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Exploring the Causes of Crime: Understanding Criminal Behavior and Its Influences

Learn about the scientific study of crime and the causes of criminal behavior. Discover various theories, including choice theories, trait theories, and sociological theories, that explain the motivations behind criminal acts. Dive into topics such as biological, psychological, and sociological factors, as well as the experience of being a victim and the importance of protecting victims' rights. Gain insight into how criminology can be applied in the justice system.

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Exploring the Causes of Crime: Understanding Criminal Behavior and Its Influences

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  1. Chapter 2: Causes of Crime

  2. Criminology: The scientific study of crime and the causes of criminal behavior. Criminologist: A specialist in the field of crime and the causes of criminal behavior. Exploring the Causes of Crime

  3. Exploring the Causes of Crime • Correlation: A relationship between two variables that occurs when they vary together. • Causation: One variable is responsible for the change in the other variable. Theory: A testable method of explaining behavior or circumstances, based on observation, experimentation and reasoning.

  4. Choice Theories People have free will to choose their behavior. Criminals find crime more attractive than law abiding behavior. Threat of punishment is the only deterrent to crime. Trait Theories Behavior is the result of biological, psychological, and social forces. Criminals are driven to crime by external factors. Rehabilitation and treatment is the only deterrent to crime. Exploring the Causes of Crime

  5. Video: Insanity Defense (Click the image above to play video)

  6. Exploring the Causes of Crime Biological Theories: • Biochemical conditions and crime • Hormonal activity and aggression • Brain activity and aggression • Genetics and Crime • Behavioral genes and the “crime gene” • Twin studies

  7. Exploring the Causes of Crime Psychological Theories: • Antisocial Personality Disorder • psychopaths • Other Personality Disorders • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder • Borderline Personality Disorder • Drug Abuse

  8. Exploring the Causes of Crime Sociological Theories: Social Structure Theories • Social disorganization occurs when there is a breakdown in traditional social controls. • Some theories contend that individuals are likely to commit crimes when their avenue to success are blocked. • Other theorists claim that high-crime areas will develop their own cultures, which are in constant conflict with the dominant culture.

  9. Exploring the Causes of Crime • Social Process Theories • Learning theory sees crime as a learned behavior. • Labeling theory suggests that society creates criminals by labeling certain people as delinquent. • Social Conflict Theories • Crime is a reaction of the powerless against those who make the laws that repress, not protect, them.

  10. Exploring the Causes of Crime Life Course Theories • Childhood behavior of lying, stealing, bullying, and other conduct problems are the strongest predictors of adult criminal behavior. • Criminal behavior is also thought to be related to low self control. • The Continuity Theory of Crime suggests that once negative behavior patterns have been established they cannot be changed. • Others believe that while childhood tendencies are strong predictors of offending, some individuals experience turning points in which they veer off the road to a life of crime.

  11. The Experience of Being a Victim • Victimology is the study of the relationship between victims and offenders and the criminal justice system. • Victimology became popular after WWII. • Von Hentig was the first to draw the victim’s role in criminal offending into the spotlight. • In the 1970’s this practice was denounced as “victim blaming.”

  12. The Experience of Being a Victim • The risks of victimization: • Anyone can be a victim of crime, however, not everyone is at equal risk of becoming a victim. • Certain demographic groups, particularly young African-American males, are statistically more vulnerable than others. • There is a correlation between alcohol and victimization. • There is a relationship between gender and victimization.

  13. The Experience of Being a Victim Protecting Victims’ Rights: Historically, victims of crime have been absent from the criminal justice system. Today victims’ interests are protected in three ways: • The Victims’ Rights Movement • State Laws • Federal Laws

  14. Criminology from Theory to Practice Choice Theory: • Deterrence and Punishment Trait Theories: • Rehabilitation and Treatment Sociological Theories: • Social Reform

  15. Criminology from Theory to Practice Wolfgang’s Chronic 6 Percent: • A small group of juvenile offenders is responsible for a disproportionate amount of violent crime. • Law enforcement, prosecutors and legislators respond with habitual offender laws and other focused strategies.

  16. Criminology from Theory to Practice Criminology and the Justice System: • Debate continues as to whether or not criminology has done enough for the criminal justice system. • Research must be accessible to practitioners and policy-makers.

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