Explaining Crime After completing this chapter, you should be able to: Define criminal theory. State the causes of crime according to classical and neoclassical theory. Describe the biological theories of crime causation. Describe the different psychological theories of crime causation. Explain sociological theories of crime causation. Distinguish major differences among classical, positivist, and critical theories of crime causation.

What is a theory? A theory of crime attempts to explain why or how a certain thing or certain things are related to criminal behavior. The failure to understand the theoretical basis of criminal justice policies leads to two undesirable consequences: If you do not know the theories on which your criminal justice policies are based upon then you will also be unaware of the problems that are likely to undermine the success of those policies. If people’s lives are going to be disrupted by criminal justice policies, it seems only fair that there be very good reasons for the disruption.

Classical Theory Product of the Enlightenment period. Human beings commit crime because they rationally calculate that the crime will give them more pleasure than pain. Classical criminologists were more concerned with protecting rights of humankind from corruption and excesses of existing legal institutions.

Cesare Beccaria – best known classical criminologist Only justified rationale for law and punishments is the principle of utility; “the greatest happiness shared by the greatest number.” Basis of society = social contract Only legitimate purpose of punishment is deterrence 4 ways to prevent/deter crime: Enact laws that are clear, simple, and unbiased Educate the public Eliminate corruption from the administration of justice Reward virtue

Neoclassical Theory Conceded that certain factors might inhibit the exercise of free will Thus the idea of premeditation was introduced as a measure of the degree of free will exercised Impact on criminal justice policy: Provided a reason for nonlegal experts to testify in court Offenders began to be sentenced to punishments that were considered rehabilitative

Positivist Approaches Key assumptions of positivist school of thought: Human behavior is determined and not a matter of free will Criminal are fundamentally different than noncriminals Crime is frequently caused by multiple factors Society is based on a consensus not social contract

Biological Theories criminals are physiologically different than noncriminals Criminal Anthropology: can be recognized by physical characteristics (must have more than 5) Body-Type Theory: delinquents are more mesomorphic than non-delinquents Heredity Studies: criminals are genetically different from noncriminals Limbic System Disorders: unprovoked violent criminal behavior is caused by destructive processes of the limbic system Chemical Dysfunctions: criminal behaviors are believed to be influenced by low levels of brain neurotransmitters Minimal Brain Damage: brain damage increases an individual’s chances of being identified as delinquent Endocrine Abnormalities: criminal behavior is associated with endocrine abnormalities

Psychological Theories Intelligence and Crime: crime is product primarily of people of low intelligence Psychoanalytic Theories: crime is a symptom of more deep-seated problems and if resolved would go away Humanistic Psychological Theory: crime is a means by which individuals satisfy their basic human needs (Maslow) or crime is one of several adaptations to the helplessness caused by oppression (Halleck)

Characteristics of a Psychopath (according to Freud those with deep seated unresolved problems) Superficial charm Absence of delusions Absence of nervousness Unreliability Untruthfulness Lack of remorse Inadequately motivated antisocial behavior Poor judgment Incapacity for love General poverty in major affective reactions Specific loss of insight Unresponsiveness in general interpersonal relations Fantastic and uninviting behavior Suicide rarely carried out Sex life impersonal Failure to follow any life plan

Sociological Theories criminal behavior is determined by their environment Durkheim: crime is a normal aspect of society; crime is caused by dissociation of the individual from general sense of morality of the times Chicago School: crime is caused because the usual controls over delinquents are largely absent, delinquent behavior is often approved of by parents, there are many opportunities for delinquent behavior, and there is little encouragement, training, or opportunity for legitimate employment Anomie/Strain Theory: source of crime is a contradiction between the cultural goal of achieving wealth and the social structure’s ability to provide legitimate institutional means of achieving the goal Learning Theories: crime is committed because it is positively reinforced, negatively reinforced, or imitated Social Control Theories: People are expected to commit crime unless they are prevented from doing so or people will commit crime unless they are properly socialized

Critical Approaches to Crime How are they different than other approaches? Human beings are the creators of the institutions and structures that ultimately dominate and constrain them Assume that society is characterized primarily by conflict of moral values They believe it is impossible to be objective or value-neutral in anything a persons does

Critical Approaches Labeling Theory: the distinguishing feature of all criminals is they have been designated by the state and its agents as different and bad Conflict Theory: assumes society is based primarily of conflict between competing interest groups-criminal law and criminal justice system are used by dominant groups to control subordinate groups Radical Theory: (based on Marx) competition between rich and poor people and the practice of taking advantage of other people causes crime

Other Critical Approaches British or Left Realism: identified relative deprivation as potent, though not exclusive cause of crime Peacemaking Criminology: solutions to all social problems are the transformations of human beings into communities of caring people Feminist Theory: problems of women lie in the institution of patriarchy Postmodernism: crime is the culmination of certain processes that allow persons to believe that they are somehow not connected to other humans and society