6.2 Psychological Positivism

What is the focus of positivist psychological perspectives in criminology?

Positivist psychological perspectives seek to identify the characteristics of offenders, emphasizing an applied approach aimed at early intervention, treatment of criminal behavior, and identification of risk.

What are the goals of early intervention in positivist perspectives?

The goals of early intervention include preventing the development of criminal behavior, providing treatment for criminal behavior, and identifying individuals at risk.

What is longitudinal research in the context of early intervention?

Longitudinal research examines developmental sequences over time to distinguish between offenders and non-offenders.

What does treatment of criminal behavior examine?

It examines the characteristics of offenders, including pathologies like poor impulse control, and emphasizes the importance of emotional regulation.

How do positivist perspectives identify risk?

They focus on the fact that a small proportion of offenders commit the majority of violent crimes, aiming to identify these individuals for incapacitation if they pose an ongoing danger.

What distinction is made between maintenance of behavior and causal factors?

The distinction involves focusing on prevention versus treatment—maintenance examines factors like poor impulse control that are modifiable through treatment, while causal perspectives look at prevention.

What is the best indicator of future behavior according to positivist perspectives?

The best indicator of future behavior is past behavior.

How do quantitative and qualitative measures differ in positivist approaches?

Quantitative measures assess abilities like emotion control through psychological testing, while qualitative measures provide richer, more detailed information.

What is the major focus of the positivist approach in criminology?

The major focus is on antisocial behavior and identifying the characteristics and criminogenic environmental factors of individuals exhibiting persistent antisocial behavior.

What are some critiques of the positivist approach?

Critiques include potential bias in data from offenders in custody, coercive treatment methods in the criminal justice system, and the claim that the approach supports inequality by linking crime to disadvantaged individuals.