Intro to CRJ Ch 3

Theories of Criminality and Crime

theoretical paradigm

a framework consisting of a group of theories that propose similar explanations for a particular type of behavior or even (e.g. crime)

classical school (of criminology)

a perspective indicating that people have free will to choose between criminal and lawful behavior, and that crime can be controlled by sanctions and should be proportionate to the offense

neoclassical criminology

an approach to crime that is grounded in the concept of rational choice but that views the accused as exempted from conviction if circumstances prevented the exercise of free will

positivist school

a school of thought that argues science can be used to discover the true causes of crime, which include factors outside of offender’s control

XXY Chromosome

the so-called criminal chromosome: criminal behavior is thought to be caused in some offenders, by an extra Y chromosome — believed to cause agitation, aggression, and greater criminal tendencies

adoption studies

criminological research that looks at whether adopted children share criminal tendencies with their biological or adoptive parents

dual hazard prediction

the argument that people are most likely to engage in criminal behavior if they 1) have traits associated with crime and 2) are raised in environments conductive to criminal behavior

social disorganization theory

a theory maintaining that neighborhood characteristics, including poverty, racial heterogeneity, and resident transiency, break down social controls and lead to criminal behavior

strain theory

a theory that argues criminal behavior is caused by feelings of strain, which occur when people believe that legitimate means of achieving success are not accessible to them

learning theory

a theory asserting that criminal behaviors are learned from associating with others and from social interactions and social experiences

control theory

a theory that describes criminal behavior as a natural outcome of people’s desire to seek pleasure in the absence of effective social controls

labeling theory

a theory contending that labeling a person as deviant or criminal makes that person more likely to engage in future criminal behavior

social conflict theory

a theory that explains crime as an outcome of conflicting interests between groups in society and the dominant group’s attempts to control and exploit groups with less power

feminist theory

a theory that explains how gender inequality affects female offending and justice system responses to crimes committed by females

routine activity theory

a theory that explains the elements necessary for a crime to occur, as well as the types of controllers who can block criminal opportunities; the problem analysis triangle

situational crime prevention

a theory maintaining that crimes will occur if they are easy to commit, carry low risk, provide large rewards, provoke people, and are excusable, as judged by a wide range of potential offenders

what were the prevailing beliefs concerning the causes of crime prior to the mid-1700s?

How did Caesar Beccaria and the classical school form the foundation for explaining crime in more rational terms?

What were the major contributions of the positivist school of criminology in attempting to explain criminality?

How do social structures influence criminal behavior?

Why do environmental criminologists argue that opportunity is an important cause of crime?

What is the difference between the three major social process theories? Learning control and labeling?