 Mp5aA Mp5aA HOMEWORK: “I am Adam Lanza’s Mother” by Liza Long

What is criminology? Criminology refers to the study of the nature, causes, and means of dealing with crime

 Classical theories on criminology came out of the chaos of justice in the 18th and early 19th centuries  Some key thinkers:  Cesare Beccaria  Jeremy Bentham

 Famous for writing On Crimes and Punishment  Humans are driven by self-interest, but are rational in their decisions  Government should act on behalf of all citizens  Citizens are prepared to give up some freedoms in exchange for protection  Existence of law should act as sufficient deterrent  Punishment should be proportionately greater than enjoyment received by disobeying

 Based his view on theory of utilitarianism  Law should ensure the greatest good for the greatest number of people  Social contract between government and people, each with clear responsibilities Government to make clear what was illegal and what punishment would arise Citizens to follow laws as created

 Began in late 19th century  Focused on biological and psychological factors to explain criminal behaviour  Based on the idea that criminals are born, not made  nature trumps nurture  Generally discredited today

 Cesare Lombroso ( )  Studied cadavers of criminals  Argued that criminals had distinct physical features  XYY Theory  Chromosomal abnormalities may explain criminal behaviour  Debunked when researchers proved idea incorrect

 concentrated on external physical and environmental factors as major contributors to criminal behaviour Theory of Anomie  Proposed by Emile Durkheim ( )  Argued that as society moved from rural to urban, traditional values and bonds that regulated behaviour were weakened  People would turn to crime living in a big city, no longer restrained by norms of society  Called this state of isolation “anomie”

Ecological School  Argued that criminal behaviour was encouraged or fostered in certain environments  Communities that suffered from high rates of poverty and social disintegration were more likely to condone criminal activity than affluent areas

Consensus Theory  Consensus theorists assume there is a universal definition of right and wrong and that criminal law reflects this consensus  Argue that criminal laws prohibit behaviours that society agrees are harmful

 Argues that people commit crimes when they believe they cannot achieve their desires and goals through legitimate means.  The stress of goals of acquiring wealth (success and power), and the means to achieve these goals (education, economic resources) are denied to the economically disadvantaged

 Suggests the key influences leading to criminal behaviour are found in upbringing, peer groups, and role models

 Argues that some human traits such as intelligence, personality, chemical and genetic makeup may predispose people to engage in criminal behaviour  Research suggests that the following can cause a person to become a criminal Poor diet (“Twinkie Defense”) Influence of hormones (androgens) Exposure to drugs/alcohol in the womb

 Focus on the study of brain activity and how neurological dysfunctions are connected with criminal activity