1. Class Name, Instructor Name
Criminology 2011
Chapter 5
CLASSICAL AND NEOCLASSICAL PERSPECTIVES
Class Name, Instructor Name
Date, Semester

2. Understand the context of classical and neoclassical perspectives.
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
Understand the context of classical and neoclassical perspectives.
5.1
Be familiar with the historical development of explanations of crime and deviance, from theology to science, including the dawn of the age of reason, the development of the classical school of criminology, and the rise of positivism.
5.2
Be familiar with the neoclassical perspectives, including rational choice theory, deterrence theory, and routine activities theory.
5.3

3. Understand the context of classical and neoclassical perspectives.
Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes
5.1
Understand the context of classical and neoclassical perspectives.

4. 5.1 Act of Free Will Crime Lecture Notes:
Crime can be reduced by measures that convince potential criminals they are more likely to be arrested and punished severely

5. Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes
5.2
Be familiar with the historical development of explanations of crime and deviance, from theology to science, including the dawn of the age of reason, the development of the classical school of criminology, and the rise of positivism.

6. 5.2 Demonic Era 6 Lecture Notes
Gods and demons as causes of crime and deviance
People in ancient times were thought to act deviantly for several reasons:
God was testing their faith
God was punishing them
God was using their behavior to warn others to follow Him
They were possessed by demons
During this time, sin and crime were inseparable; therefore, people who committed crime
were viewed as in allegiance with the devil or possessed by demons. No better examples
exist than the thousands of women tortured and executed across Europe who were
thought to be witches. Or, here in the United States, the Salem Witch Trials of 1692.
Religious explanations for norm-violating behavior—God controlled all human behavior
and the Church’s authority was to be accepted without question. 6 6

7. 5.2 The Enlightenment Thomas Hobbes John Locke Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Rene Descartes
Lecture Notes:
The Enlightenment (also known as the Age of Reason) was an important social movement in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
Discuss some of the key thinkers whose ideas were the foundation for the Enlightenment:
Thomas Hobbes ( )
Developed the concept of a “social contract”, in which humans band together to form a state
The state demands the surrender of certain natural rights and submission to the absolute authority of a sovereign in exchange for protection and succor
John Locke ( )
Suggested that at birth humans are a blank slate upon which interpersonal encounters and other experiences inscribe personality traits
In return for the surrender of some freedoms to the society, the government is obligated to assume responsibilities toward its citizens and provide for their protection and welfare
Jean-Jacques Rousseau ( )
Stated that in their natural state, humans are basically good and fair, but historically were corrupted by the introduction of shared concepts and joint activities
Contributed to the concept of natural law, rights that individuals retain in the face of government action and interests 7

8. 5.2 The Enlightenment Cesare Beccaria Jeremy Bentham 8 Lecture Notes:
The Enlightenment contributed to the French and American Revolutions and to the U.S. Constitution
It emphasized free will and rational thought as the basis for human activity
It led to the development of the Classical School of criminology, which saw crime as a product of the exercise of free will and personal choice
Cesare Beccaria
Beccaria’s Essay on Crimes and Punishments, published in 1764, contained his observations on the laws and justice system of the time
In his Essay, Beccaria presented a philosophy of punishment
Punishment should be based on the degree of injury caused rather than on criminal intent
The purpose of punishment should be deterrence rather than retribution
Punishment should be imposed to prevent offenders from committing additional crimes
To prevent crime, adjudication and punishment should be swift and certain
Punishment should be just severe enough to outweigh the personal benefits from crime commission
Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832)
An Introduction to the Principles of Moral Legislation, published in 1789, outlined Bentham’s approach to crime prevention (utilitarianism/hedonistic calculus)
To reduce crime, the pain of the crime commission must outweigh the pleasure to be derived from criminal activity
Bentham did not favor extreme or cruel punishment but suggested that the pain of the punishment should just outweigh the pleasure of the crime
Bentham focused on how punishment could prevent crime and act as a deterrent for those considering criminal activity 8

9. Application of Science
5.2
Positivist
School
Social Determinism
Application of Science
Lecture Notes:
Positivism
Positivism is built on two principles:
Acceptance of social determinism—or the belief that human behavior is determined not by the exercise of free choice but by causative factors beyond the control of the individual.
Application of scientific techniques to the study of crime and criminology
Positivism is rooted in the writings of Auguste Comte, who proposed the use of the scientific method in the study of society
Positivism holds that reality consists of a world of objectively defined facts that can be scientifically measured and, ultimately, controlled
Use of scientific method to study human behavior
Postulated human behavior is affected by outside forces
One problem is theory assumes criminals are different from “the rest of us” 9

10. Learning Objectives
After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes
5.3
Be familiar with the neoclassical perspectives, including rational choice theory, deterrence theory, and routine activities theory.

11. 5.3 The Development of Neoclassical Criminology 1960s–1970s 1970s 1974
“Nothing
Works
Doctrine”
1970s–
Present
Tough on
Crime
Policies
Lecture Notes:
In the 1970s, many assumptions of positivism were undermined and a resurgence of classical ideals led to the development of neoclassical criminology
The late 1960s and early 1970s saw a time of extreme political, social, and cultural unrest. Many believed that there was a break down of “law and order.” Civil Rights Movement, assassination of public figures, race riots, Vietnam War, anti-war movements, hippie counterculture, recreational use of drugs, Women’s Movement—all of this turmoil made Americans believe that “law and order” had broken down.
Neoclassical criminology focused on the importance of character, the dynamics of character development, and the rational choices that people make when faced with opportunities for crime
Publications that contributed to the start of the neoclassical movement include:
Robert Martinson’s study of rehabilitation, which led to the nothing-works doctrine
Rehabilitation was abandoned for “tough on crime” measures
Class Acitivity:
Ask students if they know what was going on during the 1960s-1970s so they can fully appreciate how much change was happening in America at that time.
Ask students to identify some “tough on crime” policies.
Teaching Tips:
Define neoclassical criminology. Be sure to illustrate how it takes principles from classical criminology.
Relate to the students how “tough on crime” policies are based in neoclassical theory. That is, neoclassical theory believes that people “choose” to commit crime; therefore, “tough on crime” policies increase the cost (punishment) of offending so much it is believed it will make people not choose crime.
Breakdown in
“Law and Order”
Research
Claiming
Rehabilitation
of Offenders
Doesn’t Work
Martinson’s
Article
Rehabilitation
Is Abandoned
Shift to Punitive
Criminal
Justice
Practices
Adapt Justice
Model to Crime
Control
Legislation 11 11

12. 5.3 Conscious, Rational, Partially Informed Choice Crime 12
Lecture Notes:
Developed in the 1970s and 1980s, rational choice theory includes many of the principles of classical criminology
It is based on the belief that criminals make a conscious, rational, and at least partially informed choice to commit crime
Rational choice theorists concentrate on the decision-making process of offenders confronted with specific contexts and have shifted the focus of crime prevention to specific strategies that would dissuade a motivated offender
There are two main varieties of choice theory:
routine activities theory
situational choice theory
Rational choice theory is similar to classical theory but puts more emphasis on rationality and cognition and less emphasis on pleasure and emotionality
Teaching Tip:
This theory is very popular with students. You will notice that many student say that criminals simply choose to commit crime. Since this is such a popular and intuitively pleasing theory, revisit it throughout the sections that deal with other theories. Do this to illustrate that simply “choosing” isn’t so simple. For example, in the psychological theories section, ask if psychology, mental illness, and cognitive abilities affect choices. In the sociological sections, ask if social structure (neighborhoods, poverty, class) affects choices. 12

13. 5.3 Specific Deterrence General Deterrence Deterrence 13
Lecture Notes:
Deterrence is a hallmark of modern neoclassical thought
Modern neoclassical thinkers distinguish between two types of deterrence:
Specific deterrence: a goal of criminal sentencing that seeks to prevent an offender from committing further crimes
General deterrence: works by example and seeks to prevent others from committing crimes similar to the one for which a particular offender is being sentenced
Modern-day advocates of general deterrence stress that to be an effective impediment to crime, punishment must be swift, certain, and severe; this is difficult to achieve in the modern criminal justice system
Punishments are designed to prevent a repetition of crime, however recidivism rates suggest that punishment does not prevent repeat crime
Teaching Tip:
Give examples of specific and general deterrence. 13 13

14. Absence of a Capable Guardian Routine Activities Theory
5.3
Crime
Motivated Offender
Suitable Targets
Lecture Notes:
Routine activities theory/lifestyle theory was proposed by Lawrence Cohen and Marcus Felson in 1979 and focuses on victimization
They suggested that changes in the nature of society in the 1970s (increased personal wealth, decline in home-based activities) contributed to increased rates of household theft and personal victimization outside the home
The approach claims that crime is likely to occur when a motivated offender (something that is held constant—it is assumed that there will always be motivated offenders) and a suitable target come together in the absence of a capable guardian (someone who effectively discourages crime)
Lifestyles that contribute to criminal opportunities are likely to result in crime because they increase the risk of potential victimization
Choices made by victims and criminals contribute to the frequency and type of crime in society
Teaching Tips:
Give examples of suitable targets and absence of a capable guardian.
Absence of a Capable Guardian
Routine Activities Theory 14 14

15. 5.3 Situational Choice Theory 15 Lecture Notes:
Situational choice theory was developed by Ronald V. Clarke and Derek Cornish and is an extension of the rational choice perspective
An example of soft determinism, seeing crime as a matter of both motivation and opportunity
Focuses on the choice-structuring properties of a potentially criminal situation, the opportunities, costs, and benefits attached to particular types of crime
Suggests the use of situational strategies to prevent crime and lower the likelihood of criminal victimization
Situational crime control policy
Situational crime prevention shifts the focus of crime prevention away from the offender and onto the context in which crime occurs
Instead of focusing on why people commit crime, it looks primarily at why crime occurs in specific settings
It emphasizes the concept of opportunity – reduce opportunities for crime in specific situations to prevent crime
Class Activity:
Ask the class if they can think of any ways one could reduce opportunities for crime or prevent crime by altering the environment. 15 15

16. Understand the context of classical and neoclassical perspectives.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Understand the context of classical and neoclassical perspectives.
5.1
Be familiar with the historical development of explanations of crime and deviance, from theology to science, including the dawn of the age of reason, the development of the classical school of criminology, and the rise of positivism.
5.2
Be familiar with the neoclassical perspectives, including rational choice theory, deterrence theory, and routine activities theory.
5.3