Motivation and criminal behaviour

Serial Rape Motives

• Primary motive for serial rape identified in De Wet's studies centers around power and control over the victim.

Motives for Serial Rape

• Stevenson highlights various motives, including psychological gratification, desire for dominance, and possible underlying mental health issues.

Hate Crimes Motivation

• Motivations for hate crimes typically stem from prejudice, discrimination, and a desire to harm individuals due to their identity or perceived characteristics.

Link Between Anger and Criminal Behavior

• Anger is strongly correlated with criminal behavior, often driving individuals to act out violently or irrationally.

Definition of Xenophobia

• Xenophobia, as defined by Soyombo (2008), is an irrational fear or hatred of people from other countries or cultures.

Possible Cause of Revenge Crimes

• Revenge crimes may be triggered by feelings of betrayal, perceived injustice, or personal loss, driving individuals to retaliate against those they blame.

Envy and Possessive Jealousy in Criminal Behavior

• Envy and possessive jealousy can lead to criminal behavior, motivating individuals to commit acts of violence to retain control or punish perceived infidelity.

Community Reaction to Crime

• Communities responding with vigilante attacks may foster further violence, lead to social unrest, and undermine trust in legal systems.

Rational Choice Theory Central Idea

• Central idea of rational choice theory posits that individuals weigh costs and benefits of criminal behavior before making decisions.

Crime Control in Classical Criminology

• Classical criminology suggests crime can be controlled through deterrence, imposing penalties that outweigh potential benefits of crime.

Offender-Specific Characteristics

• Rational choice theorists emphasize that offender-specific characteristics, such as motives, skills, and opportunities, influence crime commission.

Classical School of Criminology Developer

• The classical school of criminology was developed by Cesare Beccaria in the 18th century.

Personal Factors Motivating Crime

• Rational choice theorists recognize personal factors, including economic status, upbringing, and psychological traits, that motivate someone to commit crime.

Traits Theorists Focus

• Traits theorists primarily focus on identifying inherent personality traits and characteristics that predispose individuals to engage in criminal behavior.

Social Institutions Framework

• Sociological theories of crime often explore how social institutions, such as family, education, and community, impact criminal behavior.

Key Determinant of Criminal Behavior Patterns

• Social structure theorists argue that socioeconomic status, neighborhood conditions, and social disorganization are key determinants in shaping criminal behavior patterns.

Main Focus of Strain Theory

• Strain theory focuses on how societal pressure and limited access to legitimate means of achieving success can foster criminal activity.

Chief Determinant of Criminal Behavior in Social Process Theories

• According to social process theories, the chief determinant of criminal behavior is the individual's social interactions and relationships.

Main Focus of Social Control Theory

• Social control theory emphasizes the importance of societal bonds and the influence of socialization in preventing criminal behavior.

Main Focus of Cultural Deviance Theory

• Cultural deviance theory explores how conformity to the values and norms of a particular subculture can lead to criminal activity.

Motives for Crime

• The text considers various motives for crime but does not mention revenge as a primary motive.

Oscar Pistorius Case Motive

• The motive behind the Oscar Pistorius case relates to a complex mix of fear and misunderstanding, resulting in tragic outcomes.

Jealousy-Related Crimes

• The text does not identify stalking as a crime potentially committed out of jealousy.

Importance of Case Analysis

• Analyzing the facts of each case is crucial for understanding personal motivations, contexts, and nuances of criminal behavior.

Murder Motives Not Mentioned

• The text does not mention financial gain as a possible motive for murder specifically.

Purpose of the Text

• The purpose of the text is to examine diverse motives behind criminal behavior and the theories explaining them.

Power-Assertion vs. Power-Reassurance Rape

• Power-assertion rape involves exerting dominance over victims, while power-reassurance rape focuses on the offender's need for validation.

Motivation Behind Anger Rape

• Anger rape primarily stems from the offender's rage, often unrelated to sexual desire but driven by emotional turmoil.

Motivation Behind Sexually Motivated/Sadistic Rape

• Sexual motivation and sadistic gratification drive sexually motivated/sadistic rape, as offenders derive pleasure from the act of violation.

Power Rape vs. Sexually Motivated/Sadistic Rape

• Power rape focuses on domination over the victim, while sexually motivated/sadistic rape involves deriving pleasure from the victim's suffering.

Test your knowledge on motives and its causes with this quiz. Learn about the distinction between the "in-group" and "out-group" and the impact it has on attitudes towards foreigners. Challenge yourself with questions on the roots of xenophobia and its manifestations in society.