CRIMINOLOGY 2

THEORIES OF CRIME CAUSATION

POVERTY

A condition of economic deprivation that may create pressure and limited opportunities, increasing the risk of criminal involvement.

UNEMPLOYMENT

The lack of lawful employment opportunities that may contribute to economic stress and criminal behavior.

PEER PRESSURE

The influence of peers that may encourage a person to adopt delinquent or criminal behavior.

RELIGIOUS INFLUENCES

Religious beliefs and practices that may shape a person’s values, morals, and behavior toward or away from crime.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

A person’s sense of duty and accountability toward family, community, and society, which may discourage antisocial behavior.

DRUG INVOLVEMENT

Participation in drug use, abuse, or drug-related activities that may impair judgement or increase involvement in criminal behavior.

FAMILY DYNAMICS

The pattern of relationships, supervision, support, and interaction within the family that can influence a person’s behavior and risk of offending.

CRIME CAUSATION

Deals with different theories and principles that explains how the internal and external faculties of person affects his actions.

RATIONAL CHOICE THEORY

Man is a reasoning actor who weighs means and ends, cost and benefits, and makes a rational choice.

RATIONAL CHOICE THEORY

Criminal behavior is a rational choice made by a motivated offender who percieves that the chances of gain outweigh any possible punishment or loss.

ROUTINE ACTIVITY THEORY

Refer to generalized patterns of social activities in a society (i.e., spatial and temporal pattern in family, work, and leisure activities).

ROUTINE ACTIVITY THEORY

Offenses can be expected if there is a motivated offender and a suitable target that is not protected by a capable guardians.

LIFESTYLE THEORY

Maintains that criminals target individuals due to their lifestyle choices.

LIFESTYLE THEORY

Many victims’ options expose them to criminal offenders and situations where crime is likely to occur.

VICTIM PRECIPITATION THEORY

People may actually initiate the confrontation that eventually leads to their injury or death.

ACTIVE PRECIPITATION

This occurs when victims act provocatively, use threats or fighting words, or even attack first.

PASSIVE PRECIPITATION

This occurs when the victim exhibits some personal characteristic that unknowingly either threatens or encourages the attacker.

ATAVISTIC THEORY OF CRIME

Distinct biological class of people (inferior morphological features) were prone to criminality.

ATAVISTIC THEORY OF CRIME

Lombroso believed that these individuals could be identified through certain physical abnormalities, such as:
Usually large jaws
Prominent cheekbones
Large ears
Asymmetrical face
Long arms

PHYSIOGNOMY

They study of facial features / characteristics and their relation to human behavior.

GIAMBATTISTA DELA PORTA

Founder of human physiognomy. According to him, criminal behavior may be predicted based on facial features of the person.

PHRENOLOGY, CRANIOSCOPY or CRANIOLOGY

The study of the external formation of the SKULL in relation to the person’s personality and tendencies toward criminal behavior.

FRANZ JOSEPH GALL

According to him, as the skull takes its shape from the brain, the surface of the skull can be read as an accurate index of psychological aptitudes and tendencies.

JOHANN KASPAR SPURZHEIM

As assistant of Gall in the study of phrenology; he was the man most responsible for popularizing and spreading phrenology to a wide audience.

PHYSIOLOGY / SOMATOTYPING THEORY

Body build can give us an idea about criminal behavior and types of offenses prone to commit.

ECTOMORPH (CEREBROTONIC)

Sensitive body type.

MESOMORPH (ROMOTONIC)

Active/aggressive body type.

ENDOMORPH (VISCEROTONIC)

Extrovert/relaxed body type.

WILLIAM SHELDON

He relates the body type into a person’s temperament.

ERNST KRETSCHMER

Associates body physique to behavior and criminality.

PYKNIC

Those medium height, rounded figure, massive neck and broad face.

ATHLETIC

Those medium to tall, strong, and muscular.

ASTHENIC

Those lean, slightly built, and narrow shoulders.

DYSPLASTIC

Mixed types of body physiques.

KAROTYPE THEORY

Under this theory studies the nature and nurture theory.

NATURE THEORY

Intelligence is determined genetically and/or by ancestors. Low IQ = Criminal Behavior.

NURTURE THEORY

Who we are is determine with how we are raised, social relationships, culture, and childhood experiences.

ALFRED BINET

He developed first IQ test.

BIOCHEMICAL THEORY

Another explanation of criminal behavior involves the body’s hormones released by some of the body’s cells or organs to regulate activity in other cells or organs.

ANDROGENS

Are hormones assoiated with masculine traits.

ESTROGENS

Are associated with feminine traits.

HORMONES

Chemicals that essentially function as messengers of the body.

ENDOCRINE GLANDS

These chemicals are secreted by special glands known as the…

HYPOTHALAMUS

Regulates bodily function (tenp, hunger, thirst).

AMYGDALA

Gland responsible for emotions (Fear, aggression).

HIPPOCAMPUS

Gland responsible for memory formation.

PINEAL

Known as the thalamus; produces serotonin derivatives of melatonin, which affects sleep patterns.

THYMUS

Regulates immune system and maturiy of the thymus.

THYROID

Produces hormones that affect the heart rate and how calories are burnt.

ADRENAL

Produces the hormones that control the sex drive, cortisol and stress hormone.

PITUITARY

Known as “master control gland”, trigger growth and development.

PANCREAS

Involved in the production of insulin hormones, which plays a crucial role in maintaining blood sugar leves.

TESTES

Secrete the male sex hormone, testosterone. Associated with aggression.

OVARIES

Release estrogen, progesterone for female development and prepares body for childbirth.

NEUROTRANSMITTER

Chemical messengers mainly used by the brain and nervous system. Dysregulation or imbalance = crime.

ACETYLCHOLINE (ACH)

Controls muscle movement and memory.

DOPAMINE

Involved in good feeling, reward, motivation, and pleasure.

SEROTONIN

Regulates mood, sleep, and appetite; feelings of well-being.

NOREPINEPHRINE (NORADRENALINE)

Affects alertness and focus.

EPINEPHRINE (ADRENALINE)

Respond to stress or danger (fight or flight).

RICHARD LOUIS DUGDALE

Conducted a study of the Jukes family by researching their family tree as far back 200 years. He discovered that most of the ascendants of the Jukes were criminals.

HENRY HERBET GODDARD

He traced the descendants of the Martin Kallikak from each of his two wives and found a distinct difference in terms of quality of lives of descendants. He also coined the term “Moron”.

SIGMUND FREUD

Father of Psychoanalysis.

PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY

Human personality is the result of three fundamental structures - the id, the ego, and the superego. Criminality is caused by the imbalance of 3 components of personality.

PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY

It concentrates on awareness levels combined with our experience in early childhood that together can form the basis of certain mental disorder.

ID (PLEASURE PRINCIPLE)

Operates at an unconscious level. Impulses are not social and must be repressed or adapated so that they may become socially acceptable.

EGO (REALITY PRINCIPLE)

Conduit for and a check on the id, working to meet the id’s needs in a socially appropriate way. It is the most tied to reality and begins to develop in infancy.

SUPEREGO (CONSCIENCE)

Morality and higher principles reside. Encouraging us to act in socially and morally acceptable way.

LIFE COURSE THEORY

As people travel through the life course, they are constantly bombarded by changing perceptions and experiences, and as a result their behavior will change diretions, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.

LATENT TRAIT THEORY

Is a complete opposite of life course theory. This theory claims people do not change. It is also believed that we have a MASTER TRAIT - remains stable and unchanging throughout the person’s lifetime whereas others suggest that it can be altrered, influenced, or changed by subsequent experience.

AGE-GRADED THEORY

The type of crime committed by a certain individual is in consonance with his age governs or dictates the type of crime to be committed by him.

AGING-OUT PROCESS/PHENOMENON (DESISTANCE OR REMISSION)

The process by which individuals reduce the frequency of their offending behavior as they age.

SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION THEORY

It directly links crime rates to neighborhood, ecological characteristics; location matters. Crime in a neighborhood is a result of the weakening of traditional bonds.

STRAIN THEORY

Holds that crime is a function of the conflict between the goals poeple have and the means they can use to legally obtain them. Consequently, they feel anger, frustration, and resentment, which is referred to as strain.

CONFORMITY

This occurs when individuals both embrace conventional social goals and also have the means at their disposal to attain them.

INNOVATION

This occurs when individuals accept the goals of society but rejects or is incapable of obtaining them through legitimate means.

RITUALISM

This is less concern about accumulating wealth and instead gain pleasure from practicing traditional ceremonies regardless of whether they have a real purpose or goal.

RETREATISM

Otherwise known as the “escapist mode” which rejects both the goals and the means of the society.

REBELLION

This involved substituting an alternative set of goals and means for conventional ones.

CULTURAL DEVIANCE THEORY

This theory combines the effects of social disorganization and strain. Because of the draining, frustrating and dispiriting experiences, members of the lower class create an independent subculture with its own set of rules and values.

DIFFERENTIAL OPPORTUNITY THEORY

Idea that people (usually teens) from low socioeconomic backgrounds who have a few opportunities for success, will use any means at their disposal to achieve success. Society leads the lower class to want things.

DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY

This theory states that criminal behavior is learned through socialization. Criminal behavior is learned in interaction with other persons in a process of communication.

DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT THEORY

Reinforcing a target behavior while withholding reinforcement from an unwanted behavior. The goal is to replace unwanted behaviors with desirable behaviors.

NEUTRALIZATION THEORY

Sometimes referred to as “drift theory”. According to this theory, people know when they are doing something wrong, however, they rationalize and justify their actions. This rationalizing is what we called “neutralization”.

LABELING THEORY (SOCIAL REACTION THEORY)

People become criminals as much as the society tags them to be criminals. The negative reaction of others to a particular behavior is what causes that behavior to be labeled as “criminal” or “deviant”.

PRIMARY DEVIANCE

These are crimes that have little influence on the actor and can quickly be forgotten (little bearing in the future).

SECONDARY DEVIANCE

It arises when a deviant comes to the attention of significant others or social control agencies who apply a negative label (has bearing in the future).

STIGMATIZATION

Labels are believed to produce stigma. People who have been negatively labeled becuase of their participation or alleged participation in deviant or outlawed behaviors maybe socially outcased who may be prevented from enjoying a higher education, well-paying jobs, and other social benefits.

SELF-LABELING

It refers to the process by which a person who has been negatively labeled accepts the label as a personal role or identity.

SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY

Deviant behavior patterns that are in response to an earlier labeling experience, a person act out these social roles even if they were falsely bestowed.

DRAMATIZATION OF EVIL

Transforms the offender’s identify from a “doer of evil” to “an evil person”.

CONTAINMENT THEORY

Forces that has the power to influence one’s actions. Inner and outer containments keep juvenile offending; restrain a person from committing a crime. If a person’s inner and outer containment are weak, then there is a possibility that he will commit a crime or deviancy.

SOCIAL BOND THEORY

This theory views crime as a result of individuals with WEAKENED BOND to social institutions.

ATTACHMENT

Person’s sensitivity to and interest to others.

COMMITMENT

Time, energy and effort in line of action.

INVOLVEMENT

Heavy involvement in conventional activities.

BELIEF

Admiration of legal code, adherence to values.

MARXIST THEORY

Bourgeoisie (rulers) and Proletariats (workers) conflict. Society becomes a fertile ground for breeding criminals as those who could not affor the basic needs of life turns to crime to provide what they lack.

MARXIST THEORY

Worker’s exploitation breeds anger and frustration which leads to crime and violent destruction of property.

CONFLICT THEORY

Crime is the outcome of class struggle. The classes that are struggling here are the upper, middle, and lower class (have-nots). These associations comprise of two groups: those who possess authority and use it for social domination and those who lack authority and are dominated. Crime is defined by those in power.