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Similar to Chapter 3 - Updated
Chapter 3 - Updated
- 1. Chapter 3 Introduce Theory: Understanding Crime and Victimization
- 2. Introduction Theory conceptualizationis difficult for most intro / first year students We do not expect you to memorize all of them Theory can be a semester long class itself – In our class, we are just introducing theory to you You will study theory further in: Intro to Criminology, Research Methods, Senior Seminar… more in Masters / PHD. Goal for us – as we learn, simply think about the theories, what theory represents your view, which theories seem accurate, which seems flawed…
- 3. The Cause ofCrime Criminologist (Definition) Social scientists who use the scientific method to study the nature, extent, cause, and control of criminal behavior
- 4. Choice Theory Peoplechoose to commit crime after weighing the potential benefits and consequences of their criminal act People will commit a crime if they believe it will provide immediate benefits without the threat of long-term risks If the rewards are great, the perceived risks small, and the excitement high, the likelihood of committing additional crimes increases
- 5. Video: Air marshals Choice Theory
- 6. Video: Discussion Questions Does having air marshals on airplanes deter crime?
- 7. Recap - ChoiceTheory Crime is a matter of rational choice, involving a calculated decision made after a motivated offender weighs the potential costs and benefits of illegal activity The decision to commit a specific crime is a matter of personal decision based on the evaluation of available information Even predatory street criminals exhibit stealth and planning in their criminal acts
- 8. Crime Prevention SituationalPrevention General Deterrence Specific Deterrence
- 9. Situational Crime Prevention Increase the effort needed to commit the crime Lighting, fencing, video, “target hardening” Increase the risks of committing the crime Reduce the rewards for committing the crime Induce shame or guilt Reduce provocation Remove excuses
- 10. Situational Crime Prevention Situational crime prevention strategies are designed to convince would-be criminals to avoid specific targets If crime is rational, then painful punishment should reduce its future allure Techniques of painful punishment include harsh prisons, long sentences, and stiff fines
- 11. General Deterrence Ifcrime is a matter of choice, it follows that it can be controlled by convincing criminals that breaking the law is a bad or dangerous choice to make General deterrence is designed to make potential criminals fear the consequences of crime The threat of punishment can convince rational criminals that crime does not pay Potential criminal fears punishment because they know of someone else who was punished
- 12. General Deterrence InhibitingFactors: One of the factors that inhibits the deterrent power of the criminal law is the lack of efficiency of the justice system. 80 percent of serious reported crimes do not result in an arrest.
- 13. Specific Deterrence Specificdeterrence strategies punish known criminals so severely that they will never be tempted to repeat their offenses Problems with these strategies are that criminals do not fear punishment, and the certainty of arrest and punishment is low Techniques include death penalty, mandatory sentences, and aggressive policing
- 14. Video: Death Penalty Legal Issues Choice Theory
- 15. Video: Discussion Questions In what ways do criminological theories impact whether or not the death penalty is considered acceptable by majority of society? Do any criminological theories make it acceptable to put someone to death even if it is a painful death? What is your position on the death penalty? Do you view this as impacted by a criminological theory? Why or why not?
- 16. Trait Theories BiochemicalFactors Neurological Factors Genetic Factors
- 17. Trait Theories Crimeis caused (not by choice... but) by inherited and uncontrollable biological and psychological traits: Intelligence Body build Personality Biomedical makeup Assumes that variation in human physical traits can explain behavior
- 18. Biochemical Factors Environmentalcontaminants has been shown to influence brain functioning and intelligence levels Some research efforts have linked antisocial behavior to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, food additives, and improper diet Hypoglycemia Excessive levels of testosterone have been linked to violence and aggression
- 19. Neurological Factors Some suspect that the cause of abnormal neurological function is impairment in neurotransmitters, which are chemical compounds that influence or activate brain functions The presence of brain abnormality causes irrational and destructive behaviors Research shows that youths with ADHD who grow up in a dysfunctional family are the most vulnerable to chronic delinquency that continues into their adulthood
- 20. Genetic Factors Modernbio-criminologists are concerned with the role of heredity in producing crime-prone people Your genes Your DNA Minnesota Twin study Despite growing up separate – display same traits and behaviors
- 21. Psychological Theories PsychodynamicTheory Behavioral Theory Cognitive Theory Personality and Crime IQ and Crime
- 22. Psychological Theories Psychologicaltheories suggest that criminals may be suffering from a psychological abnormality or stress that has a long history
- 23. Psychodynamic Theory Somepeople encounter problems during their early development that cause an imbalance in their personality Theorists believe that law violators may have suffered damage to their egos, or superegos, early in their development that renders them powerless to control their impulses
- 24. Behavioral Theory Viewbehavior as learned through interactions with others Behavior that is rewarded becomes habitual Behavior that is punished becomes extinguished
- 25. Video: Violent Crime Theoretical Explanations
- 26. Video: Discussion Questions According to the media clip, what are the reasons for the rise in violent crime? How would each theory explain violent crime? What theory of crime BEST explains violent crime?
- 27. Cognitive Theory Concernedwith the way people perceive and mentally represent the world in which they live Another area is moral development theory
- 28. Personality and Crime Some psychologists view criminal behavior as a function of a disturbed personality structure Antisocial personality Failure to conform to social norms Deceitfulness Impulsivity Irritability Disregard for safety Irresponsibility Lack of remorse
- 29. IQ and Crime Studies link low IQ to violent and aggressive behavior, however there are problems with these studies The link between intelligence and crime is one of the most enduring controversies in the psychology of crime literature
- 30. Sociological Theories SocialStructure Theory The Disorganized Neighborhood Social Process Theories
- 31. Sociological Theories Placeemphasis on environmental conditions Equate the cause of criminal behavior with social factors, such as poverty and unemployment
- 32. Social Structure Theory Suggest that people’s place in the socioeconomic structure influences their chances of becoming a criminal Poor individual’s are more likely to commit crimes because they are unable to achieve monetary or social success in any other way Racial disparity The problems of lower-class culture are particularly acute for racial and ethnic minorities
- 33. The Disorganized Neighborhood The effects of income inequality, poverty, racism, and despair are a key cause of youth crime and drug abuse
- 34. Social Process Theories Social Learning Theory Suggests that people learn the techniques and attitudes of crime from close relationships with criminal peers People become violent because they model their behavior after others and have had that behavior positively reinforced Social Control Theory Maintains that everyone has the potential to become a criminal but that most people are controlled by their bonds to society; crime occurs when the forces that bind people to society are weakened or broken
- 35. Agnew’s Sources ofStrain and Their Consequences
- 36. Social Process Theories Social Reaction / Labeling Theory Suggests that people become criminals when significant members of society label them as such and they accept those labels as a personal identity
- 37.
- 38. Critical Criminology SocialInequality
- 39. Critical Criminology Crimein any society is caused by class conflict Laws are created by those in power to protect their rights and interests One of the theory’s most important premises is that the justice system is biased and designed to protect the wealthy
- 40. Developmental Theories LifeCourse Theory Latent Trait Theory The General Theory of Crime
- 41. Developmental Theories Lifecourse theories suggest that events take place over the life course to influence criminal choices The causes of crime constantly change as people mature At first the nuclear family influences behavior In adolescence, the peer group dominates In adulthood, marriage and career are critical According to Sampson and Laub, the two most critical turning points in a criminal career are Marriage and Employment
- 42.
- 43. Developmental Theories LatentTrait Theory Suggests that a master trait guides people over the life course The General Theory of Crime Suggests that impulsive people have low self-control and a weak bond to society; they often cannot resist criminal opportunities
- 44. Victimization Theories LifestyleTheory Routine Activities Theory (We are NOT blaming the Victims) - however - There is some theoretical support for placing oneself in a situation where we can easily become a victim
- 45. Theories of Victimization Victim precipitation theory looks at the victim’s role in the criminal incident Lifestyle Theories Suggest that victims put themselves in danger by engaging in high-risk activities More Danger: Someone who goes out late at night Less Danger: Someone married who stays in at night
- 46. Theories of Victimization The Routine Activities Theory Maintains that a pool of motivated offenders exists and that these offenders will take advantages of suitable, unguarded targets Motivated Offenders Suitable Targets Capable Guardians (Includes Police Officers)
- 47.
- 48. End End ofChapter 3
Editor's Notes
- #4 Learning Objective One
- #5 Learning Objective One
- #6 Learning Objective Two
- #8 Actress Lindsay Lohan (left) sits in a Los Angeles court with her lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, during a compliance check to report her progress on 480 hours of community service for shoplifting a necklace from a Venice jeweler. Did Lindsay, who has had a long history of run-ins with the law, choose to commit a crime? If not, how else can we explain her behavior? A repentant Lindsay told an interviewer, “I’ve learned how to live my life in a way that I’m happy and can do the things I want to do,” a statement that indicates a rational approach to decision making.
- #9 The fact that some criminals “choose” crime is clear in cases involving high-level corporate and white-collar crimes. Matthew Tannin (center), former hedge fund manager for the investment firm Bear Stearns, enters a Brooklyn federal court for a hearing on July 18, 2008. He was charged with securities fraud in the wake of the collapse of the subprime mortgage market, which foreshadowed Bear Stearns’ own downfall. Whereas some violent crimes may seem impulsive and unplanned, is it possible to say that perpetrating a complex securities fraud scheme did not involve rational choice?
- #10 The fact that some criminals “choose” crime is clear in cases involving high-level corporate and white-collar crimes. Matthew Tannin (center), former hedge fund manager for the investment firm Bear Stearns, enters a Brooklyn federal court for a hearing on July 18, 2008. He was charged with securities fraud in the wake of the collapse of the subprime mortgage market, which foreshadowed Bear Stearns’ own downfall. Whereas some violent crimes may seem impulsive and unplanned, is it possible to say that perpetrating a complex securities fraud scheme did not involve rational choice?
- #15 Learning Objective Two
- #17 The fact that some criminals “choose” crime is clear in cases involving high-level corporate and white-collar crimes. Matthew Tannin (center), former hedge fund manager for the investment firm Bear Stearns, enters a Brooklyn federal court for a hearing on July 18, 2008. He was charged with securities fraud in the wake of the collapse of the subprime mortgage market, which foreshadowed Bear Stearns’ own downfall. Whereas some violent crimes may seem impulsive and unplanned, is it possible to say that perpetrating a complex securities fraud scheme did not involve rational choice?
- #19 Learning Objective Three
- #20 Learning Objective Three - This scan compares a normal brain (left) and the brain of an individual with ADHD (right). The areas of orange and white demonstrate a higher rate of metabolism; the areas of blue and green represent an abnormally low metabolic rate. Why is ADHD so prevalent in the United States today? Some experts believe our immigrant forebears were risk-takers who impulsively left their homelands for a life in the new world. They may have brought with them a genetic predisposition to ADHD.
- #21 Learning Objective Three
- #22 The fact that some criminals “choose” crime is clear in cases involving high-level corporate and white-collar crimes. Matthew Tannin (center), former hedge fund manager for the investment firm Bear Stearns, enters a Brooklyn federal court for a hearing on July 18, 2008. He was charged with securities fraud in the wake of the collapse of the subprime mortgage market, which foreshadowed Bear Stearns’ own downfall. Whereas some violent crimes may seem impulsive and unplanned, is it possible to say that perpetrating a complex securities fraud scheme did not involve rational choice?
- #23 Learning Objective Four
- #25 Learning Objective Four
- #26 Learning Objective Four
- #28 Learning Objective Four
- #29 Learning Objectives Four & Five
- #30 Learning Objectives Four - Although some research shows that people who act aggressively in social settings have lower IQ scores than their peers, other findings suggest that the association between intelligence and crime is insignificant. Should mentally challenged offenders be punished in the same manner as those who are not intellectually impaired? Here, Daryl Atkins walks into the York-Poquoson courtroom in York, Virginia. Atkins’ 2002 case led the U.S. Supreme Court to bar execution of the mentally retarded as cruel and unusual - and hence unconstitutional. Ironically, upon rehearing the case in July 2005, a jury in Virginia decided that Atkins was intelligent enough to be executed and that the stimulation of the trial process had raised his IQ above 70, rendering him competent to be put to death under Virginia law. In January 2008, his sentence was commuted to life in prison as a consequence of prosecutorial misconduct in the original case.
- #31 The fact that some criminals “choose” crime is clear in cases involving high-level corporate and white-collar crimes. Matthew Tannin (center), former hedge fund manager for the investment firm Bear Stearns, enters a Brooklyn federal court for a hearing on July 18, 2008. He was charged with securities fraud in the wake of the collapse of the subprime mortgage market, which foreshadowed Bear Stearns’ own downfall. Whereas some violent crimes may seem impulsive and unplanned, is it possible to say that perpetrating a complex securities fraud scheme did not involve rational choice?
- #32 Learning Objectives Six & Seven - Is crime learned? These booking photos show Patricia Marion Gray, 53, and her son Nathan Gray, 32, who were arrested near Rifle, Colorado, after a meeting with an undercover agent for a purported deal involving weapons, marijuana, and money. Did Nathan learn his criminal ways from his mom? Or can there be another explanation for their co-offending?
- #35 Learning Objectives Six & Seven
- #36 Figure 3.1 Agnew’s Sources of Strain and Their Consequences
- #38 Figure 3.2 The Labeling Process
- #39 The fact that some criminals “choose” crime is clear in cases involving high-level corporate and white-collar crimes. Matthew Tannin (center), former hedge fund manager for the investment firm Bear Stearns, enters a Brooklyn federal court for a hearing on July 18, 2008. He was charged with securities fraud in the wake of the collapse of the subprime mortgage market, which foreshadowed Bear Stearns’ own downfall. Whereas some violent crimes may seem impulsive and unplanned, is it possible to say that perpetrating a complex securities fraud scheme did not involve rational choice?
- #40 Learning Objective Eight - State-organized crimes are crimes inflicted by those in power upon their political opponents. Here, on March 17, 2010, Argentina’s former dictator Jorge Rafael Videla is escorted by prison guards into a courthouse for a hearing in Buenos Aires. He faced charges for crimes he committed during Argentina’s 1976-1983 military dictatorship, including the murders of 31 political prisoners who were pulled from their jail cells shortly after his 1976 military coup and, according to the official story, shot while trying to escape. In December 2010, at age 84, Videla was sentenced to life in prison.
- #41 The fact that some criminals “choose” crime is clear in cases involving high-level corporate and white-collar crimes. Matthew Tannin (center), former hedge fund manager for the investment firm Bear Stearns, enters a Brooklyn federal court for a hearing on July 18, 2008. He was charged with securities fraud in the wake of the collapse of the subprime mortgage market, which foreshadowed Bear Stearns’ own downfall. Whereas some violent crimes may seem impulsive and unplanned, is it possible to say that perpetrating a complex securities fraud scheme did not involve rational choice?
- #42 Learning Objective Nine
- #43 Figure 3.3 Life Course Theory
- #44 Learning Objective Nine
- #45 The fact that some criminals “choose” crime is clear in cases involving high-level corporate and white-collar crimes. Matthew Tannin (center), former hedge fund manager for the investment firm Bear Stearns, enters a Brooklyn federal court for a hearing on July 18, 2008. He was charged with securities fraud in the wake of the collapse of the subprime mortgage market, which foreshadowed Bear Stearns’ own downfall. Whereas some violent crimes may seem impulsive and unplanned, is it possible to say that perpetrating a complex securities fraud scheme did not involve rational choice?
- #46 Learning Objective Ten
- #47 Learning Objective Ten
- #48 Figure 3.4 Routine Activities Theory
- #49 The fact that some criminals “choose” crime is clear in cases involving high-level corporate and white-collar crimes. Matthew Tannin (center), former hedge fund manager for the investment firm Bear Stearns, enters a Brooklyn federal court for a hearing on July 18, 2008. He was charged with securities fraud in the wake of the collapse of the subprime mortgage market, which foreshadowed Bear Stearns’ own downfall. Whereas some violent crimes may seem impulsive and unplanned, is it possible to say that perpetrating a complex securities fraud scheme did not involve rational choice?