1. Social Control Theory And Behavior Trait Theory Comparison Patricia Pryor Kaplan University CJ 102
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3. Leadership is learned behaviorDescription Belief that traits are learned through observation and imitation. Belief that humans learn through example. Humans learn crime and aggressive behaviors by life experiences. Behavior theory assumes that leadership can be learned and not inherent. Crime is learned through Negative family interactions, environments full of violence, and mass media. Behavior is modified through rewards and negative actions then change positives behaviors. If a son sees his father hitting his mother the son will then become violent and abusive to his spouse later in life. The son will follow in these violent patterns.
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6. Crime is a unitary conceptDescription The beliefs within the community is what set norms and belief structures, this will either encourage or discourage people from breaking the law. Social bonds are important and those are what is dependent on whether a person will or not conform. Attachment Commitment Involvement Belief
11. Differences between the two theories Behavior Trait Theory believes crime is learned from others while Social Control Theory believes social standing controls crime. Behavior Trait Theory blames negative family interactions, Social Control Theory blames negative attachments to family.
12. Example Case Gacy was born to Catholic parents in 1942, in Chicago, IL. He was the only son born to a family with three children. He was the middle child, Gacy attended parochial school and raised in a Catholic community. Gacy was liked by his teachers, was active in boy scouts. He also had several part time jobs. His childhood was essentially normal. Gacy father was abusive, and his relationship was strained with him. Gacy also had some medical problems due to a brain clot and heart problems. Gacy obtained a degree in Chicago for business. He was skilled at selling, he got a new job and was promoted. Gacy got married and started to manage the KFC owned by his father in law. Gacy was convicted of child molestation while working at the KFC. He served 18 months in prison and his wife divorced him. When he was released he remarried and had three children.
13. Example Case Gacy seemed happy in his family life, but he was hiding the fact that he was homosexual. He was also extremely aggressive during his homosexual encounters. Gacy murdered 33 boys during 1975-1978. He hid the boys in his crawlspace and would apply lime to try and disguise the odor. Gacy continued to pretend to be a friendly neighbor and had BBQs where the mayor attended. If any questions came up on the odor, it was explained away as a sewage problem
23. Reference Siegal, Larry J. (2009). Criminology, the Core, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/crime/serial-killers/john-wayne-gacy/, Retrieved on May 20, 2010 http://www.crimemagazine.com/boykillergacy.htm, Retrieved on May 18, 2010
Editor's Notes
including what the theory considers to be the major factors that cause crime http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/theories/behavioral_theory.htm