Introduction For many decades Criminology has been employing variety of methods to understand the standpoint of criminals and those who pursue to prevent, punish, or rehabilitate them (Copes 2010). Although remedial thinking was the primary model that accepted by the criminal justice system throughout the last decades, lately criminal justice scholars and educators have encouraged for “a humanistic approach to criminology” (Bland 2014). This new approach, over the last few decades, has become an increasingly influential perspective on crime and justice (Klenowski 2009). To better educate and prepare students for this new prospective, it is essential that the Social and Behavioral Science become part of required courses for Criminal Justice …show more content…
CLO4: Improve reasoning ability using social and behavioral science tools and data.
CLO5: Describe and explain criminal behavior phenomena by applying disciplines and theories in order to understand the motivations.
Course Objectives
Behavioral science is the study of how people make decisions and act. According to University of Chicago Crime Lab behavioral science “draws from decades of research in the social sciences to create a more realistic framework for understanding people. The standard approach to predicting human behavior suggests that we consider all available information, weigh the pros and cons of each option, make the best choice, and then act on it”. This course investigates disciplines of psychology and Criminal behavior. During this course, students will be encouraged to examine topics relating to individual and group behavior of offenders and criminals. Behavioral study and its application will help increase offender obedience with community norms and rules. Recognizing the causes of criminal behavior at the individual and community levels and explaining it with various behavioral science methods is the major outcome for this course. During this course students will examine the criminal behavior and the theoretical perspectives that have been developed to explain why and how individuals commit
Throughout the history of law enforcement within the United States, theories has been explored and implemented as polices in addressing deviant behaviors produced by humans. Models such as Crime Control through the Conflict perceptive suggest the human nature is persuaded by social opportunities and considered a fundamental aspect of social life (Schmalleger, 2009, p. 347). However, social disorders must be addressed in a cordial and civil procedural fairness; thus, individual rights guaranteed by policies such as Due Process ensure that individuals under allegations are treated equally and just. Although crime and deviant behaviors exist within our communities, policies are intended to reduce such disorders by following cohesive criminal justice frameworks with the intentions of protecting individuals accused of crimes. Crime Contro...
... middle of paper ... ... Understanding psychological theories helps criminologists to design appropriate correctional strategies to mitigate crime. Works Cited Eysenck, H.J., & Gudjonsson, G.H. d. a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a. a The causes and cures of criminality.
Bartol, C. R. (2002). Criminal behavior: A psychosocial approach. (6 ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Conscious efforts to critique existing approaches to questions of crime and justice, demystify concepts and issues that are laden with political and ideological baggage, situate debates about crime control within a socio-historical context, and facilitate the imagination and exploration of alternative ways of thinking and acting in relation to crime and justice. (p. 3).
High crime rates are an ongoing issue through the United States, however the motivation and the cause of crime has yet to be entirely identified. Ronald Akers would say that criminality is a behavior that is learned based on what an individual sees and observes others doing. When an individual commits a crime, he or she is acting on impulse based on actions that they have seen others engage in. Initially during childhood, individuals learn actions and behavior by watching and listening to others, and out of impulse they mimic the behavior that is observed. Theorist Ronald Akers extended Sutherland’s differential association theory with a modern viewpoint known as the social learning theory. The social learning theory states that individuals commit crime through their association with or exposure to others. According to Akers, people learn how to be offenders based on their observations around them and their association with peers. Theorist Akers states that for one, “people can become involved in crime through imitation—that is by modeling criminal conduct. Second, and most significant, Akers contended that definition and imitation are most instrumental in determining initial forays into crime” (Lilly, Cullen, and Ball 2011:57). Although Akers’ theory has been linked to juvenile delinquency in the past, it has also been tested as a possible cause of crime overall. Individuals learn from observation that criminal behavior is justifiable in certain circumstances. In connection with juvenile delinquency and crime, peers and intimate groups have the most effect on individuals when associated with criminal behavior. One is more likely to mimic the behavior of someone who they have close ties with, whether the behavior is justifiable or...
In order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the criminal behavior theories, the word theory needs to be defined. “A theory is an explanation. It tells why or how things are related to each other. A theory of crime explains why or how a certain thing or certain things are related to criminal behavior.” (Bohn and Vogel)
Criminology is the study of why individuals engage or commit crimes and the reasons as to why they behave in certain ways in different situations (Hagan, 2010). Through understanding the reasons or why an individual commits a crime, one can come up with ways to prevent and control crime or rehabilitate criminals. There exist a large number of criminology theories, some link crime to an individual or person; they believe a person weighs the cons and pros and makes a conscious decision on whether to commit or not commit a felony. Others see the society as having a duty to make sure that its members do not engage in criminal acts by providing a secure and safe living place. Some claim that some people have hidden or dormant characteristics that determine their reaction or behavior when confronted or put in particular negative conditions (Akers & Sellers, 2012). By understanding and studying these theories, together with applying them to people, psychologists and authorities can prevent criminals from committing or repeating crimes and aid in their rehabilitation. As many theories have emerged over time, they continue to be surveyed and explored, both individually and in combination in order for criminologists to develop solutions and eventually reduce the levels and types of crime. The most popular criminology theories emphasize on the individual, positivist and classical traits. This paper will explore the classical theory, which is among the earliest theories in criminology.
Third, learning criminal behavior occurs within intimate personal groups. Youths tend to spend significant portions of their time with their friends and family members, as such they tend to influenced by the attitudes and actions of those with whom they spend the bulk of their time. Fourth, learning criminal behavior involves assimilating the techniques of committing a crime, including motives, drives, rationalization and attitudes. During the learning process, not only does the young criminal learn effective techniques for criminal behavior, such as hotwiring a vehicle, or selling stolen items, they also learn how to react in different situations, essentially, when to run, when
Walsh, A.W., (2006). Ch. 7: Psychosocial Theories: Individual Traits And Criminal Behavior. (p. 174-179). Retrieved from:
In today’s society, one will find that there are many different factors that go into the development of a criminal mind, and it is impossible to single out one particular cause of criminal behavior. Criminal behavior often stems from both biological and environmental factors. In many cases criminals share similar physical traits which the general population do not usually have. For example criminals have smaller brains than properly adjusted individuals. However biological reasons cannot solely be the cause of criminal behavior. Therefore, one must look to other sources as to how a criminal mind is developed. Social and environmental factors also are at fault for developing a person to the point at which they are lead to committing a criminal act. Often, someone who has committed a violent crime shows evidence of a poorly developed childhood, or the unsuitable current conditions in which the subject lives. In addition if one studies victimology which is the role that the victim plays in the crime, it is apparent that there are many different causes for criminal behavior. Through the examination of biological factors, in addition to the social and environmental factors which make up a criminal mind, one can conclude that a criminal often is born with traits common to those of criminals, it is the environment that exist around them that brings out the criminal within them to commit indecent acts of crime.
Criminology has evolved over history into becoming a discipline all its own, along the way it grew and developed from a multiple sources of disciplines to become an integration of various theories. Reasons that seek to explain crime and deviant behaviors has mirrored the time in which research was being conducted and as time continues to change it is to be expected more theories will arise to incorporate past theories to become ever more inclusive. It is important to understand this development from the formulation of theories, the evolution of, the determining factors in testing, particular process such as social learning that are upheld as strong empirically sound theories in order for scholars to continue to advance further studies. But it is unlikely crime will ever be solved completely, for in some instances it is a necessary evil, yet it can be hoped that with the knowledge obtained thus far and that to be discovered crime and deviance might be reduced, prevented and controlled in the future to come.
Criminologists, psychologists and other scientists have been interested in the study of criminal behavior for years. There is a strong demand and need to know why certain individuals become victims. Many studies have been done on differing victims to learn who and why they are susceptible to victimization. Dr. Larry J. Siegel defines criminology as, “the scientific study of the nature, extent, cause, and control of criminal behavior”.
...why youth engage in criminal activity Research suggests delinquent peers are a proximate cause than family/parental; family/parental may only be a slight cause of involvement in crime. Some research suggests that criminal propensities can be inherited through genes. Unfortunately, the media portrayals of crime aren’t a true representative of the actual crime trends, or accurately reflecting the level of crime perpetrated by youth. There are many different variables that could cause youth to engage in criminal activity, some of these major variables have been discussed throughout this essay.
Behavioral theory of criminology as defined by Cesare Lombroso is a theory that criminals were born genetically and they have the specific physical (Theories of the Causes of Crime, 2009). Another researcher William Sheldon proposed a theory that body shape can contribute as a factor to influence people to engage in crime. She suggested that muscular and athletic people are more likely to commit crime because these people have better posture, high muscle mass and thick skin (Crossman, 2015). Biological explanation before the 1960s focuses on the causes of crime throughout the exploration on the characteristics of the physical body, genital, evolutionary factors, mind structures, or the hormones (Theories of the Causes of Crime, 2009). In the modern century, researchers propose that areas to be studied are genetic transmissions and physiology, they can serve as factors regard to criminal behavior.
Different schools of thought propose varying theoretical models of criminality. It is agreeable that criminal behaviour is deep rooted in societies and screams for attention. Biological, Social ecological and psychological model theories are key to helping researchers gain deeper comprehension of criminal behaviour and ways to avert them before they become a menace to society. All these theories put forward a multitude of factors on the outlooks on crime. All these theories have valid relevancy to continuous research on criminal behaviour.