exhibit stealth and planning in their criminal acts

Crime Prevention

Situational Prevention

General Deterrence

Specific Deterrence

Situational Crime Prevention Increase the effort needed to commit the crime

Lighting, fencing, video, “target hardening”

Increase the risks of committing the crime Reduce the rewards for committing the crime Induce shame or guilt Reduce provocation Remove excuses

Situational Crime PreventionSituational crime prevention strategies

are designed to convince would-be

criminals to avoid specific targets If crime is rational, then painful punishment

should reduce its future allureTechniques of painful punishment include

harsh prisons, long sentences, and stiff fines

General Deterrence If crime is a matter of choice, it follows

that it can be controlled by convincing criminals that breaking the law is a bad or dangerous choice to make General deterrence is designed to make

potential criminals fear the consequences of crime The threat of punishment can convince rational

criminals that crime does not pay Potential criminal fears punishment because

they know of someone else who was punished

General Deterrence Inhibiting Factors:

One of the factors that inhibits the deterrent power of the criminal law is the lack of efficiency of the justice system. 80 percent of serious reported crimes do not

result in an arrest.

Specific DeterrenceSpecific deterrence strategies punish

known criminals so severely that they

will never be tempted to repeat their

offenses Problems with these strategies are that

criminals do not fear punishment, and the

certainty of arrest and punishment is low Techniques include death penalty, mandatory

sentences, and aggressive policing

Choice Theory

Video: Death Penalty Legal Issues

In what ways do criminological theories impact whether or not the death penalty is considered acceptable by majority of society?

Do any criminological theories make it acceptable to put someone to death even if it is a painful death?

What is your position on the death penalty? Do you view this as impacted by a criminological theory? Why or why not?

Video: Discussion Questions

Trait Theories

Biochemical Factors

Neurological Factors

Genetic Factors

Trait TheoriesCrime is caused (not by choice... but)

by inherited and uncontrollable biological and psychological traits: Intelligence Body build Personality Biomedical makeup

Assumes that variation in human physical traits can explain behavior

Biochemical FactorsEnvironmental contaminants has

been shown to influence brain functioning and intelligence levels Some research efforts have linked

antisocial behavior to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, food additives, and improper diet Hypoglycemia Excessive levels of testosterone have been

linked to violence and aggression

Neurological Factors Some suspect that the cause of abnormal

neurological function is impairment in neurotransmitters, which are chemical compounds that influence or activate brain functions The presence of brain abnormality causes

irrational and destructive behaviors Research shows that youths

with ADHD who grow up in a dysfunctional family are the most vulnerable to chronic delinquency that continues into their adulthood

Genetic FactorsModern bio-criminologists are

concerned with the role of heredity in producing crime-prone people Your genes Your DNA

Minnesota Twin study Despite growing up separate – display

same traits and behaviors

Psychological Theories

Psychodynamic Theory

Behavioral Theory

Cognitive Theory

Personality and Crime

IQ and Crime

Psychological TheoriesPsychological theories suggest that

criminals may be suffering from a psychological abnormality or stress that has a long history

Psychodynamic TheorySome people encounter problems

during their early development that cause an imbalance in their personality Theorists believe that law violators may

have suffered damage to their egos, or superegos, early in their development that renders them powerless to control their impulses

Behavioral TheoryView behavior as learned through

interactions with others Behavior that is rewarded becomes

habitual Behavior that is punished becomes

extinguished

Theoretical Explanations

Video: Violent Crime

According to the media clip, what are the reasons for the rise in violent crime?

How would each theory explain violent crime?

What theory of crime BEST explains violent crime?

Video: Discussion Questions

Cognitive TheoryConcerned with the way people

perceive and mentally represent the world in which they live Another area is moral development theory

Personality and CrimeSome psychologists view criminal

behavior as a function of a disturbed personality structure Antisocial personality

Failure to conform to social norms Deceitfulness Impulsivity Irritability Disregard for safety Irresponsibility Lack of remorse

IQ and CrimeStudies link low IQ to violent and

aggressive behavior, however there are problems with these studies The link between intelligence

and crime is one of the most enduring controversies in the psychology of crime literature

Sociological Theories

Social Structure Theory

The Disorganized Neighborhood

Social Process Theories

Sociological TheoriesPlace emphasis on environmental

conditions Equate the cause of criminal behavior with

social factors, such as poverty and unemployment

Social Structure Theory Suggest that people’s place in the

socioeconomic structure influences their chances of becoming a criminal Poor individual’s are more likely to commit

crimes because they are unable to achieve monetary or social success in any other way

Racial disparity The problems of lower-class culture are

particularly acute for racial and ethnic minorities

The Disorganized NeighborhoodThe effects of income inequality,

poverty, racism, and despair are a key cause of youth crime and drug abuse

Social Process Theories Social Learning Theory

Suggests that people learn the techniques and attitudes of crime from close relationships with criminal peers

People become violent because they model their behavior after others and have had that behavior positively reinforced

Social Control Theory Maintains that everyone has the potential to

become a criminal but that most people are controlled by their bonds to society; crime occurs when the forces that bind people to society are weakened or broken

Agnew’s Sources of Strain and Their Consequences

Social Process TheoriesSocial Reaction / Labeling Theory

Suggests that people become criminals when significant members of society label them as such and they accept those labels as a personal identity

The Labeling Process

Critical Criminology

Social Inequality

Critical CriminologyCrime in any society is caused by

class conflict Laws are created by those in power to

protect their rights and interests One of the theory’s most

important premises is that the justice system is biased and designed to protect the wealthy

Developmental Theories

Life Course Theory

Latent Trait Theory

The General Theory of Crime

Developmental Theories Life course theories suggest that events

take place over the life course to influence criminal choices The causes of crime constantly change as

people mature At first the nuclear family influences behavior In adolescence, the peer group dominates In adulthood, marriage and career are critical

According to Sampson and Laub, the two most critical turning points in a criminal career are Marriage and Employment

Life Course Theory

Developmental TheoriesLatent Trait Theory

Suggests that a master trait guides people over the life course

The General Theory of Crime Suggests that impulsive people have low

self-control and a weak bond to society; they often cannot resist criminal opportunities

Victimization Theories

Lifestyle Theory

Routine Activities Theory

(We are NOT blaming the Victims)- however -

There is some theoretical support for placing oneself in a situation where we can easily become

a victim

Theories of VictimizationVictim precipitation theory looks at the

victim’s role in the criminal incident

Lifestyle Theories

Suggest that victims put themselves in danger by engaging in high-risk activities

More Danger: Someone who goes out late at night Less Danger: Someone married who stays in at night

Theories of Victimization The Routine Activities Theory

Maintains that a pool of motivated offenders exists and that these offenders will take advantages of suitable, unguarded targets

Motivated Offenders Suitable Targets Capable Guardians (Includes Police Officers)

Routine Activities Theory

End

End of Chapter 3