Chapter 3 • Theories of Criminality and Crime (Lecture Notes)

Flashcards covering the major theories, key concepts, and figures from the notes on theories of criminality and crime.

What are the two original schools of criminology discussed in this chapter?

Classical and Positivist.

What is Cesare Beccaria best known for in the classical school?

Arguing that punishment should be proportional to the crime and that certainty, swiftness, and rational design deter crime; punishment should fit the crime.

What is Neoclassical Criminology?

A revival in the 1980s of classical ideas, acknowledging differences among individuals and emphasizing rational choice, with greater focus on sentencing reform and incarceration.

Who is known as the father of criminology and what idea is he associated with?

Cesare Lombroso; associated with the idea of the 'born criminal' and atavistic physical traits.

What is the central claim of Social Disorganization Theory?

Neighborhood characteristics such as poverty, diversity, and turnover weaken social institutions and promote crime.

What is Strain Theory and who developed it?

Crime results from blocked legitimate opportunities and anomie; developed by Robert Merton and later expanded by Agnew.

What are Social Structure Theories?

Criminal behavior is shaped by the way society is organized (poverty, race, family structure), not just by individual traits.

What are Social Process Theories?

Criminal behavior results from social interactions and processes, including learning, control, and labeling.

What is Differential Association?

Crime is learned through interactions with others; definitions favorable to crime prevail over unfavorable ones in primary groups.

What is Control Theory?

People are naturally self-interested; social bonds deter crime (Hirschi), and low self-control (Gottfredson & Hirschi) increases criminal propensity.

What is Labeling Theory?

Deviance is socially constructed; labeling can lead to secondary deviance and a 'master status' that sustains criminal behavior.

What is Social Conflict Theory?

Crime arises from economic and racial inequality; laws protect the powerful and punish the less powerful.

What do Feminist Theories explain in crime?

Why women commit fewer and different crimes, and how emancipation and social change affect female offending; debated interpretations.

What is Environmental Criminology?

Focuses on patterns of crime events and the opportunities that enable crime; emphasizes reducing opportunity to prevent crime.

What are Routine Activity Theory's three essential elements?

A motivated offender, a suitable target, and the absence of capable guardians; changes in daily routines increase opportunities.

What is Situational Crime Prevention?

Blocking opportunities by altering environments; five dimensions (effort, risk, reward, provocations, excuses) and 25 techniques.

What is the Problem Analysis Triangle and its components?

Guardian, Handler, Manager; concepts used to analyze and address place-based crime problems.

What does the Dual Hazard concept refer to?

The interaction of criminogenic biological/psychological traits (nature) with criminogenic environments (nurture) increasing crime risk.

What is the XYY chromosome theory and its status?

A proposed link between an extra Y chromosome and criminal behavior; evidence is inconclusive and not universally supported.

What does Case Study 3.1 (Ariel Castro) illustrate about crime theories?

It is best explained by the Classical School (free will and rational choice) rather than early positivist explanations.