Criminology Theories: Key Concepts and Classifications

Classical Theory

People have free will and commit crime after weighing costs and benefits. Crime can be prevented through punishment that is certain, severe, and swift.

Rational Choice Theory

Crime occurs when individuals make a rational decision that the benefits of crime outweigh the risks or punishment.

Routine Activities Theory

Crime occurs when three conditions are present: Motivated offender, Suitable target, Absence of a capable guardian.

Situational Crime Prevention

Crime can be prevented by reducing opportunities for crime, increasing risks, and reducing rewards.

Social Disorganization Theory

Crime occurs in communities with poverty, residential instability, and weak social institutions, which reduce the community's ability to control behavior.

Collective Efficacy Theory

Crime is lower in neighborhoods where residents have mutual trust and are willing to intervene to maintain social order.

Anomie Theory (Strain Theory)

Crime occurs when society emphasizes success goals (like wealth) but people lack legitimate means to achieve them.

Institutional Anomie Theory

American culture strongly emphasizes economic success, weakening other social institutions (family, education) and encouraging crime.

Relative Deprivation Theory

Crime occurs when people feel disadvantaged compared to others, even if their basic needs are met.

General Strain Theory

Crime occurs when individuals experience strain or stress, which creates negative emotions like anger that may lead to crime.

Sources of strain

Failure to achieve goals, Loss of positive stimuli, Exposure to negative stimuli.

Focal Concerns Theory

Lower-class subcultures develop values emphasizing: Toughness, Trouble, Smartness, Excitement, Fate, Autonomy. These values can encourage delinquent behavior.

Delinquent Subculture Theory

Lower-class youth experience status frustration when they cannot achieve success through legitimate means, leading them to form delinquent subcultures.

Differential Opportunity Theory

People commit different types of crime depending on the criminal opportunities available in their neighborhood.

Differential Association Theory

Criminal behavior is learned through interaction with others, especially close friends and family who support criminal behavior.

Social Learning Theory

People learn criminal behavior through observation, imitation, and reinforcement from others.

Neutralization Theory

Offenders justify criminal behavior using techniques that neutralize guilt.

Examples of Neutralization Techniques

Denial of responsibility, Denial of injury, Denial of victim, Condemning the condemners, Appeal to higher loyalties.

Social Control Theory

People commit crime when their social bonds to society are weak.

Four bonds in Social Control Theory

Attachment, Commitment, Involvement, Belief.

Social Reaction Theory (Labeling Theory)

Crime occurs when individuals are labeled as deviant by society, which can lead them to continue criminal behavior.

Key concepts of Social Reaction Theory

Primary deviance, Secondary deviance, Stigma, Differential enforcement.

Victim Precipitation Theory

Victims may initiate or provoke events that lead to their victimization.

Lifestyle Theory

Certain lifestyles and daily activities increase the likelihood of becoming a crime victim.

Deviant Place Theory

Victimization risk is higher for people who live in high-crime areas, regardless of lifestyle.