Major Theories of Crime

These flashcards cover key concepts from the lecture on major theories of crime, their mechanisms, implications, and related policies.

Strain Theory

Posits that people turn to crime when experiencing stress or strain, leading to frustration and maladaptive coping mechanisms.

Social Learning Theory

Suggests that criminal behavior is learned through social interactions and reinforcement from peers and the environment.

Social Disorganization Theory

Examines crime at the community level, focusing on why some neighborhoods have higher crime rates due to factors like economic deprivation and lack of social control.

Rational Choice Theory

Suggests that people commit crime when they expect that the rewards will exceed the costs associated with the crime.

Control Theory

Focuses on why individuals conform to social norms, emphasizing mechanisms that limit criminal behavior.

Differential Reinforcement

Criminal behavior is cultivated when reinforcements outweigh the punishments.

Stake in Conformity

Emotional and societal investments that discourage individuals from engaging in crime.

Self-Control

The ability to regulate one's impulses; low self-control can increase vulnerability to committing crimes.

Labeling Theory

Explains criminal careers through social reactions to crime, suggesting that negative labels can stigmatize individuals and lead to further deviance.

Scared Straight Programs

Attempt to deter youth from crime by exposing them to prison life, but often shown to backfire by increasing delinquent behavior.

Zero-Tolerance Policies

Strict punishments for infractions in schools that can lead to disproportionate punishment and contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline.

Predictive Policing

Uses data to forecast crime locations and allocate police resources, but risks reinforcing existing biases in policing.

Crime Multiplier

Refers to how crime can lead to more crime through mechanisms like moving stolen goods and the markets for such activities.

Empirical Studies

Research that utilizes methods like longitudinal studies and experiments to evaluate the effects of different criminological policies.

Spurious Relationship

A false association between two variables that can be explained by a third variable.