Criminological Theories Overview

The theory that people are more likely to commit crimes when the potential rewards outweigh the risks.

Informal methods of deterring crime, often based on social pressures like disapproval or fear of social exclusion.

Formal measures taken to deter crime, such as punishments or consequences.

The idea that most crimes are committed in everyday life, often opportunistically, when a motivated offender finds a suitable target and lacks a capable guardian.

A person who is capable and willing to commit a crime.

A person or object that is vulnerable to being victimized.

Anything that prevents or discourages crime, such as security cameras, police presence, or bystanders.

Theory focused on the location and spatial relationships between offenders, crimes, and targets.

A preventative strategy aimed at reducing crime opportunities by manipulating the environment.

Utilizing environmental design principles to deter crime. This approach focuses on making spaces less appealing to criminals.

A criminological perspective that emphasizes the role of opportunities in facilitating crime.

A potential drawback of SCP where criminals simply shift their activities to new locations.

Criticisms of opportunity theories argue that they neglect the underlying causes of crime, focusing solely on managing it.

The study of the causes of crime.

The ability of a theory to address the moral implications and ethical considerations of crime.

The performance of gender through everyday actions and interactions, shaping perceptions of masculine and feminine traits. It's not inherent but learned and enacted, often influenced by social norms.

A theory that argues men's engagement in crime is a way to display their masculinity, conforming to expectations of strength and aggression.

The idea that multiple forms of oppression and social categories like race, class, gender, and sexuality intersect to create unique experiences for individuals, especially marginalized groups.

A critical perspective on gender and crime focusing on the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals, challenging traditional assumptions about sex, gender, and criminality.

The capacity for people to make choices and act independently within the context of social structures. It's a key aspect of feminist thought, acknowledging individual empowerment.

A field of study that examines the relationship between colonialism and criminal justice systems, challenging the idea that criminology is neutral and objective.

The tendency for criminology to reinforce existing hierarchies and inequalities, especially those created by colonialism.

The deliberate use of violence, power, and manipulation to maintain control over colonized populations, often disguised as justice and order.

Criminology often fails to acknowledge the role of colonial violence in shaping crime and criminal justice systems.

The deliberate creation of false and biased knowledge about colonized populations to justify their oppression.

The creation of criminal justice systems that disproportionately target and punish certain groups, often based on colonial hierarchies.

Criminology often focuses on solving problems while neglecting to address the root causes of crime, particularly the legacy of colonialism.

The need for criminology to acknowledge the cumulative effects of colonial violence on crime rates and criminal justice practices.

This approach to understanding crime incorporates biological, psychological, and social factors to analyze individual risk of committing crimes. It aims to identify and address factors that contribute to criminal behavior.

A critique of the Brighter Futures approach suggests that it may overemphasize biological factors, potentially leading to a deterministic view of crime. This focus on individual biology could minimize social and environmental factors that contribute to crime.

Critics argue that the Brighter Futures approach primarily focuses on individual behaviors and fails to adequately address crimes committed by corporations and powerful entities. This neglects the broader structural inequalities that contribute to criminal activity.

Critics argue that the approach is difficult and complex to apply in real-world criminal justice settings because of its resource-intensive nature. Imagine needing a team of experts (doctor, psychologist, sociologist) for every crime committed. This makes it impractical for a system where resources are already scarce and many crimes go unsolved.

Critics argue that the Brighter Futures approach doesn't fully address the complexities of individuals' lives and can lead to a simplistic understanding of crime. It may overlook the narratives and nuances that contribute to criminal behavior, possibly leading to an incomplete and inaccurate picture.

An extreme form of conformity in which individuals prioritize aligning themselves with dominant capitalist values, even if it means engaging in harmful or illegal behavior. This can involve adopting a specific lifestyle, consuming certain goods and services, and pursuing status.

The notion that even leisure activities, which are often seen as escapes from the pressures of work and daily life, are actually deeply intertwined with capitalist values. This means that even our downtime and enjoyment are shaped by the need to consume, compete, and accumulate.

The belief that individuals, due to their perceived special status or exceptions to the norm, are exempt from common moral and social rules. Often driven by capitalist values of individualism and competition, this allows them to justify means to achieve their ends, potentially leading to harmful behavior.

The tendency for individuals to engage in deviant practices to conform to hyper-conformist ideals, which can include actions like theft, embezzlement, fraud, and corporate crime. This shows the potential for capitalism to drive both 'ordinary' and 'extraordinary' criminal behavior.

A critique of the idea that capitalism is the sole origin of all forms of crime and harm. While capitalism is important in understanding criminal behavior, it's crucial to acknowledge multiple factors, such as gender inequality, social inequalities, and individual choices.

The idea that even forms of leisure that seem rebellious or resistant to capitalist hegemony ultimately serve the system. This is because they still involve consumption, individualism, and competition, ultimately reinforcing capitalist values.

The observation that men statistically commit more crimes than women. This is not to say women are incapable of crime, but that the reasons behind and manifestations differ, highlighting the intersection of gender and crime within a capitalist system.

The potential for capitalist ideology to influence harmful behavior, like obsessive exercise, excessive consumption, and reckless hedonism, by pushing individuals to conform to unrealistic expectations of perfection, status, and pleasure. This can lead to mental and physical consequences.