...Assignment 2: Crime Theories Charles Faust Professor Jesse Witherspoon CIS 170-Information Technology in Criminal Justice 11/3/13 Abstract “In any society the benefits or affluence is not equally distributed and there are individual differences in personality profiles, and different groups are able to cope with strain and therefore psychological, social environmental factors, official crime control methods, values and beliefs, as well psychological factors, biological factors and social factors interact in different degrees on individuals and groups and therefore give birth to the commitment of crime (Fickle p.32).” This in essence is the theory of crime as it is related to today’s world and how I view digital crime. Psychological issues are at the leading forefront for the cause of digital crime. Psychological Theories “There are several psychological theories that have been applied to criminal activity (Taylor p. 39).” I will look at the impact of how moral development and personality disorders have certain effects on crime. Moral development theories allow you to look at the differences that exist between criminals and noncriminal, whereas personalities show that there are specific behaviors that show can lead to crime. Moral Development. Considering the relative influence of nature and nurture in the determination of criminal behavior is obviously crucial. There has been some research that considers the importance of genetic factors and some that considers...
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...Crime Theories Marcelino Sanchez CJA/204 12-06-11 Frank Juarez Crime Theories The choice theory has an important role to play when considering the reasons leading to a criminal activity. This theory has its own importance while creating strategies for controlling or reducing crime. For this, it is important to understand the theory and how it affects the possibility of someone taking part in criminal activity and how an attempt to control crime would take place under choice theory. Choice theory has derived from the works of early theorists, Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham. The Choice Theory obviously affects how society would deter criminal acts. The choice theory of criminology is also known as the classical theory. The fundamental concepts of this theory are that people select all behavior, including criminal behavior. People's choices can be controlled by many factors such as the fear of punishment or the benefits which are attained by doing the crime or an illegal activity. So it implies that the more severe, certain, and swift the punishment, the greater is the possibility to control criminal behavior. The choice theory in relation to criminology, states about punishment, and its effects on criminal behavior. According to choice theory, punishment should have four main objectives. The first and the most important is to prevent all criminal offenses. The second objective is that when it cannot prevent a crime, it should persuade the offender to commit a lesser...
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...The biological theory focuses on the way that we are designed according to our genetics. This theory believes that mind and body go hand in hand. This theory takes neither cognitive processes or the environment into consideration. Neighborhood Watch programs takes account for reports regarding deviant behavior as well as those about crime. Neighborhood Watch increases the cost of crime due to the fact the price for committing crime is higher now than it was in the past. The biological factors help to fore warn crime prevention programs of the crimes that one will commit based on the behavioral patterns of prior offenders. The rational theory is also known as the rational choice theory of crime. This theory focuses on wanting more than the least of something. It also direct ones attention to the things that are better off in the long run, and not short term. The primary thought of rational choice theory is the choice patterns that people use in communities are impacted greatly due to the fact that they are trying to use their benefit to its full extent for less. This theory informs individuals on the outcome of what will happen after they have done something. It explains to them the full extent of the crime and punishment. As it relates to Neighborhood Watch Programs, they hang signs and provide other propaganda intelling the after affects of committing a crime. Example: signs say no to drugs and a person going to jail. Example: A picture of a person breaking...
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...Introduction “Criminology is the scientific study of the causation, correction and prevention of crime” (Legal Dictionary, 2015). Understanding crime and the events that happen leading up to the act help compare and contrast the causes, effects, and patterns of criminal behavior. The studies of such involve developing theories; this is the development of criminology. Scientific research is conducted to better understand individuals in societies. Criminology is the foundation of the justice system where crime is studied along with issues related to crime. This paper is intended to discuss the sociobiological theory that will explain the relationship between personality and criminal behavior, to compare key elements of sociobiological with biological and psychological theories, and finally, to identify the philosophical basis to each of these theories. The Relationship between Personality and Criminal Behavior Sociobiological theory is based on the combination of human behavior that occurs naturally with the effects of society. Researchers have thought of this theory by means of learning behaviors that are genetic compared to the environments that individuals are surrounded by. Founded by E.O. Wilson, the sociobiological theory used principles are Darwinism, in that human behaviors are evolutionary (Stanford, 2009). There are predisposition behaviors that will separate a criminal from an upstanding citizen. One example can be found among gang members as they have...
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...The fast growth of technology is creating more and more threats to our society in a number of ways. It is threatening individuals by letting cybercriminals gain access to sensitive information that can cause harm to innocent people. It is also creating threats to our younger generations that are unable to cope with the high emotions of social media sites. Individuals are being lured by fake profiles or fake people who would do harm to them. Computer crimes are on the rise. Law enforcements and agencies are doing everything they can to prevent the spread of these crimes. They have created special task divisions to protect our society better. New laws have been put to place to protect U.S citizens better. The four categories of crime: the computer as a target, the computer as an instrument, the computer as incidental to a crime, and crimes associated with prevalence of computer show that everyone can fall victim to some cybercrime. The computer as a target The computer as a target in cybercrime is what today’s society fears. Examples that are considered the computer being a target are denial of service attack, data alteration, and intrusion. Denial of service is when cyber criminals deny users to access to a machine or network. An example of this is when Yahoo was hacked into, and users could not open the website for a couple of hours until Yahoo had fixed the issue. Yahoo’s denial of service attack is a great example because it showed society that even big names...
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...Theories on Crime Comparison Angelika L. Arnold AJS/542 May 20, 2013 Marcela Morales Theories on Crime Comparison For several years, theorists have come to the conclusion that people commit crimes for several different reasons. Some say that criminals are born; some say that it is because of self gratification and the need to be rewarded. Theorists believe that there is a psychological, biological, and sociobiological theory that will explain the genuine thought, behavior, and action of the common criminal. This paper will contain information regarding the relationship between personality and criminal behavior; the key elements of the psychological theory, and the philosophical basis of each theory. Key Elements of the Psychological Theory Psychological theory focuses on the involvement among personality, the learned behavior, and criminal behavior. The question is raised concerning the actual criminal behavior that an individual displays and why these people commit crimes. Although theorist believe that what they believe is true there could be many different aspects that develop the makeup of a criminal. By looking back into the criminal behavior of some serial...
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...The theory of crime causation ELAINE WILSON 11/25/2011 D. COOPER UNIT 3 INDIVIDUAL PROJECT The social control theory is just what the name says; it is theory that a person is controlled by social circumstances, control of individual behavior by society. Social control theory stresses the idea that people in a society commit criminal acts because of the weaknesses within society, not because of the strength of forces driving them to do so. Crime is a strain on an otherwise stable system; social control is an attempt to stabilize the functioning of a society. The reasoning of social control is to fulfill society’s moral needs in the societal community. Criminal behavior is a strong indicator of the weakening bonds within society. As a function of social control, conversely, society offers restraints on people. The strain theory attempts to prove that your economic status determines crime. The lower classes are the most vulnerable to this pressure, or strain, and will maintain their dreams and desires though the economic means are not available. Frustration due to lower status would appear to be associated with more serious, repetitive offending. Incidence of crime among a low status group was found to be explained by low expectations in spite of the drive some people of lower status carry. Differential association theory is a learning theory that concentrations on why a person comes to commit a crime. A criminal and deviant act is learned through close and frequent association...
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...Marsha Thompson CIS 170 Doctor David Fox Strayer University Feb. 20, 2105 Select two of the theories, suggested in Chapter 3 of the text, that a researcher could use to explain the cause of digital crime. Provide a rationale to support your response. According to Sang M Lee, computer abuse shows no sign of decline. The social structure theory can help prevent it by enhancing insiders involvement in computer abuse. Studies show that deterrence factors influence SDI and organizational factors significantly affect ICI and ICI decreases insiders’ abuse. Interestingly, SDI negatively affects both insiders and invaders abusers. According to Peter Marzuk, psychological disorders and persons with mental illnesses and personality disorders are strongly linked to crime? Marzuk notes that new studies of violence among the mentally ill are well designed and quite convincing. His studies do state that most people who have mental illnesses are not criminals., and the ones that are do not commit not violent crimes. Marzuk says, "In the last decade, the evidence showing a link between violence, crime, and mental illness has mounted. It cannot be dismissed; it should not be ignored." This research found that people with a background of psychiatric hospitalization were more likely to have been found guilty of a criminal offense than persons without a history of psychiatric hospitalization," a finding that was true for both men and women. According to Marzuk,...
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...Project CRJS 105 – Theories of Crime Causation November 11th, 2010 Abstract The following will examine the differences between criminalists, criminologists and forensic psychologists. It will then transition into how what exactly is a white collar crime and a blue collar crime. Lastly the paper will discuss the differences between index-one and index-two crimes as defined by the UCR. Media Portrayal of Crime Introduction With the prevalence of crime being portrayed in the media world, it can be difficult for the modern American to decipher all the aspects of crime. Criminology, the study of crime and its causes, is a excellent way to find out just what makes a criminals mind tick. Although it may be hard to know just what makes a person commit a crime, having a better understanding of the base of criminal justice aspects may be of assistance. Criminologists, Criminalists, and Forensic Psychologists With a plethora of jobs out there relating to the field of criminal justice, it may become overwhelming to try and decide who does what and how they do it. To have a better understanding of such fields one must know exactly what each field does separately from the other. A criminologist uses sociological theories and methods to study criminal behavior and how societies respond to crime (Hall, 2010). This means the criminologist seeks to find out the mentality behind a crime and how that thinking affects the society as a whole. By creating theories as to why of how...
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...Everyone’s motivation for crime may be different but things such as environment and pressure are contributing factors in most criminal activity. Crime and violence are age old anomalies that have intrigued the minds of scientist and theorist; many have come up with theories that they feel explain criminal motivation. Behavior theory and strain theory explain my thoughts on the theory of crime. “Behavior theory is important in the study of criminology because much human behavior is the result of conditioning” (Schmallegher, 2014, p. 72). Most humans are born innocent and learn behavior from their environment such as friends and family. A person is conditioned according to those that they see as models for their behavior and they learn their morals and values in the environment in which they are raised. Many criminals do not share the same values that majority of society have and therefore they tend to deviate from...
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...Criminological Theories of Crime Causation: Biological, Sociological, and Psychological Carrie Siewert, CJ499 Kaplan University Author Note October 5, 2015 Criminological Theories of Crime Causation: Biological, Sociological, and Psychological For centuries, documentation of criminal cases filled the inboxes of the numerous police officers’, investigators’, and forensic laboratory analysists’ exceeding the limits of caseloads possible for any given criminal justice professional responsible for solving criminal cases. Each giving everything they have to catch the guilty and thus, providing justice to the victims who suffered because of someone’s criminal behaviors and actions. Each with the same or similar inquiries; why do people commit the crimes they commit? Why do they behave this way? What is their purpose? Were the born this way? What, if anything, happen to them to make them behave in such a heinous manner? Are they a victim of their own environment and/or social status? Of course, these inquiries cover only a minute number of possible indications as to answering the “Why?” people commit these criminal behaviors and actions. Criminology identifies ascertains three amalgamations of theories, each of which attempt to justify inquiries by working exuberantly to establish a high level of credibility and reliability; the following will address how these biological, sociological, and psychological theories of crime causation affect human behavior and/or actions. ...
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...THEORIES EXPLAINING SOCIAL CRIME In the few past years criminologist have tried to explain why people commit crimes, basing their argument on biological and psychological theories that try to show why people brake laws. One of the crimes explained by these theories is social deviance like murder. There are biological theories like atavism theory by Lombroso Sassari state the reason why people commit murder is because of their biological structure while psychological theory of differential association state that crime like murder is not inherited ,but it is learned from ones environment and exposure. ATAVISM BIOLOGICL THEORY This theory suggest that genetic makeup play a big role in influencing one to commit murder, it argues that a murderous behavior runs through the family blood. it explains that someone is likely to commit murder if a member of his family has ever murdered ,this acts as a motivating factor to commit the crime .this theory was supported by the findings of a research done in Brooklyn America where of the 10 serial killers in the most wanted list in 2006 were related to people charged with murder cases .Atavism theory puts murderous as people who get their encouragement to kill from the people in their family who killed before them, further stating that the DNA of a murder affects his mental state making them inhuman when taking a life, PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORY DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION This theory by Edwin states that when one commits murder, genetics do...
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... CRJS105 –1103b-04 Theories of Crime Causation October 26, 2011 Abstract In this paper I will describe 4 different sociological theories in some depth while looking at how each of them in some cases overlap and strengthen one another, and at the same time many of them are in direct conflict with each other. These theories are Neutralization theory by Sykes and Matza where criminal behavior is justified ., Differential Association by Donald Sutherland where it talks about pressure that cause different types of behavior, Strain theory by Robert Agnew where the strain of outside factors are the cause of this abnormal behavior,. And finally the social control theory by Travis Hirschi along with many other who have over time helped to further this theory. Along with these theories I have also talked about a man convicted of theft by taking here in the Atlanta area and what I believe to be the best theory that would apply to him. In my conclusion I will Point the one true weakness in all the theories that I have covered in this paper. Routine Activity Theory”: I have chosen the “Routine Activity Theory” It shows a meaningful view on the causes of crime and the problems surrounding it. The basic point to this theory is that these offenders many times don’t have any effective controls and they will act out on targets that are very easy. One of the points of Routine Act ivy theory is that the offender and the target...
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...years crime has gotten better many don’t think so because many have their own meaning of what should be a crime. The Criminal justice system keeps crime under control from my point of view. Some crimes are plan and some are not. People commit crimes due to different circumstances. Some people get a thrill out of committing crimes and those are the people that most likely commit more than one crime. There are many theories of why crimes are committed. Behavioral Theory, Cognitive Theory and Psychodynamic Theory are three of the many theories of why people think that crimes are committed. Behavioral Theory, Cognitive Theory and Psychodynamic Theory are psychological views of cause of crime. They all describes the mentally reasons why a person commits a crime. The following theories describes that a person younger life might has some kind of impact of their violent lives. All of the theories see human actions based upon the interaction of drives and forces within the person, particularly unconscious and between the different structures of the personality....
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...Who defines crime? According to Cullen, Agnew, and Wilcox (2014), Critical Criminology Theory states that the powerful and wealthy class define crime. Why can they define what is considered a crime and what is not? The powerful and the wealthy class are made up of a small percentage, yet, that percentage can determine what is considered a crime and what is not. They rule on such things to be able to control the other percentage. For example, Crack vs. Cocaine. Due to cocaine being expensive to buy, crack was developed as a cheap alternative to cocaine. Since crack was a cheap alternative, it became available to low-income minorities. As a result, it became viewed by society as a drug used by the poor and cocaine used by the wealthy. In late...
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