Psychology of Addiction and Crime

CPS2822: Theories of Crime

• Course taught by Dr. Kalliopi Megari, Academic Director PG Clinical Psychology, Psychology Department, University of York, City College
• Topics covered include theories of crime (single factor), juvenile offenders, levels of theoretical analysis, neuropsychology, psychoanalysis, addiction to crime, Eysenck's biosocial theory, social learning theory, strain theories, and social construction.

Week 2 Outline

• Chapter 5: Theories of Crime (Single Factor Theories):

  • Neuropsychology
  • Psychoanalysis
  • Attachment
  • Addiction to crime
  • Eysenck's Biosocial Theory
  • Social Learning theory
  • Strain theories
  • Social construction

• Chapter 6: Juvenile Offenders and Beyond:

  • Risk and protective factors
  • Social interventions to reduce delinquency

Levels of Theoretical Analysis

• Crime can be explained at various levels, interwoven and complementary.
  • Societal (Macro) theories
  • Community (Locality) theories
  • Group Influence and Socialization theories
  • Individual approaches

Additional Points

• A variety of theories of crime are considered.
• Video resources provide supplementary learning.

Neuropsychology

• The case of Phineas Gage
• Neuropsychology concerns brain structure and activity/function related to psychological processes.
• Questions about whether neuropsychology can explain criminal behavior are explored.
• Biological explanations are not the sole determinant. Evidence indicates significant social and psychological factors.
• Methodological challenges in studying the relationship: the difficulty of establishing if brain differences cause criminal behaviour.
• Traumatic Brain Injury may affect regions responsible for social behaviour (self-regulation, planning, etc.).
• Cautious approach to linking brain pathologies directly to criminal behavior.
• Issues with brain damage being a consequence rather than a cause of violent behaviour.

Neuropsychology - Evaluation

• Pros: Potential for better-targeted treatments. Possibility for biological factors slightly influencing criminality.
• Cons: Limited understanding of biological basis of criminality, difficulty in establishing causes for individual cases. Biological approaches don't address immediate therapy or assessing future behavior.

Psychoanalysis

• Criminality seen in terms of guilt, a concept central to Freudian psychoanalysis (Freud, 1916).
• Feelings of guilt leading to crimes as a form of release.
• Focus on the interplay between internal forces (e.g, overpowering superego).
• Attachment theory: Critical role of early caregiver relationships in later behavior and relationships.
• Associations between parental attachment and delinquency.

Psychoanalysis - Evaluation

• Pros: Some aspects of attachment and early childhood experiences influential in directing research.
• Cons: Contemporary psychology less directly uses Freudian concepts; therapies are time consuming and possibly ineffective. Difficulty demonstrating direct causal links.

Addiction to Crime

• Is crime an addiction?
• Characteristics of addiction (tolerance, withdrawal, craving, relapse) also seen in some criminal behavior, especially for some individuals.
• Considerations for classification include frequent co-occurrence with substance abuse, similar risk factors, persistence, and chronic antisocial behavior.

Addiction to Crime - Evaluation

• Pros: Could explain continued criminal involvement despite punishment; applies to diverse types of crimes.
• Cons: Difficulty in establishing causality, lack of conclusive research, and may not explain all criminal behaviour.

Eysenck's Biosocial Theory

• XYY chromosome hypothesis
• Offenders may be more prone to aggression due to biological factors. Genetic susceptibility to crime.
• The theory suggests that genetics influence and interact with environmental factors, contributing to criminal behavior.
• Biological factors (e.g., XYY chromosome)
• Constitutional factors relating to body type. (e.g., mesomorphic)
• Personality factors (e.g., extraversion, psychoticism, neuroticism)

Eysenck's Biosocial Theory - Evaluation

• Pros: Comprehensive approach considering biological and environmental factors
• Cons: Data may be flawed, social input aspect overly simplified, and broader concepts reduced to key factors.

Social Learning Theory

• Observational learning of crime
• Suggests behaviours can be learnt through observation of others being rewarded or punished for actions.
• Early studies by Bandura demonstrating imitation in children.
• Conditions under which this learning occurs must be explored.
• Crime is not necessarily goal-directed.

Social Learning - Evaluation

• Pros: Addresses complex behaviors; importance of normal processes.
• Cons: Explaining under what conditions criminal behaviour occurs may be unclear; difficulties may be found in knowing conditions where learning is not relevant; limited explanatory power.

Strain Theories

• Blocked opportunity to achieve socially valued goals (monetary success)
• Stress or strain can lead to criminal behavior.
• Lack of legitimate opportunities may lead to crime.
• Strain considered a societal/structural factor in crime generation.

General Strain Theory

• Various sources of strain lead to negative emotions and potentially criminal behavior.
• Focus on a range of experiences leading to criminal behavior.
• Strains related to delinquency (abuse, neglect, difficult family relationships, poverty, rejection etc.).

General Strain Theory - Evaluation

• Pros: Good overview of deviant behaviour; relevance to the field; psychological approach.
• Cons: Under development with more study needed; strength of its principles uncertain and more research required.

Social Construction

• Social construction of knowledge of crime.
• Knowledge not simply discovered but shaped by social processes.
• Interest groups and their efforts to shape the perspective and knowledge of crime.
• Examples of how medical and other groups construct knowledge, highlighting the importance of the 'war on drugs'.

Social Construction - Evaluation

• Pros: Awareness of societal processes and shifts in knowledge of crime.
• Cons: Doesn't explain crime per se but assists in understanding its conceptualization; limitations on relevance to forensic and criminal psychology.

Developmental and Life-Course Criminology

• DLC recognizes the complex interplay of various factors across the lifespan.
• Multiple factors influence offending, not just one or two distinct ones, from infancy to adulthood (temporal order).
• DLC recognizes that influences are from 'womb to tomb' and how these factors change over time.

Chapter 6: Juvenile Offenders and Beyond

• Includes sections on adolescents, crime and family, criminogenic factors, protective factors, and social interventions.
• Discusses risk factors and protective factors in preventing future issues, including methods to help rehabilitate.

Activity

• Students should select a theory and identify case study details relating to that theory to understand its implications for the case study. - Consider areas for further research based on the chosen theory.
• Case Study example: Information about John Smith, a person incarcerated for rape, and the circumstances leading to the incarceration.

This quiz explores the intricate relationship between addiction and criminal behavior, emphasizing key psychological theories and models. It covers various aspects, including cognitive behavioral approaches, Freudian views, and Bowlby’s attachment theory. Engage with thought-provoking questions that challenge your understanding of these complex topics.