...Theories of Crime Causation: Unit 3 Individual Project Jimmie O'Neal AIU Online Theories of Crime Causation: Unit 3 Individual Project There are a few different sociological theories of crime that experts have been debating over the course of time. A few of these theories include: the Social Control Theory, the Strain Theory, the Differential Association Theory, and the Neutralization Theory. All of these theories are different looks on the reasons that criminals make the decisions that they do to commit crimes. The first theory to look at is the Social Control Theory. This theory provides an explanation for how behavior conforms to that which is generally accepted in society. For social control theory, the underlying view of human nature includes the conception of free will, thereby giving offenders the capacity of choice and responsibility for their behaviors (Leonard and Morris). This theory aligns itself more with the classical philosophy. The basic principle states that almost all criminals recognize that laws should be followed, but society has yet to stop the crime and deviance that seems to be a growing problem in the world today. One strength to this theory is that it offers an explanation that the offenders often know what they are doing and that they recognize that it is wrong. As such, they should be held accountable for whatever crime that they have committed, by the court system. The weakness to this is that it seems to never be implemented. It is casually...
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...Final Paper Nick Beech Fort Hays State University A contemporary analysis of the term “white collar crime” is as pertinacious as various concepts within the realm of the Criminal Justice System. According to fbi.gov, there are a host of crimes ranging from health care fraud to computer crime amassed under the umbrella of white collar crime. In addition, the term is widely utilized by both criminologists and sociologists alike, incorporating a mass of non-violent behaviors related to pecuniary fraud. Beyond the fundamental description, currently there is a pervasive inaptness and disciplinary criticism of the definition and application of white collar crime. An assortment of criminologists with the focal point being on state and federal law, contend that many of the behaviors society believes to be white collar crimes are in fact not crimes at all. Short of a statute to delineate whether specific conduct is labeled as a criminal violation of law, behaviors tend to be categorized by individual standards rather than in the context. An individual evaluation of what is or is not deviant allows for a subjective approach that softens the scientific objectivity of criminology (Tappan 1977). Furthermore, the Criminal Justice system was assembled upon the foundation of individual culpability. This presents difficulties when criminal acts involve cooperative intricacies. The penalty phase in regards to the corporate criminal action was not intended to impose sanctions against groups...
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...Sociological Theories of Crime AIU Online April 9, 2016 There are many theories as to why one commits acts of crime. Some of the theories revolve around socialism. Others involve theoretical assertions based on socioeconomic status. And another has basis on personal attributes and rationale to thought in motive. There are also different thoughts to explaining criminal behaviors, one being classical school of thought and the other being a positivist school of thought. For the focus of this paper we will be looking at the four main theories: Social control theory, Strain theory, Differential Association Theory, and Neutralization theory. Social control theory is the theory that those who engage in socializing or social learning build self-control and lessens the likelihood of antisocial behavior. This theory also explains the conformity of behavior accepted in society. Anti-social behavior due to lack of social links within society lend strong indications to criminal behaviors. Travis Hirschi’s held this same theory of ‘‘social control’’ stating that if a man is not variously bound to society by some attachment, commitment, or involvement, he is, at risk criminally. (Muraven, 2006) One of the strengths in this theory is the recognition of wrongdoing by offenders. With the recognition of wrongdoing should come the accountability of action. Therein lies the weakness to this theory as accountability for one’s actions tends to be ignored in today’s society, easily dismissed...
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...2012 AIU Online 6/23/2012 ------------------------------------------------- Theories of Crime Causation Unit 3 Ind. Project The Sociological Theories Abstract The author of this paper focuses on the mainstream of criminology and the sociological theories of crime that have dominated the landscape for decades. The author focuses specifically on the social control theory, strain theory, differential association theory and the neutralization theory. These theories are often spoken due to their historical significance which was discovered during research in an attempt to examine delinquency and deviant behavior. Included in this paper the author shares with you her opinion as to the strengths and weaknesses of each theory. Further, she provides you with an example of a recent criminal arrest as it pertains to one of the aforementioned theories and the relevance that it has in explaining the offenders criminal actions. The first and most influential strain theorist is Robert K. Merton (1938). His original statement of anomie/strain theory is the basis for all of the theoretical developments. The strain has two associate components the first component is strictly focused on the concept of anomie (abnormalities), while the second is centered on the social structures, and the influences that society contributes to the strain theory. If you were to separate or combined these two components either way can lead an individual to a higher level of deviance...
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...Crimes Theory Ontavia Johnson Strayer University Information Technology in Crime 170 Dr. Wesley E. Phillips, Jr. Crime Theory There are many digital crimes that are produced through the life of technology. Differential Association Theory is well known to be the cause of digital crime. This theory originated in the Chicago School of Criminological Theories, which embraces the sociological approach, that criminologist use to analyzing criminality. Differential Association Theory was introduced by Edwin Sutherland in 1947. He was one of the first to take an interest in the classical individualist theories of criminal behavior and concluded the Differential Association Theory. The Differential Association Theory is recognize the most relevant terms of digitals crimes, and well as can be used to clarify non-digital crimes using motivation, rationalization, and attitudes necessary for the crime. Testing several criminological theories, including strain theory, techniques of neutralization, social learning theory, and self-control theory, Morris and Higgins found that differential association was the most pronounced theoretical predictor in self-reported piracy (Morris, R. G., & Higgins, G. E. 2009). Normative conflict at the individual level is translated into individual acts of delinquency through differential association learned through communication usually in intimate groups (Sutherland, 1947). In further arguments peer pressure and peer attitudes are an influence...
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...Money Laundering 1. What is the deviance/crime, legally what level felony? The crime of money laundering is defined as a “financial transaction scheme that aims to conceal the identity, source, and destination of illicitly-obtained money” (Featherstone & Deflem, 471). It is a federal felony in the United States, for which the penalty is “…a fine of not more than $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater, or imprisonment for not more than twenty years, or both” (Laundering of Monetary Instruments). 2. Who is the victim(s)? In money laundering, there are a number of victims. The most direct victim is the financial institution through which the money passed, which is typically deceived by the money launderer as to the source of the money. The crime victimizes nations in a broader way by distorting national and global financial data. Inaccurate financial data can have many negative macroeconomic consequences, including inexplicable changes in money demand, risks to bank soundness, contamination effects on legal financial transactions, and increased unpredictability of international capital flows and exchange rates due to unanticipated cross-border asset transfers (fatf-gafi.org). 3. Is there a "typical" social background of the offender(s)? Are there any current trends . . . data issues? The typical money launderer is usually wealthy since the person or organization has a large, steady amount of excess money that needs...
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...Review of the Roots of Youth Violence: Literature Reviews Volume 5, Chapter 2: Psychological Theories The issue of human violence is also a major topic within the academic discipline of psychology. As biosocial theorists do, psychologists focus on how individual characteristics may interact with the social environment to produce a violent event. However, rather than focus on the biological basis of crime, psychologists focus on how mental processes impact individual propensities for violence. Psychologists are often interested in the association between learning, intelligence, and personality and aggressive behaviour. In this section of the report, we briefly review some of the major psychological perspectives that have attempted to explain violent behaviour. These perspectives include the psychodynamic perspective, behavioural theory, cognitive theory and personality theory. We will also explore the possible relationship between mental illness and violence. The Psychodynamic Perspective The psychodynamic perspective is largely based on the groundbreaking ideas of Sigmund Freud. A detailed discussion of Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis is beyond the scope of this report. It is sufficient to note that Freud thought that human behaviour, including violent behaviour, was the product of “unconscious” forces operating within a person’s mind. Freud also felt that early childhood experiences had a profound impact on adolescent and adult behaviour. Freud, for example, believed that conflicts...
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...movements Social psychology Stratification STS Technology Urban Browse Bibliography Index Journals Organizations People Timeline v t e Three women in the pillory, China, 1875 Criminology (from Latin crīmen, "accusation"; and Greek -λογία, -logia) is the scientific study of the nature, extent, management, causes, control, consequences, and prevention of criminal behavior, both on the individual and social levels. Criminology is an interdisciplinary field in both the behavioral and social sciences, drawing especially upon the research of sociologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, social anthropologists, as well as scholars of law. The term criminology was coined in 1885 by Italian law professor Raffaele Garofalo as criminologia. Later, French anthropologist Paul Topinard used the analogous French term criminologie.[1] Contents [hide] 1 Schools of thought 1.1 Classical school 1.2 Positivist school 1.2.1 Italian school 1.2.2 Sociological positivism 1.2.3 Differential association (subcultural) 1.3 Chicago school...
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...Aguilera Abhijeet K. Vadera ABSTRACT. Corruption poisons corporations in America and around the world, and has devastating consequences for the entire social fabric. In this article, we focus on organizational corruption, described as the abuse of authority for personal benefit, and draw on Weber’s three ideal-types of legitimate authority to develop a theoretical model to better understand the antecedents of different types of organizational corruption. Specifically, we examine the types of business misconduct that organizational leaders are likely to engage in, contingent on their legitimate authority, motives, and justifications. We conclude by suggesting managerial implications of our theoretical model and propose directions for future research. KEY WORDS: authority, bureaucracy, corruption, opportunity, motivation, justification, types of organizational corruption, weber, white-collar crime The issue of corruption has been gaining increasing importance in today’s world. The World Bank has singled out corruption as the largest obstacle to economic and social development, and in our search of the word ‘corruption’ in article headings in The Wall Street Journal in 2004, the word appeared 496 times. Much evidence also suggests that corruption is as ancient as disloyalty and greed, particularly in the context of politics. For example, in a fourth century B.C. manifesto entitled Arthashastra (‘Science of Polity’), Indian political philosopher, Kautilya discusses the principles of...
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...INDIA, CHINA AND AMERICA INSTITUTE 1549 CLAIRMONT ROAD, SUITE 202 ● DECATUR, GA 30033 USA WWW.ICAINSTITUTE.ORG An Exploration of Human Resource Management Information Systems Security Humayun Zafar, Jan G. Clark & Myung S. Ko Journal of Emerging Knowledge on Emerging Markets Volume 3 November 2011 1 Zafar et al.: An Exploration of Human Resource Management Information Systems S Produced by The Berkeley Electronic Press, 2011 2011 JOURNAL OF EMERGING KNOWLEDGE ON EMERGING MARKETS ● WWW.ICAINSTITUTE.ORG PAGE 489 An Exploration of Human Resource Management Information Systems Security Humayun Zafar Kennesaw State University Jan G. Clark The University of Texas at San Antonio Myung S. Ko The University of Texas at San Antonio Journal of Emerging Knowledge on Emerging Markets Volume 3 November 2011 uman resource (HR) information systems are employed extensively by modern day firms. They are designed to support the HR functions such as attracting job applicants (Stone, Lukaszewski, & Isenhour, 2005) automating training and development, managing employee performance, and administering benefits systems (Burkhard, Schooley, Dawson, & Horan, 2010; Strohmeier, 2007). HR information systems can help meet employee needs, streamline operating procedures, reduce operating expenses, and also increase information accuracy and accessibility. They also aid in improving the professional standing of HR professionals in the organization (Hussain, H 2 ...
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...Social Structure & Social Interaction, Groups, Deviance, Poverty and Social Class Both Sides Microsociology emphasis is placed on social interaction- rules, codes, survival strategies, relationships, face to face contact. 1/54 Study: Speller Learn Test Play Games: Scatter Space Race All 54 terms PrintExportCopyCombine Order by Terms Definitions Microsociology emphasis is placed on social interaction- rules, codes, survival strategies, relationships, face to face contact. Location in Social Structure People's location in the social structure accounts for differences in their behavior & attitudes Ascribed Status involuntary status; a status you inherit o Class of parents, gender, sex, ethnicity, race Achieved Status voluntary status; a status you earn o Student, criminal, doctor, friend Society people who share culture & territory Hunting & Gathering Societies simplest form of society, few social divisions, few people, nomadic, most egalitarian [treat all as equals, no one is rich or poor], society with most leisure time. Role Conflict When what is expected of us in one role is incompatible with what is expected in another role. Role Strain When the same role presents inherent conflict- one role Thomas Theorem If people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences- think of people as less than and they will be treated as such. Group members of a group think of themselves as belonging together, they interact with...
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...different, that along with “social problems*’ and the somewhat outmoded “social pathology,” they signify only a potpourri of conditions that are considered undesirable from the standpoint of the observer’s values, conditions that vary at different times and with different observers. According to this view, these terms have no scientific value and no legitimate status as sociological concepts. Such nihilism and counsel of despair are not justified. True, there is no consensus on the meaning of these terms, and they are, indeed, burdened with value connotations. However, they point to a number of distinctions that sociology must take into account. Concept of deviance. Turning first to the concept of deviant behavior, we must distinguish among the several definitions of the term, which are discussed below. Behavior that violates norms. Deviant behavior is behavior that violates the normative rules, understandings, or expectations of social systems. This is the most common usage of the term and the sense in which it will be used here. Crime is the prototype of deviance in this sense, and theory and research in deviant behavior have been concerned overwhelmingly with crime. However, normative rules are inherent in the nature of all social systems, whether they be friendship groups, engaged couples, families, work teams, factories, or national societies. Legal norms are then but one type of norm whose violation constitutes deviant behavior. It is important to note that although...
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... Production ETPU Publishing Team Copyright © The Open University of Hong Kong, 2001, 2011. Reprinted 2015. All rights reserved. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form by any means without permission in writing from the President, The Open University of Hong Kong. Sale of this material is prohibited. The Open University of Hong Kong Ho Man Tin, Kowloon Hong Kong This course material is printed on environmentally friendly paper. Contents Introduction 1 The focus of criminology 4 What is criminology? Why study crime? 4 6 Developing theory: the foundations of criminology 8 Theorizing about crime before criminology: the classical perspective Positivist criminology 8 10 Sociological criminology The Chicago School Strain and subcultural theories of crime Control theories The labelling perspective Critical criminology 14 15 17 21 23 27 Environmental criminology 30 Jane Jacobs and Oscar Newman Routine activity theory Rational choice theory 30 33 35 Summary 39 References 41 Feedback on activities 43 Readings Unit 2 Introduction The purpose of this unit is to introduce you to the different kinds of theorizing about crime that have constituted the discipline of criminology. Criminology as an academic discipline has existed for well over 100 years. During this time, a number of distinct approaches have emerged, and it is these different approaches that this unit...
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...Crime and Deviance Revision SCLY 4: Crime and Deviance with Methods in Context Sociology Department Greenhead College SCLY 4: Crime and Deviance with Methods in Context Remember: You have to revise everything, because you have no choice on the exam paper. The specification 1 Different theories of crime, deviance, social order and social control * Different definitions of crime, deviance, social order and social control * The distinction between sociological theories of crime and other theories (eg biological, psychological); crime and deviance as socially constructed * Functionalist theories of crime: Durkheim, anomie, collective conscience; Merton’s strain theory; manifest and latent functions; functionalist subcultural theories * Marxist and neo-Marxist theories of crime: classical Marxism, laws reflecting class interests; Neo-Marxism, hegemony, the CCCS studies, critical and new criminology * Interactionist theories of crime: labelling theory, the self-fulfilling prophecy * Feminist theories of crime: patriarchy, male control of women’s lives * Control theory and other contemporary approaches to crime: social bonds, communitarianism, situational prevention; postmodern theories; Foucault on individualisation and surveillance * Realist theories: New Left Realism and Right Realism * The relevance of the various theories to understanding different types of crime, and their implications for social policy. 2 The social distribution...
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...Crime and Deviance Revision SCLY 4: Crime and Deviance with Methods in Context Sociology Department Greenhead College SCLY 4: Crime and Deviance with Methods in Context Remember: You have to revise everything, because you have no choice on the exam paper. The specification 1 Different theories of crime, deviance, social order and social control * Different definitions of crime, deviance, social order and social control * The distinction between sociological theories of crime and other theories (eg biological, psychological); crime and deviance as socially constructed * Functionalist theories of crime: Durkheim, anomie, collective conscience; Merton’s strain theory; manifest and latent functions; functionalist subcultural theories * Marxist and neo-Marxist theories of crime: classical Marxism, laws reflecting class interests; Neo-Marxism, hegemony, the CCCS studies, critical and new criminology * Interactionist theories of crime: labelling theory, the self-fulfilling prophecy * Feminist theories of crime: patriarchy, male control of women’s lives * Control theory and other contemporary approaches to crime: social bonds, communitarianism, situational prevention; postmodern theories; Foucault on individualisation and surveillance * Realist theories: New Left Realism and Right Realism * The relevance of the various theories to understanding different types of crime, and their implications for social policy. 2 The social distribution...
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