Theory
Logical relationship between two or more variables
Theories of Law and Criminal Justice
Why are some actions considered to be legal/illegal?
Theories of Criminal and Deviant Behavior
Why is it that people commit crime and why do some people choose to conform?
Macro/Structural theories of crime
Ex.?
Theory that looks at circumstance that lead to crime. Fall under things being beyond control of their self interest.
Ex. crime filled neighborhood, poverty, educational system
Micro/ Professional theories of crime
Deals with the individual for him or herself
Biological theories of crime
something wrong with their genetics. Something wrong with their brains
Psychological theories
a person's personality or emotional maladjustment is responsible for their behavior
Sociological theories
cultural explanations of crime
Empirical validity*****
it has been observed, the evidence tends to support the theory or how we observe it. "Preponderance of Evidence
Logical consistency
it makes sense that an independent variable is influencing a dependent variable
Scope
The range of phenomena. A large portion of behavior that we see
Parsimony
saying things in a simple concise way.
Should be completely understandable. When a person is making an argument to you it should be taught in a clear language.
Testability
Ex.?
in order for a theory to be valid it must be "falsifiable" it has to be open to evidence that disproves.
Theory must be measurable meaning each variable in a theory must be measured in a precise way
Ex. Education --> crime
Necessary condition
in the absents of the independent variable the dependent variable does not occur. The independent variable is NECESSARY for the dependent variable to occur
Sufficient condition
Dependent variable ALWAYS occurs in the presence of an independent variable
Probabilistic causality
there are no absolutes
Deterrence Theory
classical conditioning" if the pain/punishment outweighs the gain/pleasure of the crime, a person will be deterred from the crime
punishment serves to offset the pain they will get from that crime
Met in the U.S., punishment serves to offset the pleasure they will get from that crime
the deterrent must be administrated quickly so the punishment stays effective
Celerity
makes sure that they punishment will be carried out as it is documented. MOST IMPORTANT VARIABLE
Certainty
General Deterrence
when punishments are severe, swift, and certain then the rest of the population will be deterred
Specific Deterrence
an individual is deterred based on the punishment variables (severity, celerity, certainty)
Experimental effect
The more experience someone has with the criminal justice system the less afraid they become of the system
Informal Deterrence
Personal punishments in the form of loss of reputation, employment, opportunities, and family are all ways to deter people to commit crime. You are worried about your status among the people that you care about
Personal guilt
Informal Sanctions
anything that is not a legal penalty that causes you pain
Disappointing your family
Rational Choice Theory
The idea that you are using logic when making a choice (similar to the pleasure/pain calculus) and economic expansion of deterrence theory.
Selectively used to explain some phenomena
expected utility
choices are made that maximize profit or pain and minimize costs. Principle of deterrence. Makes an economic argument from deterrence theory
Focuses on material things (objects of money)
Helps us explain white collar crime
Routine Activities Theory
Motivated Offender
A suitable target
Presence of a capable guardian
one of these three have to be manipulated in order to impact crime
how we go about our lives impacts the rate of crime. as our activities changed, so has crime rates
Lombroso
one of the first criminologists who came up with atavism, stigmata, insane criminal, and criminaloid
atavism
a person who is most likely to commit these crimes was labeled a born criminal
stigmata
mark them as an evolutionary missing link
insane criminal
has a biologically defiant mind and cannot control emotions. also likely to commit these crimes
criminaloid
passion with circumstance (not biological)
Sheldon
believed body type can predict crime, in the world there are 3 body types
all theories are proven to be empirically invalid
Endomorph
Ectomorph
Mesomorph
Endomorph
Heavy set person- living a life of leisure
Ectomorph
Thin person
Mesomorph
muscular persons. Ones we have to worry about***
Goring
lower intelligence, more crimes committed; higher intelligence, less crimes committed
XYY Super Male Criminal
making them more violent
Gordon
there is connection between intelligence and crime. the smarter you are (measure by IQ scores) the less likely you are to commit crime
Freud
believed human mind divided in half
conscious mind
unconscious mind- influences actions and thought in some degree
mind divided into 3 points
ID
EGO
SUPEREGO
ID
basic animalistic desires. A human being at their most basic
EGO
balancing point. Practical balance between the two figuring out what path to follow. Doesn't develop till around the age of 3
SUPEREGO
moralizing portion of your mind. Your higher self. What is right and wrong
Oediupus complex
the unconscious love of the mother and the hatred or fear of the father by the boy
Electra complex
the unconscious love of the father and hatred or fear of the mother by the girl
Neofreudians
if your parents are absent then that can cause crime as well as parents that are cruel
significant because they are the first ones who are saying its about how parents treat their kids
childhood is crucial
Personality Theory
measuring traits through testing and evaluations
Differential Association (Sutherland)
Sociological theory a micro or processional theory
9 propositions Sutherland believed why people commit crime
crime is learned
1st proposition of Sutherland
criminal behavior is learned through interaction with others: our associations with other people is how crime is learned
2nd proposition of Sutherland
learn crime from our "social intimates
3rd proposition of Sutherland
learning crime through techniques both simple and complex and attitudes about crime
4th proposition of Sutherland
definitions of crime: we view the code favorable or unfavorably?
5 proposition of Sutherland
delinquency occurs when definitions favorable to breaking the law out numbers or out weighs the definition unfavorable to breaking the law
6th proposition of Sutherland (most important)
differential association varies from person to person depending on frequency, duration, priority, and intensity of the definition
7th proposition of Sutherland
process of learning crime involves the same mechanisms as any other learning
process of learning crime involves the same mechanisms as any other learning 1. learning through practice
although crime's an expression of needs and values, it is not explained by needs and values
9th proposition of Sutherland
Differential Association: (Akers)
people are exposed to "definitions
Social Learning Theory (Akers)
takes an existing theory and then adds more making it a different theory
referent groups
group that we care about and being deterred because of those people
definitions
we not only learn from others but we also give our own personal assessment of those definitions
General definitions
an overall attitude about the law that favors conformity.
specific definitions
a specific belief about a particular act or law. the more someone supports that law the less likely they are to engage
positive definition
an affirmative belief that an action should be permissible
neutralizing definition
a justification for an action
discriminative stimuli
a signal as to how you should act
differential reinforcement
a system of rewards and punishments
rewards (positive reinforcement)
Anything that increases the probability of committing or recommitting an act. The granting of pleasure in hope that the person will commit or recommit an act
punishment (negative reinforcement)
decreasing the probability of committing an act by causing pain
positive punishment
pain is attached to a behavior
negative punishment
a reward is removed as a consequence
imitation
the idea that we follow people we care about and mirror their behaviors
control theories
reasoning
the idea that we are asking the wrong question, "why do people conform"?
reasoning: deviance is taken for granted. people have a natural motivation to deviate.
the whole idea is that there are social controls in place to keep us conforming
Internal and External Control (Reiss)
keep people conforming minus the controls that are in place
Personal Control
self control over your own behavior
social controls
the legal system/social sanctions- society is set up in a way that when you conform you are rewarded. there are punishments for deviating/legal punishments
Direct Control
(social control) a reward for conformity or punishment of misconduct (Parents have a big control on this)
indirect control
the notion that the reason we conform is because of the pain and disappointment we would cause others as a result of our actions
internal control
(personal control) conscious morality, right/wrong
attention, affection, recognition, security, new experiences
Influence of childhood
Theory of Containment (Reckless)
Why do people conform?
Containments in place that keep them conforming
Outer Containment
external supports that counter delinquency. There are containments in place to keep people to conforming
Inner Containment
the idea of our moral conscious. ** good self-concept: developed at the age of 12
Inner pushes
our psychological drive towards deviance- feelings of rebellion, aggressiveness, and anger
outer pushes
the macro or structural variables that we know to be linked to delinquency
outer pulls
personal inducement to commit crime
drift
not everyone even if you are a deviant individual you are not deviant 24 hours a day.
episodic release
when people drift in and out of deviant behavior
social bond theory (Hirschi)
there is a bond in place the keeps them conforming. one of the most empirically valid theories
attachment
people need to feel a close personal relationship with other people. When an individual is socially detached they are much more likely to deviate
commitment
an investment or stake in conventional society. people conform b/c they invest themselves in conventional things
involvement
the amount of time it takes to achieve conventional goals. Don't have time to commit crime
Belief
laws and societal rules are correct and should be obeyed. conform because they think that laws are correct
Theory of Low Self Control
people conform because they have high self control and those who deviate do so because they have low self control
Ineffective child rearing leads to low self control which leads to crime/deviance
3 variables in the theoretical
what behaviors define low self control?
acting out
when a child displays emotion inappropriately and excessively.
antisocial behavior w/peers- solving problems physically instead of verbally
operationalization
the process of articulating measurement. telling the reader exactly how you define a variable
policy implications
the actual strategies the come out of the theory. looking at if they work
classical conditioning
dates back to the 18th century Europe. the criminal justice system was very unfair and was very unpredictable
apprehension
there has to be some degree of certainty that will be caught for doing that crime.
recidivism
the recommitting of crime after the individual has been caught or punished
formal deterrence
does not seem to work very well
motivated offender
someone needs to be motivated to commit crime
suitable target
a person's property
the (lack of) capable guardian
not a person or a thing in place that stops a person from committing a crime
psychoanalytic theory
the upbringing and the experiences you have, along with any abnormal adjustments contribute to crime
neutralization
an attempt to justify the episodic release
denial of responsibility
the deviance i have drifted into is not my fault I cannot help it
denial of injury
well I didn't hurt anybody doing this
denial of victims status
puts the blame on the victims and doesn't actually think they are a victim
condemnation of the condemner
I am not wrong but the person pointing the figure at me is wrong
appeal to a higher authority
people justify committing a crime because they are doing it for some greater good