This Essay will look at examples of Crime such as shoplifting, fighting, vandalism, drug abuse and the offenders’ recall of their motivations for engaging in criminal behaviours, whilst simultaneously trying to apply effective Criminological theory of Neutralization based on the offenders’ viewpoints. Here we examine a closely related set of criminal events focusing on the ‘crime orientation’ of offenders or how each participant positioned themselves in relation to crime (Teevan, 2000). This Essay will argue that these types of crime are strongly linked to techniques of neutralisation based on offender recounts, although other theories can be applicable due to limitations of providing a single succinct theory. In this sense it is true to argue that attempting to provide a single universal theory of criminal behaviour that subsumes all others is not desirable when one accepts the nature of diversity and possible multiple realities. This perspective highlights that individual theories may provide some helpful insight into the proximate causes of offending for some, yet it may be limited to provide explanations for others (Byrne, Trew, 2005). However this essay will argue by applying the theory of neutralisation that argues delinquents as conformists who drift in and out of delinquency when temporary neutralizations allow them to explaining why most young men eventually grow out of their deviance (Matza 1964, Agnew1994).
Offenders’ first person accounts will often justify their reasons for committing a criminal offence, and this is useful for understanding and applying a criminological theory based their viewpoints. Authors (Morris & Copes, 2012) argue one of the most important aspects of delinquency is how an individual can distance...
... middle of paper ...
...d vol. 44, No. 2, pp. 185–205
Morris, R & Copes, H 2012, ‘Exploring the Temporal Dynamics of the Neutralization/Delinquency Relationship Criminal Justice Review’ SAGE Publications, vol.37, no. 2, pp. 442-460
Teevan, J & Dryburgh, H 2000, ‘Canadian Review of Sociology & Anthropology’, Vol. 37, Issue 1, p77-93, 17p
Halsey, M and Young A, 2006 ‘Our desires are Ungovernable’: Writing graffiti in urban space. Theoretical Criminology, 10 (3) pp. 275-306
Cromwell, P & Birzer, M 2012, ‘The Curious Case of George: A Case Study of a Career Criminal’ Sage publications, vol. 37, no. 4, 512-526
Froggio, G, Zamaro, N and Lori, M 2009 ‘Exploring the Relationship between Strain and Some Neutralization Techniques’ SAGE publications, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 73–88
Peretti-Watel, P 2003, ‘British Journal of Sociology’, Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis Ltd Vol. 54, Issue No. 1, pp. 21-42
Paternoster, R., & Bachman, R., (2001). Explaining criminals and crime. Essays in contemporary criminological theory. New York City, N.Y.: Oxford University
Sykes, G. and Matza, D. (1957) Techniques of neutralization: A theory of delinquency. Kindle ed.
Hickey, T. J. (2010). Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Crime and Criminology, 9th Edition. New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
During the 1970’s to the early 1990’s there had emerged two new approaches to the study of crime and deviance. The discipline of criminology had expanded further introducing right and left realism, both believe in different areas and came together in order to try and get a better understanding on crime and prevention. There were many theorists that had influenced the realism approaches such as; Jock Young (Left Wing) and James Wilson (Right Wing).
...y of chicago press, 2011, 354 p. Canadian Review of Sociology/Revue Canadienne De Sociologie 50 (1): 116-20.
Lemert, C 2011, Social Things: An Introduction to the Sociological Life, Fifth Edition, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Inc, Lanham, Maryland
The reasons as to why individuals desist from crime can range from genetic, environmental, social, or psychophysiological. One belief focuses on the idea that criminals desist from crime through pro-social development and a worthwhile career path. In a study conducted by Aresti, Eatough and Gordon (2010), five ex-offenders participated in interviews about their lives as offenders, and their new found lives as productive members of society. Results show that four major themes emerged from the five men. First “being stuck” in their offending ways, second “defining moments” or moments of self-change, third “life in transition” or moments in the self-change process, and fourth “a new world” which encompasses the men’s new and reformed lives. The men in the study each had defining moments, typically the realization that they were going to be locked up for many years or losing out on time of their lives acted as this defining moment. This produced angst and made the men question their existence;
Macionis, J and Plummer, K (2005). Sociology A global Introduction. 3rd ed. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. p.436.
Criminological theories interpret the competing paradigms of Human Nature, Social Order, Definition of Crime, Extent and Distribution of Crime, Causes of Crime, and Policy, differently. Even though these theories have added to societies understanding of criminal behaviour, all have been unable to explain why punishment or treatment of offenders is unable to prevent deviancy, and thus are ineffective methods of control. The new penology is a contemporary response that favours the management of criminals by predicting future harm on society. However, all criminological theories are linked as they are a product of the historical time and place, and because of their contextual history, they will continue to reappear depending on the current state of the world, and may even be reinvented.
Situational theory believes that offenders are often opportunistic therefore; it aims to limit the opportunities that offenders have to participate in criminal behaviour (Morgan, Boxall, Linderman, Anderson 2012). This particular crime prevention strategy incorporates a range of measures that emphasise targeting very specific forms of crime in certain circumstanc...
The moral neutralisation theory was originally developed by Dr Gresham Sykes and his student Dr David matza in 1957 as an expansion of Sutherland’s theory regarding differential association theory in 1947. The idea behind the theory of neutralisation by matza and Sykes was to explain and create a wider understanding of juvenile delinquency. The theory of Moral neutralisation was studied to illustrate neutralisation techniques used by individuals who refuse to conform to social order and chose to participate in crimes, to neutralise the guilt of their acts. Offenders generally tend to neutralise certain values within themselves. This is done so that not abiding the law does not affect their inner self negatively, in order to preserve the good
Criminology is the study of crime and criminals; a branch of sociology. More accurately, it is the study of crime as a social trend, and its overall origins, its many manifestations and its impact upon society as a whole. That makes it more a form of sociology than a law enforcement tool. But the trends it studies have a huge impact on the way the police do their jobs, the way society treats its criminals, and the way a given community goes about maintaining law and order. The writer will describe and give examples of the three perspectives of viewing crimes. The perspectives that will be highlighted are the consensus view, the conflict view or the interactionist view. Each perspective maintain its own interpretation of what constitutes criminal activities and what causes people to engage in criminal behaviors (Siegel, p.12).
Human antisocial behaviour is complex and trying to understand it has always proven to be a daunting intelligent task, especially in modern culturally diverse societies. Crime, broadly defined as behaviour through which individuals obtain resources for others through uncouth means, presents as one of the most refractory internal social dilemmas. Understanding individual criminal acts such a murder, rape or motives behind them is intricate, rather their behavioral definitions and causes offers a more clear platform for argumentative reasoning. Criminal behaviour, regardless of manner, involves use of barbaric methodologies to obtain symbolic or material resources. Criminal behavior results from methodical processes that involve intricate interactions among isolated, societal, and environmental factors in people’s lives.
I now know that criminology prefer to highlight the correlations between crimes’ social climates and criminals’ psychological states of mind. While some argues that criminal behavior is a result of individuals’ association with criminal peers, other claims that crime is a reflection of an individual’s genetic disadvantages. I have come to learn that there are no universally agreed formulas on decoding crimes and criminal behaviors. What we have, however, is a manual full of academic opinions and subjective views that have emerged alongside of the development of criminology. At the same time, the volume of conflicting perspectives that I have stumble upon in studying criminology reminded me again that the success of our current assessment models has yet to be determined. Thus, the study of criminology is an appropriate practice that will further prepare me to conduct meaningful research on legal studies and to provide accurate and in-depth findings in the near
explained why people engaged in delinquent behavior. Through studying these theories, we are able to analyze and critique the way they viewed criminals and how we can shape our Criminal Justice Systems to become more affective in dealing with criminals and their behavior. Another important note that we all have to understand is that no one theory will be able to take complete control over one or more views, because of this theories should be integrated together to form new and larger approaches to the problem that is before us today.