Soc 322 – Indiv Approaches Origin of criminology - how to deal with the “dangerous classes” surplus populations From elite perspective: What is wrong with poor/”criminals” -- as in Linebaugh's The London Hanged

Soc 322 – Indiv Approaches Crime and violence were rampant. Most victims were also peasants/workers, as they turned on each other But eventually becomes threat to the rich Surging numbers of poor, desperate, and increasingly violent peasants/workers.

Soc 322 – Indiv Approaches European origins Rising agri productivity and surplus pops Landlords, Capitalists, and Exploitation "Enclosures" & surplus peasants "Town workers" and starvation wages

Soc 322 – Indiv Approaches Early Criminology - without Criminologists Perceptions of the problems by “thinkers” sponsored by elites

Soc 322 – Indiv Approaches In the 1700s and 1800s the intellectuals were mostly philosophers sponsored by rich They offered philosophical explanations of what was wrong with the poor/criminals (explanations that would please sponsors) (different explanations were radical – e.g. Marx and the “lumpen-proletariat”)

Soc 322 – Indiv Approaches The Classical Approach: “Free Will” People have free will and make choices Punishment should be designed to deter (alter the choices that people make) (ignores the context of choices) (and assumes consensus model!!)

Soc 322 – Indiv Approaches By mid to late 1800s, sciences developing - especially biology (“positivism”) Scientists were also sponsored by elites Provided a different competing answer to the question of what is wrong with poor people They are biologically inferior!

Soc 322 – Indiv Approaches These ideas were also the basis of the racist theories then becoming popular The rich are biologically superior The poor are biologically inferior (Rich and poor vary from place to place)

Soc 322 – Indiv Approaches Linked to race and ethnicity: “Evolutionary atavism” Defective intelligence - “feeblemindedness” Somatotypes - body types Other supposed race/ethnic links Some are still popular today

Soc 322 – Indiv Approaches Twin and adoption studies The XYY chromosome claims Sociopathy (biological version) “Raging hormones” theories

Soc 322 – Indiv Approaches Early 1900s, Psychology emerging (still within elite-bias tradition) Yet more explanations of “difference” Sigmund Freud - childhood trauma "The Criminal Mind" sociopaths/psychopaths Learning Theory (flawed socialization)

Soc 322 – Indiv Approaches Summary Two centuries of individual approaches has left us with an array of theories that purport to explain why poor people are inferior - and thus poor and crime-prone These are stereotypes of poor/“criminals” that most of us share to some extent - “blaming the victim”

Soc 322 – Indiv Approaches Problems with individual approaches 1. The consensus model of social organization is inadequate, especially in modern societies. There is actually little agreement even on basic values (e.g., abortion, the death penalty, suicide, etc.).

Soc 322 – Indiv Approaches 2. "Sample selection": Focuses on lower class “street” crime & caught offenders: especially ignores corporate/government/organized crime.

Soc 322 – Indiv Approaches 3. Ignores social aspects of crime – crime trends/rates discrimination patterns the criminalization process “labeling” process

Soc 322 – Indiv Approaches 4. Ineffective as basis for crime policy Reactive rather than proactive – focuses on punishing or treating “offenders” who are presumed to be different from “normal people”

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