1. Theories of Crime & Deviance
Demonology
Classical & Neo-Classical Theory
Positivism & the Ecological Approach
Biological Theories
Psychological Approaches
Sociological Approaches

2. Demonology Crime caused by demonic activity
Offender to be purged of evil presence

3. Classical Theory Origin: about 1764
Founders: Cesare Beccaria, Jeremy Bentham
Based on ‘hedonistic calculus’
Punishment should fit the crime
Punishment should be applied equally

4. Neo-Classical Theory Introduced idea of mitigating factors
Age & situational context taken into account

5. Positivism & the Ecological Approach
Positivism – emphasizes measuring, accumulating & assessing data
Ecological approach identified relationships between criminality and geographical & social factors

6. Biological Approaches
Core ideas:
Biological and mental traits make some people crime-prone.
These traits are inherited and present at birth.
Mental and physical degeneracies are the cause of crime.

7. Lombroso & Biological Atavism
Study of inmates
Physical characteristics of inmates differ from law-abiding citizens
Problems with atavism

8. Sheldon & Somatatyping
Temperament affected by body type
Endomorph
Ectomorph
mesomorph

9. XYY THEORY Based on studies of inmates “super-male”
Problems with xyy theory

10. Genetic Predispositions
Some individuals predisposed to:
Alcoholism
Suicide
Mental illness
Other deviant and criminal behavior

11. Biological Roots of Criminal Behaviour
Chemical and Environmental Precursors
*eating habits, vitamin deficiencies, blood
sugar levels
* Dan White and the Twinkie Defence”
* Robert Parsons and the “sugar blackout' defence
Hormones and Criminality
Testosterone, pre-menstrual syndrome
Christine English and Dr. Geraldine Richeter

12. Psychological approaches
Focus on the individual (cognitive, behavioral, neurological, developmental)
Examples:
psychoanalytic theory
Psychopathy

13. The Psychopath Lack empathy and guilt Highly manipulative
Emotionally shallow
Often outwardly charming
History of violence & abuse
Abnormal physiological responses to stressors

14. Sociological Approaches
Micro sociology emphasizes social processes
Example: learning the symbols of a culture/subculture
Macrosociology emphasizes social structures
Example: class inequalities cause crime