Introduction to Crime Theory

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a 'Good' Theory?

Parsimony

Testable

Logical Consistency

Ineffectiveness (correct)

According to the Positivist School, crime is determined by individual free will.

False

Who is considered the key theorist of the Classical School?

Cesare Beccaria

The __________ School emphasizes that humans have free will and make rational choices regarding crime.

Classical Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following approaches to crime does Cesare Lombroso advocate?

Atavism Signup and view all the answers

Match the theorist to their respective school:

Cesare Beccaria = Classical School Cesare Lombroso = Positivist School Unknown = Integrated Perspectives Rational Choice Theory = Classical School Signup and view all the answers

An example of specific deterrence is when a criminal is punished to prevent them from committing __________ crimes.

future Signup and view all the answers

Empirical support is crucial for a theory to be considered valid.

True Signup and view all the answers

Which somatotype is considered the most likely to exhibit criminal behavior?

Mesomorph Signup and view all the answers

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) has been shown to have no relationship with criminal behaviors.

False Signup and view all the answers

What experiment did Albert Bandura conduct to demonstrate the learning of aggressive behavior?

Bobo Doll Experiment Signup and view all the answers

According to early theories, low IQ was linked to ___ as a significant factor.

criminality Signup and view all the answers

Monozygotic twins share what percentage of their DNA?

100% Signup and view all the answers

The Chicago School emphasized the importance of individual traits in influencing criminal behavior.

False Signup and view all the answers

Emile Durkheim referred to the breakdown of norms in society as ___ .

anomie Signup and view all the answers

Match the following theories or concepts with their descriptions:

Physiognomy = Study of facial features as indicators of criminality Phrenology = Study of skull shape and behavior Operant Conditioning = Learning through reinforcement or punishment Social Integration = Need for societal bonds and laws to prevent crime Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Introduction to Theory

A theory is a set of concepts and proposed relationships between them.
Hypotheses are statements about the direction of the relationship between two concepts.
Theories explain why crimes are committed and who commits them.
They also inform crime policy and interventions.

Characteristics of a "Good" Theory

Logical Consistency: Propositions should make sense and not contradict each other.
Parsimony: Theory should be as simple as possible, without unnecessary concepts.
Scope: Broader scope strengthens the theory.
Testable: The theory should be able to be validated by empirical evidence.
Empirical Support: A valid theory must be supported by studies.
Practical Utility: Theory should guide crime prevention and interventions.

Assumptions of Human Nature

Humans are born bad: Crime is a result of people needing to be compelled to conform.
Humans are born good: Crime is caused by external forces pushing people to act badly.
Humans are born neutral (Tabula Rasa): Crime results from socialization.

Theoretical Classifications

Classical School: People have free will, and crime is a rational choice based on a cost-benefit analysis.
Positivist School: Crime is determined by factors outside individual free will, like biology or psychology.
Integrated Perspectives: Combine multiple models to explain crime.

Classical Perspectives

Classical School (18th Century)

Key theorist: Cesare Beccaria.
Main assumption: Individuals have free will to choose crime based on rational calculations.
Deterrence: Crime can be deterred through punishment.
- Specific Deterrence: Preventing the individual from committing future crimes.
- General Deterrence: Preventing the public from committing crimes.
Effective Deterrence: Punishment should be certain, swift, and severe.
Limitations: An oversimplified view of human behavior and the effectiveness of deterrence. Punishment is often neither certain nor swift.

Positivist School (Late 19th Century)

Key theorist: Cesare Lombroso (Father of Positivism)
Assumption: Crime is determined by factors outside of free will, like biology or psychology.
Atavism: Criminals are thought to be "evolutionary throwbacks" identifiable by physical features.
Lombroso's Criteria: Larger jaws, retreating foreheads, tattoos, etc.
Limitations: Lombroso's theory was empirically unsupported and criticized for racial biases.

Policy Implications

Focus on treatment (e.g., medical model, rehabilitation) rather than punishment.
Practices such as indeterminate sentences and involuntary sterilization emerged.

Biological/Psychological Positivism

Early Biological Perspectives

Physiognomy: Study of facial features as indicators of criminality.
Phrenology: Study of skull shape and size as indicators of behavior.
Somatotypes:
- Endomorph: Fat and outgoing (least likely to be criminal).
- Mesomorph: Muscular and aggressive (most likely to be criminal).
- Ectomorph: Thin and withdrawn (least likely to be criminal).

Genetic Predispositions

Studies using twin studies and adoption studies have shown that crime may have a genetic component.
- Monozygotic (MZ) Twins: Identical twins, share 100% of their DNA.
- Dizygotic (DZ) Twins: Fraternal twins, share 50% of their DNA.
Heritability: The extent to which crime or criminal behavior is inherited.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

Individuals with FASD are overrepresented in the criminal justice system due to cognitive, emotional, and social impairments.
Risk Factors: High exposure to substance abuse, foster care, and poor socialization.

Brain Injury

Phineas Gage: Severe brain injury linked to personality changes (increased aggression).
CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy): Brain damage from repeated head trauma linked to criminal behaviors.

Psychological Theories

Low IQ and Crime

Early theories linked low IQ with criminality, such as The Kallikaks.
Contemporary Views: Intelligence indirectly affects crime through employment opportunities (Hirschi & Hindelang).

Operant Conditioning (B.F.Skinner)

Crime is learned through reinforcement (increasing behavior) or punishment (decreasing behavior).
Crime can be shaped by the rewards and punishments individuals receive.

Crime is learned through social environment and modeling (observing others).
Bobo Doll Experiment: Children mimicked aggressive behavior after observing adults.

Sociological Positivism

Émile Durkheim

Crime is Normal: Crime serves a function (e.g., social cohesion, moral boundaries).
Anomie: Social instability caused by breakdown of norms (e.g., periods of lawlessness).
Social Integration: Society needs integration through bonds and regulation via laws to prevent crime.

The Chicago School

Focused on how neighborhoods, not individuals, influence criminal behavior.
Concentric Zones: Areas of a city differ in terms of crime due to their social organization.
Zone in Transition (ZIT): Characterized by high crime...

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Description

This quiz explores the foundational concepts of crime theories, including their characteristics and the assumptions regarding human nature. Understand how good theories are formulated and their practical implications in crime prevention and policy. Dive into the logical structures that underpin hypotheses and crime explanations.