Causes of Criminal Behavior
Although crimes have been committed since times immemorial, a systematic study of the causes of criminal behavior (or why crimes are committed) is a relatively recent phenomenon. Various theories have been put forward and numerous research studies have been conducted to better understand the criminal mind in order to prevent or reduce crime. It is, perhaps, a tribute to the complexity of the human brain that most of these theories remain just "theories" with little evidence to support definite and irrefutable patterns of criminal behavior. This is not to suggest that all theories of "criminology" are worthless -- most of them do provide useful insight into the criminal mind and at least partially explain the reasons why crimes are committed by certain individuals. In this paper we shall explore some of the theories of criminal behavior that have attempted to throw light on the causes of criminal behavior. It includes a discussion of the 'serial killer' and the possible reasons behind their deviant behavior.
Background
The earliest theories about crimes attributed the 'evil' acts to the influence of demons or the planets (i.e., 'demonology' and 'astrology'). Religious scriptures and Christianity discuss crime in theological terms and consider it to be a sin. Punishment for crimes during early parts of human history was often brutal, although Christianity emphasized penitence by the criminal for forgiveness by God. (Lynch, "Criminology") Systematic study of crime and its causes in isolation from the concept of "sin" only started in the late eighteenth century.
Classical Criminology
An Italian jurist, Marchese di Beccaria published an important work in 1764 titled "Essays on Crimes and Punishments" in which he opposed the overly severe punishments that were in vogue during the times, including death penalty and argued that the certainty -- rather than the severity -- of punishment was a more effective deterrent to crime. (Ibid. para on "Classical Criminology") This was also the period when the famous British philosopher Jeremy Bentham proposed that punishments should be based on the principle of utility and was instrumental in lowering the severity of punishments in Britain. The contributors to 'classical criminology' were more concerned with improving the existing standards of crime and punishment and did not specifically produce studies about the causes of crimes, but laid the foundation of scientific and systematic study in later times.
Lombroso's Theory of the 'Criminal Type'
Cesare Lombroso (1836-1909) was an Italian criminologist who advocated the theory that hereditary factors were responsible for the predisposition towards crime in certain individuals. Although his theories have largely been discredited by later research into the subject, they evoked considerable interest when they were first unveiled. Lombroso attributed distinct physical characteristics to criminal 'types' such as asymmetry of skull; low, retreating forehead; strongly arched brows; large, outstanding ears, and left-handedness. (Reckless, p. 164) He also attributed a number of mental attributes to criminals such as relative insensibility to pain; acuteness of vision; obtuseness of the sense of smell or of vision, taste, touch, and hearing; absence of remorse; lack of moral sense; violent temper and extreme vanity. (Ibid)
Most of Lombroso's theories were proved wrong by Charles Goring, a British criminologist in the early 20th century, who used comparative studies of prisoners and non-prisoners to show that the so-called 'criminal type' as described by the Italian did not exist. The importance of Lomboro's work in understanding of the causes of criminal behavior, however, cannot be denied since his work focused attention on the scientific study of the causes of criminal behavior and laid the foundations of 'modern criminology.'
Modern Biological Theories of Criminal Behavior
Lomboro's theories may have been largely discredited, but other more sophisticated 'biological' theories that are off-shoots of his theory have persisted. Instead of considering physical appearance as an indicator of the 'criminal type' these theories emphasize genetic inheritance or irregularities in neurological / brain development. Despite, some co-relation found in studies of twins toward criminal disposition, genetic disposition of criminality remains inconclusive. Similarly some evidence co-relates certain brain irregularities such as low levels of serotonin or and an impairment of the frontal lobe of the brain's cerebrum to aggressive behavior and violent crime. However, more research is required to verify these findings. (Lynch, Para on "Biological Theories of Crime")
Psychological Theories
The psychological theories about the causes of criminal behavior can be divided into (1)
What seems clear is that while not all criminality is stable, those people who begin offending at relatively young ages are generally those who are lifelong offenders. In this way, it can be said that some criminality is stable over time. The stability of criminal behavior can have a significant impact on criminal justice policy. When rehabilitation efforts proved largely unsuccessful, there was a conservative swing back towards incarceration to
" These authors purport that although mood and behaviour may constitute a vital part in disorderly outcomes of drinking scenarios, other social factors can equally contribute influences. These factors, according to these authors, can be categorized by the following factors: the attitude and motivations that young binge drinkers bring to drinking, the social and peer group norms under which they operate, and features relating to the drinking environment. Reasonable Investigations In the journal
Criminal Behavior Approaches to Understand Criminal Behavior Psychological Approaches Sociological Approaches Biological Approaches Psychosurgery Chemical Methods of Control Imagine yourself having a walk in the premises of your house and a stone come flying through the boundary wall and hits you. As a layman, one might face difficulty in defining this incident. It can be termed as an assault, an act of violence or a criminal offence. This is a layman's term to define this act but
Sociological theories of criminal behavior do not discount individual-level learning but focus more on the surrounding culture and environment. To explain criminal behavior, sociologists usually center on conflict theories, strain theories, labeling theories, and social control theories. Conflict theories have their roots in Marxist philosophy. They reveal how class conflict can create impetus for deviance and also lead to general anomie. Strain theory similarly suggests that criminal behavior can result
Leaders in society understand the need to resist putting unfair labels on people; this has been a positive trend over the recent past. Feminist Theory: Feminist theories suggest, "…criminal justice decisions reflect male dominance and functioning to support patriarchy"; in short, the system is bias against women (Akers, 1999). This has changed society because women's liberation, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, have made it illegal to discriminate based
Likewise, full-body tattoos are considered deviant behavior and people who are completely tattooed are ostracized from some elements of society, but that behavior has never been considered illegal. In contrast, most people do not consider jaywalking or speeding to be extremely deviant behavior. On the contrary, most people have probably engaged in these criminal behaviors and may even be habitual offenders, but one would be unlikely to label them
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