A third would prove less immediately apparent.
One respondent remembered with mild embarrassment a time when he was caught shoplifting a candy bar. He was 7 years old and was in a convenience mart with his mother. He asked her if she would buy him a Snickers Bar and she refused. She told him she didn't have the money for it right then. Therefore, when she turned her back, he grabbed a Snickers Bar and stuffed it into his pocket. He looked around nervously but didn't think anybody saw him. As they approached the register, a clerk approached the boy and asked him sternly if he had anything he wanted to confess. The boy was immediately overcome with guilt and turned over the candy bar. Of course, his mother was furious, apologized to the clerk and grounded him from playing for a week.
Clearly, this experience would reflect Gottfredson and Hirschi's…...
mlaWorks Cited:
Gottfredson, M.R. & Hirschi, T. (1990). A General Theory of Crime. Stanford University Press.
Mork, B. (2006). Differential Association Theory. University of Minnesota, Duluth.
Wrights, B. (2008). Gottfredson and Hirschi's Low Self-Control Theory; or why kids feed lizards to crocodiles. Everyday Sociology.
However, strain theory would counter that the frustrated aspirations of the marginalized fosters criminal behavior and what is really needed are expanded social opportunities and mobility through policies like affirmative action and improved public education.
Criminal theories of 'subcultures' suggest a more complex system of social esteem and reward provided by crime. They, too, however, would suggest that creating other means for individuals to establish their identity are more important than harsher punishments -- culturally as well as economically. For example, even relatively affluent teens who feel ostracized, like the boys who committed the Columbine atrocity, can act criminally if they find self-fulfillment as part of a violent subculture. A final concept of 'labeling' theories, or self-fulfilling prophesies would emphasize the need to avoid making a pariah of certain groups, and fighting against discrimination (like the current hatred of illegal immigrants and Latinos in general in many areas) and also…...
mlaReference
Criminological theory. (1999). Retrieved August 12, 2009 at http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/200/Diane_Demelo/diane.pdf
Further, they are subdivided into the following four categories:
Visionary -- they claim to have received orders from either God or Devil to kill
Missionary -- they consider it their duty to eliminate undesirable elements as prostitutes from society
Hedonistic -- consists of either lust killer or thrill killer who kills either for sex or simply for the thrill of being able to murder a person
Power/Control -- the killer is motivated by the sense of power that they enjoy by completely subjugating another fellow individual (Holmes and Deburger 1998)
Serial Murders as Contrasted to Homicides
A typical homicide in Australia consisted of a white male in his thirties killing his male acquaintance in a residential quarter with a knife as a consequence of major disagreement. (Mouzos and Houliaras 2006) However, serial killings in Australia bore an uncanny resemblance to serial murders in other continents. Generally, an unknown male murdered several female victims either by…...
mlaReferences
Aki, K. Serial killers: a cross-cultural study between Japan and the United States. Graduate thesis, California State University, 2003.
Douglas, John E., Ann W. Burgess, Allen G. Burgess, and Robert K. Ressler. Crime classification manual: a standard system for investigating and classifying violent crimes. Jossey-Bass; Revised edition, 1997.
Egger, S.A. The killers among us. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1998.
Fox, J.A., and J. Levin. Extreme killing: understanding serial and mass murder. Thousand Oakes CA: Sage Publications, 2005.
Since, by definition, delinquency areas are characterized by a concentration of delinquents and criminals in a small geographical area, the chances would be slim of a child growing up in such a setting and not coming into contact with values and behavior that supported criminality (Shoemaker 2009).
The responsibility of a vice principal is not simply to punish bad behavior, but it is also to try to understand the reasoning for delinquent behavior, discovering deeper problems and issues and then trying to correct the behavior not only through punishment for actions but also through healthy and supportive encouragement. In this case, the fact that the child is from a lower socioeconomic background than the rest of the children, different measures need to be taken when dealing with this behavior so as to avoid the chances of this child growing up to be a criminal. Counseling, as well as other support, should…...
mlaReferences:
Gibson, Camille. (2002). Being real: The student-teacher relationship and African-
American Delinquency.
Shaw, Clifford R., & McKay, Henry D. (1969). Juvenile delinquency and urban areas.
Shoemaker, Donald J. (2009). Theories of delinquency: An examination of explanations of delinquent behavior. Oxford University Press; 6th edition.
An individual with the profile of Ted Bundy may be more likely to watch pornography and slasher films, but the films do not cause the criminal behavior. They might shape some of the more lurid details of the crime, such as the ritualistic aspects of his behavior, but eliminating pornography will not eliminate rapes and murders. Laboratory research indicates a slight tendency that pornography can "predispose some males to desire rape or intensify this desire and undermine some males' internal and social inhibitions against acting out rape desires" although it is very difficult to measures such affects in artificial laboratory settings (Jensen 2004, p.4).
Eliminating all restrictions on pornography would not just be controversial, but also problematic, given that some legal oversight of the industry is necessary to prevent the exploitation of children in child pornography. Additionally, pornography is not allowed near schools, to limit children's exposure. However, other than…...
mlaWorks Cited
Criminology theory summaries. Criminal justice 301. Retrieved April 23, 2009 at http://www.uwec.edu/patchinj/crmj301/theorysummaries.pdf
Forelle, Charles. (2009, April 15). The snap judgment on crime and unemployment. The Wall
Street Journal Online Edition. Retrieved April 23, 2009 at http://www.comcast.net/articles/finance/20090415/SB123974939828118493/
Jensen, Robert J. (2004, July). Pornography and sexual violence. Applied Research Forum
people commit crimes and other people do not continues to trouble both laypersons and experts alike. This paper will attempt to delve more deeply into the causality of the psychology of crime. Over the years, various theories have fallen out of favor regarding traits that predispose people to criminality. Some theorists tend to view 'nurture' rather than 'nature' as more important or vice versa. Regardless, although it is likely impossible to say once and for all what makes someone a criminal or a law-abiding citizen, attempting to explore the rationale behind crime is essential, given that it has a critical, material effect upon how criminal behavior is treated in our society.
This paper will begin with an overview of the nature and nurture debate within the field of criminology and then focus specifically upon how juvenile delinquency has been viewed in our culture, how it has been treated, and various…...
mlaBibliography
Bandura, A., Ross, D. & Ross, S.A. 1961.Transmission of aggression through imitation of aggressive models. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 63, 575-82.
Cooper, J., Walsh, A. & Ellis, L. 2010. Is criminology moving toward a paradigm shift?
Evidence from a Survey of the American Society of Criminology Journal of Criminal
Justice Education 21(3): 332 -- 347.
9). The researcher go on to note that criminological research is distinctive in that it combines sociology and psychology in interesting ways to explore abnormal behaviors or those that deviate from the expected norm. It is vital in crime to measure it accurately, so this suggests a review of statistics should show whether young children coming from oppressive homes or those lacking direction are more likely to turn to crime than others (Carrabine, Iganski, Lee et al., 2004: 10). Statistics suggest early sociologists believed and confirmed with statistics that crime was a key concern related to youth "delinquency and youthful gangs and crime" suggesting crime is "bound up with conflict" that often includes tension and stress associated with interacting with people in society (Carrabine, Iganski, Lee et al., 2004:45). Social pathologies do exist among individuals that suffered or were raised with little formal guidance and structure (Ashworth, 2003).
Variables that…...
mlaReferences
Ashworth, a. (2003) 'Is Restorative Justice the Way Forward for Criminal Justice?' In E., McLaughlin, R. Fergusson, G. Hughes and L. Westmarland (Eds) Restorative Justice: Critical Issues, London: Sage.
Carrabine, Eamonn; Iganski, Paul; Lee, Maggy; Plummer, Ken; & South, Nigel. (2004)
Criminology: A Sociological Introduction. New York: Routledge.
Criminology
Social Control Theory of Juvenile Delinquency
Underlying Assumptions
Travis Hirschi's Social Control theory of deviance assumes that deviant behavior is largely a function of the connectedness of the individual to his or her society; more specifically, Hirschi's assumptions are that juvenile delinquency, and criminal deviance more generally, are inversely related to the following elements of connectedness between the individual and the community: involvement, commitment, attachment, and belief (Akers & Sellers, 2004; Huebner & Betts, 2002).
Structure of Theory
Hirschi used the concept of involvement to describe the manner and extent to which the individuals takes part in the so-called "conventional" activities, such as extracurricular school functions and other organized opportunities for socially productive youth recreation available in the community (Macionis, 2008). Hirschi used the concept of commitment, to describe the basic "acceptance" in the most general senses, of fundamental social and behavioral norms, values, and expectations in the individual's community and society. Hirschi referred…...
mlaReferences
Akers, R.L., and Sellers, C.S. (2004). Criminological Theories: Introduction,
Evaluation, and Application. California: Roxbury Publishing Company.
Button, D.M. "Social Disadvantage and Family Violence: Neighborhood Effects on Attitudes about Intimate Partner Violence and Corporal Punishment." American
Journal of Criminal Justice, Vol. 33 (2008):130 -- 147.
Theoretical Evaluation
Theory Evaluation
The initial modern clarification of crime is known as "classical hypothesis" (Cullen and Agnew 2011). This hypothesis was produced in response to the malefic, irrational, and barbaric frameworks of criminal equity that existed in Europe in the 1700s. The laws were frequently arbitrary; judges were corrupt; penal awards for the same wrongdoing varied broadly; and disciplines were at times very cruel, causative of extreme physical abuse and often resulting in death. Classical Theorists needed to supplant the framework with one that was more viable and just. They contended that individuals are balanced creatures who seek after their own particular pursuits, endeavoring to amplify their pleasure and minimize their unhappiness. Individuals decide to indulge in wrongdoing when they accept that it will bring more joy than agony, As such, the most ideal approach to control wrongdoing is to guarantee that the torment of penal awards exceeds the delight gained…...
mlaReferences
Cullen, F.T., and Agnew, R. (2011). Criminological Theory: Past to Present. Los Angeles: Roxbury. [An overview of the leading theories of crime, with selections from the original works.]
Whereas atavists may commit crimes due to their physiological attributes, "passionate criminals" engage crimes of their own make (C. Bartol & a. Bartol, 2006).
The first advantage in the Lambroso theory lies in the physicality of determining criminal. The attributes that underlines atavists may trigger a trend of caution while dealing with people with the characteristics given. This precaution trend may lessen crime in instances where early detection is done through careful handling of the atavists. With the understanding that physical attributes may relate to chances of committing crimes, reform campaigns may get directed to this group of people to enhance secure communities.
Another advantage arises from the understanding that in communities where crime rates occur at an all-time high, more people tend to commit crimes due to the influence of the adverse environment they live in. In trying to fit into society, people relate with one another. If situations arise…...
mlaReferences
Bartol, C.R., & Bartol, a.M. (2006). Criminal Behavior: A Psychosocial Approach.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
Heather, Z. (2007) Biological, Sociological and Psychological Theories of Crime
May 16, 2007. http://voices.yahoo.com/biological-sociological-psychological-theories-342380.html?cat=72
Criminal Justice Theory and the Los Angeles County Probation Department
Criminal and antisocial behaviors have been studied in the field of criminology for many years. Criminologists are very interested to learn what types of things cause specific criminal and antisocial behaviors. hile criminal behavior and antisocial behavior are not always related, they often have close ties. Criminologists and other researchers are looking to find commonalities between certain genetic makeups and deviant behavior. They believe that many people are genetically predisposed to be violent, and if these people can be located they can be treated.
That does not mean that criminologists are in favor of testing everyone's genetic makeup on the planet to see if any of them show violent tendencies. hat they are interested in doing, however, is studying criminals who already have a history of violent and deviant behavior to see what other traits they have, and what their genetic makeup…...
mlaWorks Cited
Anderson, R.H. (2000, January 13). Unit 5: deviance, conformity and social control. University of Colorado at Denver. Retrieved September 2, 2005, from about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fthunder1.cudenver.edu%2F%2Fsociology%2Fintrosoc%2Ftopics%2FUnitNotes%2Fweek05.htmlhttp://psychology.
Brand, C. Cycad Web Works. (2003, February). Can crime be traced to such often-mooted personality features as extraversion and lack-of-conscientiousness? Are genetic factors involved-in whatever interaction with the environment? And can any therapeutic or preventive steps by recommended? Retrieved August 29, 2005, from http://www.cycad.com/cgi-bin/Brand/quotes/q16.html
Brunet, J.R. (2002, November 15). Discouragement of Crime Through Civil Remedies: An Application of a Reformulated Routine Activities Theory. In Western Criminology Review 4 (1) Retrieved September 5, 2005, from htmlhttp://wcr.sonoma.edu/v4n1/brunet.
Casey, D. Human Genome Project. (1997, June). Introduction. Retrieved September 1, 2005, from / primer/prim1.htmlhttp://www.ornl.gov/TechResources/Human_Genome/publicat
A more long-range vision related to a transformation of drug laws will also prevent the staggering numbers of women who encounter the criminal justice system. Theories related to role integration can inform programs designed for role modeling and coaching, which will go a long way toward promoting future community and personal health.
eferences
Bloom, B., Owen, B. & Covington, S. (2004). Women offenders and the gendered effects of public policy. eview of Public Policy esearch 21(1). etrieved online: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:Qx8Zf7qTlCYJ:cooley.libarts.wsu.edu/schwartj/pdf/bloom.pdf+&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjdkZ0qzVgoMeOkxN_ylkKlthKinOficQx_QNfbXxiJnSWFVpcexlY4fekDBrNW1TsKK3OTVz8Ph7PJqqIW8P6AZ7_3DHeLLBqZfwdT75GFga8yw-dfyDDPE77wwcsok_ced&sig=AHIEtbOjWa5vU-Cordw1sOx2rrIhPJcQ
Bonta, J., Pang, B. & Wallace-Capretta, S. (1995). Predictors of recidivism among incarcerated female offenders. The Prison Journal 75(3): 277-294.
Covington, S.S. (1998). The relational theory of women's psychological development: Implications for the criminal justice system. etrieved online: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:IzpJVCQisyAJ:www.stephaniecovington.com/pdfs/14.pdf+&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShMi1zxp51XEKWScZuXra2PExdCe99H2YYt3cvPUtvm8vYxswqFa9zAHjEgCYKYzfl83Y6rf-alcMjCF8eD565m1fscAianN1Z9uwImmqDiZqQYnHrrsxZ5rNWaNyxr22BOr&sig=AHIEtbSWo_ivZrhu-c4vlIUDHqnfiObow
Covington, S.S. (1998). Women in prison. etrieved online: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:_XJIn_-dwTYJ:www.stephaniecovington.com/pdfs/15.pdf+&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjOFr-tbjzcD1I16sbZX07sDOIfzDJCXkS-WCIXPp4JwiDQ2992lXvuillpAs-T2H-ksCWaLiQhc_Shx7bBKFqNdZKqc53vsmHniit_M2WGmxnvQIyXT7mZjpzQnTNzEFtpjB&sig=AHIEtbeyTi4bj3vJxT_gcvCOy1Q5-QIZA
Fletcher, B.., Shaver, L.D. & Moon, D.G (1993). Women Prisoners: A forgotten population. Westport, CT: Praeger.
Martinez, D.J. (2010). ole accumulation theory and prisoner integration. Probation Journal 57(2): 139-151.
Proctor,…...
mlaReferences
Bloom, B., Owen, B. & Covington, S. (2004). Women offenders and the gendered effects of public policy. Review of Public Policy Research 21(1). Retrieved online: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:Qx8Zf7qTlCYJ:cooley.libarts.wsu.edu/schwartj/pdf/bloom.pdf+&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjdkZ0qzVgoMeOkxN_ylkKlthKiRnOficQx_QNfbXxiJnSWFVpcexlY4fekDBrNW1TsKK3OTVz8Ph7PJqqIW8P6AZ7_3DHeLLBqZfwdT75GFga8Ryw-RdfyDDPE77wwcsok_ced&sig=AHIEtbROjWa5vU-CorRdw1sOx2rrIhPJcQ
Bonta, J., Pang, B. & Wallace-Capretta, S. (1995). Predictors of recidivism among incarcerated female offenders. The Prison Journal 75(3): 277-294.
Covington, S.S. (1998). The relational theory of women's psychological development: Implications for the criminal justice system. Retrieved online: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:IzpJVCQisyAJ:www.stephaniecovington.com/pdfs/14.pdf+&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShMi1zxp51XEKWRScZuXra2PExRdCe99H2YYt3cvPUtvm8vYxswqFa9zAHjEgCYKYzfRl83Y6rf-alcMjCF8eD565m1fscAianN1Z9uwImmqDiZqQYnHrrsxZ5rNWaNyxr22BOr&sig=AHIEtbSWo_ivZrhu-c4vlRIUDHqnfiObow
Covington, S.S. (1998). Women in prison. Retrieved online: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:_XJIn_-dwTYJ:www.stephaniecovington.com/pdfs/15.pdf+&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjOFr-tbjzcD1I16sbZX07sDOIfzDJCXkS-WCIXPp4JwiDQ2992lXRvuillpAs-T2H-ksCWaLiQhc_ShxR7bBKFqNdZKqc53vsmHniit_M2WGmxnvQIyXT7mZjpzQnTNzEFtpjB&sig=AHIEtbReyTi4bj3vJxT_gcvCOy1Q5-QIZA
Sociological Theories of Crime
There are a number of respected sociological theories of crime and criminality, and in this paper four of those theories -- social control theory, strain theory, differential association theory and neutralization theory -- will be reviewed in terms of their strengths and weaknesses. Also, of the theories discussed, one or more will be referenced in terms of the relevance to a recently convicted offender.
Social Control Theory
According to professor Larry Siegel social control theories put forward the notion that everyone has the potential to become a law-breaker, and the society offers multiple opportunities for illegal activity. The attraction for some people to deal drugs or steal cars, Siegel explains, is that there is "…the promise of immediate reward and gratification" (Siegel, 2011, p. 248). And so, Siegel continues, given the attraction of crime for many, and the benefits for some, his question is: why do people obey the…...
mlaWorks Cited
Akers, Ronald L. (1999). Criminological Theories. Florence, KY: Taylor & Francis.
Briggs, Steven, and Friedman, Joan. (2009). Criminology for Dummies. Hoboken, NJ: John
Wiley & Sons.
Siegel, Larry J. (2011). Criminology. Florence, KY: Cengage Learning.
deviance and criminal behavior can result from people feeling disconnected from their school and home situation. This backs up the control theory, which posits that with less control -- or weak bonds -- behavior can and does become deviant and even criminal later in life.
Control Theory -- Narrative Explanations
In his narratives on delinquency, Travis Hirschi, one of the most prominent theorists when it comes to control theories, said there are four variables that help explain why people either conform to, or deviate from social norms. And this is important because delinquents are often caught up in criminal activities later in life. In the process of deviating from socially respectable behaviors -- and in the extreme, becoming involved in crime -- people are just reacting to four variables, Hirschi explains. The four are: a) attachment (with parents, peers, teachers, and others); b) commitment (this is what a person must consider…...
mlaWorks Cited
Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services. (2008). Review of the Roots of Youth
Violence: Literature Reviews. Retrieved March 29, 2014, from http://www.children.gov.on.ca .
Welch, K. (1998). Two Major Theories of Travis Hirschi. Florida State University. Retrieved March 29, 2014, from http://www.criminology.fsu.edu .
Certainly, the reason that some individuals become criminals has to do with biological predisposition, particularly in the case of many crimes of violence. On the other hand, circumstances, greed, desperation, and opportunity also play an undeniable role in many crimes. Social class and exposure to deviant subcultures also contributes to criminal behavior (Henslin, 2002; Macionis, 2003), but even so, those risk factors do not affect everyone the same; therefore, those approaches also fail to explain crime in many cases (Henslin, 2002; Macionis, 2003).
In some ways, the recent occurrences involving ernard Madoff and several other high profile white collar criminals do not seem to fit any of the traditional criminological theories other than rational choice and possibly psychological disorder. These perpetrators were already the recipients of the considerable benefits of social class and opportunity and were already wealthy even by contemporary American definitions of wealth before resorting to crime to…...
mlaBibliography
Henslin, J.M. (2002). Essentials of Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Macionis, J.J. (2003). Sociology 9th Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Schmalleger, F. (2007). Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the 21st Century. Hoboken, NJ: Prentice Hall
Literature review plays a crucial role in enhancing the professional and personal development of criminology interns. By engaging in a comprehensive review of existing research and theories in the field of criminology, interns can deepen their understanding of key concepts, develop critical thinking skills, and strengthen their ability to analyze and interpret data. This process not only helps interns to build a solid foundation of knowledge but also allows them to stay informed about the latest developments and trends in the field. One of the key benefits of conducting a literature review is that it helps interns to develop their....
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