Criminological Theories Overview

Social Learning = People learn to engage in criminal behavior through interaction with social groups. Differential Association = Criminal behavior is learned through association with others, involving both techniques and attitudes. Social Control = Strong social bonds prevent individuals from engaging in criminal behavior. Drift and Neutralization = Individuals can move between conventional and delinquent value systems, using techniques of neutralization to justify criminal activity.

Social Learning = Albert Bandura Differential Association = Edwin Sutherland Social Control = Travis Hirschi Drift and Neutralization = David Matza.

Social Learning = Observing and imitating criminal behavior, being rewarded or punished for criminal actions. Differential Association = Learning techniques and attitudes about criminal behavior through association with others. Social Control = Weak social bonds and lack of investment in conventional values. Drift and Neutralization = Movements between conventional and delinquent values, using techniques to rationalize criminal activity.

<p>Social Learning = Overly simplistic view of human behavior, neglecting individual agency. Differential Association = Difficult to measure the relative influence of different social groups. Social Control = Ignores individual differences in susceptibility to criminal influence. Drift and Neutralization = Fails to explain why some individuals are more prone to drift than others.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Social Learning = The process of learning criminal behavior through interaction with others. Differential Association = The role of social relationships in the transmission of criminal attitudes and techniques. Social Control = The factors that prevent individuals from engaging in criminal behavior. Drift and Neutralization = The ways in which individuals can rationalize and justify their criminal activity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Social Learning = Designing programs to promote pro-social behavior and reduce exposure to criminal influences. Differential Association = Identifying and targeting individuals who are at risk of engaging in criminal behavior. Social Control = Strengthening social bonds through community programs and family interventions. Drift and Neutralization = Developing strategies to challenge criminal justifications and promote pro-social values.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Social Learning = Social learning theory can contribute to social control by promoting pro-social behavior. Differential Association = Differential association theory is less directly related to social control, focusing on the learning process. Social Control = Social control theory explicitly focuses on the factors that prevent crime. Drift and Neutralization = Drift and neutralization theory is linked to social control by examining the rationalizations used to transgress social norms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Social Learning = Social learning theory acknowledges individual agency but emphasizes social influence. Differential Association = Differential association theory primarily focuses on the influence of social groups. Social Control = Social control theory emphasizes the role of social bonds in restraining individuals. Drift and Neutralization = Drift and neutralization theory recognizes individual agency in choosing to drift and rationalize criminal activity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Individual = Result of individual weakness or choice Structural = Result of social forces beyond individual control Social Processes = Result of interaction with significant others Cultural = No essential relationship between conditions and criminal activity</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Conservative and Consensual = Presumed agreement about social values Liberal and Consensual with qualification = Structural breakdown with general norms Liberal and Plural with qualification = Diverse social values may exist simultaneously Radical and plural = Social order is the outcome of conflict and struggle</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Individual = Psychological theories Structural = Marxist theories Social Processes = Drift and labeling theories Cultural = Media theories</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Individual = Heredity Structural = Socio-economic background Social Processes = Law enforcement Cultural = Public Knowledge</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Individual = Low intelligence Structural = Capitalist organization of society Social Processes = Learning from interactions Cultural = How we talk about crime</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Cultural Criminology = Focuses on the relationship between cultural representations of crime and responses to it Edgework = Examines risky behaviours as responses to modern societal alienation Constitutive Criminology = Argues that crime is interconnected with cultural and political contexts Vandalism vs. Art = Labels that influence social reactions and perceptions of behaviour</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Conservative and Consensual = Accept legal definitions of crime Liberal and Consensual with qualification = Value general social norms Liberal and Plural with qualification = See the possibility of diverse social values Radical and plural = See social order as an outcome of conflict</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Surveillance = Ongoing monitoring by authorities over individuals labeled as criminals Social Processes = The ways society interprets and reacts to behaviours and actions Popular Representations = Media portrayals that shape public perceptions of crime Law Enforcement Policies = Guidelines that govern police actions and responses to crime</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Individual = Focus on the individual criminal Structural = Focus on social forces Social Processes = Focus on interactions and learning Cultural = Focus on the meaning of crime</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Alienation = A condition that may lead to deviant behaviours in modern society Self-Discovery = A potential motive for engaging in extreme or risky actions Crime Control = The methods employed to manage and regulate criminal behaviour Crime Definitions = Labels that can shape societal understanding and responses to criminal acts</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Individual = Psychology Structural = Social Environment/Marxism Social Processes = Social Interactions Cultural = Communications</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Cultural Criminology = Interaction between cultural elements and societal responses to crime Edgework = Exploration of extreme behaviours as a means of coping with societal pressures Constitutive Criminology = Examination of the interconnectedness of crime with social contexts Vandalism Labeling = Effects of labeling on individual identity and policing practices</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Labeling Theory = How societal labels influence identity and behaviour Media Effects = Impact of media on public perceptions and fears of crime Risk Society = Modern challenges that encourage deviant behaviours as coping mechanisms Interrelatedness = Concept that crime is shaped by both individual acts and cultural contexts</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Demonological = Criminal behavior is due to supernatural forces. Classical = Individuals are free-willed and make self-interested choices. Positivist = Social behaviors can be studied scientifically using data. Social Ecology = Location and physical environment affect crime rates.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Anomie = Crime arises from societal goals that cannot be achieved. Differential Association = Criminal behavior is learned through interaction. Social Control = Weak bonds promote crime Labelling = Labeling by society perpetuates criminal behavior.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Rational Choice Theory = Individuals make rational decisions to commit crime based on cost-benefit analysis. Routines Activity Theory = Emphasizes the context and daily routines that offer opportunities for crime. Sub-cultural theories = Criminality arises from a culture of criminal activity. Drift &amp; Neutralisation = Criminals drift in and out of criminal actions based on social justifications.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Conflict = Power dynamics and societal inequalities cause crime. Constitutive Theories = Discourse and interactions which construct crime. Social Learning = Learning from others influences criminal behavior. Edgework and Cultural Criminology = Emphasizes thrill-seeking and transgression in crime.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Classical Theory = Focuses on free will and rational choice. Positivist Theory = Focuses on scientific understanding of crime. Demonological Theory = Attributes crime to supernatural forces. Differential Association Theory = Focuses on learning criminal behavior.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Anomie = Normlessness can cause crime due to blocked opportunities. Strain = When personal goals or the means to obtain them are blocked, it promotes deviance. Labelling Theory = How society marks individuals can influence crime. Social control theory = The quality and strength of bonds that tie individuals to society.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Routines Activity Theory = Focuses on social and physical contexts that lead to crime Rational Choice Theory = Emphasizes conscious decision-making processes of criminals Social Learning Theory = Maintains individuals learn through their interactions with others. Subcultural theories = States that distinct cultures within the larger society may approve of crime.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Conflict Theory = Views society as a battleground for resources and power. Constitutive Criminology = Focuses on social constructions of crime through discourse. Edgework = Experiencing thrill and excitement from crime Neutralization = Justifications and excuses used by criminals to minimize culpability.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Structural Social Ecology = Environmental factors in crime Anomie and Strain = Cultural shifts causing crime Sub-cultural theories = Collective responses to strain Conflict Theory = Power dynamics and law</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Emile Durkheim = Anomie and societal norms Robert Merton = American Dream and strain Albert Cohen = Frustration and delinquency Cloward and Ohlin = Gangs and opportunity structures</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Structural = Focus on community disorganization Ecological = Crime related to urban environments Cultural = Crime arising from societal values Conflict = Examining power relations in crime</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Anomie = State of normlessness in society Strain = Frustration due to unmet goals Criminality = Behavior deemed illegal by law Subculture = Group formed in response to mainstream values</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Crime in urban areas = Structural social ecology Rapid societal changes = Anomie theory Marginalization effects = Sub-cultural theories Law enforcement biases = Conflict theory</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Emile Durkheim = Cultural instability Robert Merton = Goals vs. means Albert Cohen = Reaction of youth subcultures Cloward and Ohlin = Diversity in criminal opportunities</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Goals = Culturally idealized aspirations Means = Legitimate pathways to success Frustration = Emotional response to barriers Illegitimate means = Criminal pathways to success</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Psychological factors = Individual predisposition to crime Community involvement = Social control mechanisms Economic disparity = Structural influences on behavior Cultural norms = Societal expectations addressing behavior</p> Signup and view all the answers

The idea that crime and its control are shaped by social, cultural, and political factors.

Examines how deviant and risky behaviors can be a way to find meaning and identity in modern society.

Focuses on the connection between how crime is portrayed in culture and how society responds to it.

The naming of actions impacts how they are perceived and how individuals involved are treated.

The understanding of crime is directly connected to how it's portrayed in popular media, laws, and societal discourse.

This perspective sees crime as a product of individual choices and traits, often linked to factors like low intelligence, psychological problems, or poor upbringing.

This theory claims that crime is the outcome of larger social forces, often pointing to economic disparities, social inequality, or societal structures like poverty or unemployment. It emphasizes factors beyond individual control.

This perspective emphasizes the role of social interactions in shaping criminal behavior. It explores how individuals learn, develop, and engage in crime through interactions with others.

This viewpoint sees crime as a reflection of cultural norms and beliefs. It suggests that crime is relative and shaped by cultural values, traditions, and social practices.

This view assumes general agreement about social values and the nature of crime, often viewing people as generally law-abiding.

This view acknowledges the existence of diverse groups with different values, but still emphasizes a general consensus on core social norms and laws.

This view recognizes social conflict and power struggles, acknowledging diverse values and interests. It sees social order as a product of negotiation and compromise.

This perspective views social order as the outcome of power struggles and resource competition. It criticizes societal structures and emphasizes the role of inequality in causing crime.

This theory suggests that crime is the result of supernatural forces, such as demonic possession or a pact with the Devil. Criminals are seen as being influenced by these forces and are not fully responsible for their actions.

This theory emphasizes that individuals are rational beings who make choices based on their own self-interest, seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. It suggests everyone is capable of committing a crime, and punishment should focus on the crime rather than the individual.

This theory argues that crime can be studied and understood scientifically, much like any other natural phenomenon, by using research methods such as statistical analysis.

This theory suggests that crime is influenced by biological factors, such as genetics or brain abnormalities, although there is much debate on the extent of this influence.

Originates from the work of Emile Durkheim, this theory suggests that crime is a product of social strain, meaning individuals may commit crimes due to dissatisfaction with their position in society.

This theory emphasizes the role of social groups and cultural norms in shaping criminal behavior. It suggests that individuals may commit crimes because they learn these behaviors from their peers or social environments.

This theory explores the motivations and dynamics of risk-taking and excitement-seeking behaviors, often associated with criminal activities. It argues that some individuals are drawn to the thrills and challenges of illegal behavior.

This theory posits that crime is a result of a breakdown in social control. Individuals may commit crimes when they are not adequately bonded to society or lack social support.

A theory that suggests crime is a result of certain environments that foster criminal behavior.

A state of normlessness where societal goals and means to achieve them clash, leading to strain and criminal behavior.

A theory suggesting crime arises from the frustration experienced when individuals are unable to legitimately achieve culturally valued goals.

Groups that emerge as a response to shared experiences of strain, often exhibiting distinct values and behaviors.

A theoretical approach that emphasizes the role of power dynamics and social conflict in defining and enforcing criminal laws.

The breakdown of traditional social controls, leading to increased crime and disorder.

A theory highlighting the influence of individual traits, personality characteristics, or biological factors on criminal behavior.

The practice of using a specific social framework to explain criminal behavior.

This theory emphasizes that individuals learn criminal behavior through interactions with their close social circles, particularly family, friends, and even media. This learning includes observing rewards and punishments for certain behaviors, observing what happened to others for engaging in similar behaviors, and developing personal pride in certain actions.

This builds on social learning and suggests that engaging in crime is similar to learning any other skill. It emphasizes the importance of close associations with others who can teach the techniques and attitudes involved. For example, shoplifting involves learning techniques like how to be inconspicuous and adopting the belief that large stores can afford to lose a few items.

This theory argues that everyone has the potential to commit crimes, but strong social bonds prevent us from doing so. These bonds, such as close relationships with family, school, and community, make individuals more invested in maintaining a good reputation and conforming to societal values.

This theory proposes that individuals can shift between conforming and delinquent behavior, depending on the situation and their need to justify their actions. This theory suggests that conventional and delinquent values often overlap, making it easier to drift between the two. For example, the excitement and risk-taking associated with mainstream culture can overlap with behaviors like trainsurfing.

This theory focuses on how society labels certain individuals and groups based on their behavior. It argues that criminality itself doesn't exist inherently - actions become deviant only when they are labeled as such by those in power.

This perspective sees social institutions like the state and the market as powerful structures that maintain social inequalities by selectively criminalizing certain behaviors over others. It often focuses on how these institutions benefit from keeping certain groups marginalized.