...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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...Organized Crime Executive Summary In this paper, comparisons will be made between bureaucratic and patron-client organizations. In addition, the similarities and differences between the models of organized crime will be examined. The models of organized crime will be analyzed for their importance in the understanding of criminal organizations. The differences between bureaucratic and patron-client organizations are visible as bureaucratic deals with offices that do things by the law. They do not take extensive training in customer service and do not concentrate on being nice. The offices that are being referred to are government offices such as Welfare, DMV, and Section 8. In contrast, patron-client facilities are offices or places that focus upon pleasing their clients because if they don’t, the patron will go to another facility to get their needs met. This brings us to the similarities and differences of the models of organized crime. According to Lyman (2007) there are three theories of organized crime that help in the understanding of criminal organizations. The first theory is the Alien Conspiracy theory, which blames outside influences and outsiders for the rise of organized crime in American society. Second, the Rational Choice theory is when a person weighs the pros and cons of living a certain lifestyle; in addition they also know what the consequences of their actions are as well. Finally, the deterrence theory is...
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...Psychological theory 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. Social learning theory Social learning theory is a theory that attempts to explain socialization and its effect of the development of the self. There are many different theories that explain how people become socialized, including psychoanalytic theory, functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interaction theory. Social learning theory, like these others, looks at the individual learning process, the formation of self, and the influence of society in socializing individuals. Social control theory gained prominence during the 1960s as sociologists sought differing conceptions of crime. It was...
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...Haley, I am not sure that I have seen much relation to mental illness and the self-control theory. The basics of the theory by Hirschi actually has to do with the proper (or improper) raising of a child and that leading to a person having (or not having) self-control. So, when a child in not properly raised, they will not develop self-control. The lack of self-control Hirschi claims leads to crime. Thus, improper child-rearing leads to a lack of self-control and a lack of self-control leads to crime. While it would seem that the self-control theory would entail someone choosing to commit or not commit a crime, it actually faults it on how he or she were raised. What you are referring to as being the self-control theory may be a bit closer...
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...Comparison of Control and Conflict Theories Ben Lott CJA/542 March 26, 2012 Cheryl Reyes Comparison of Social Control and Conflict Theories Social Control Theory These two theories have been open for discussion for many years, and have become two of the major theories concerning crime. These two theories examine the inner portions of crime to family environments as well as the social aspects of crime. This paper aims to compare the two theories, and by opinion choose the one that I think directly relates to crime issues in the present state. Social Control Theory touches bases relating to social norms, such as social bonding, commitment, moral values, and beliefs as to regarding why people do not commit crime while also it believe that these same portions of the theory will cause the commission of crimes. Most people view this theory as an “motivational” while dismissing the motivational evidence as a leading contributor to crime. One more prominent Social Control theorists is Travis Hirschi. According to Hirschi (1969) viewed the motivations as so “natural to human beings that no special forces were necessary to explain law-breaking” (Hirschi, 1969, pg.1). Human beings are very busy objects, and they will run wild if not controlled by some form of social control or norms to curb their behavior. Supporters of this...
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...Ramy Mostafa El Housiny POLS 310 Professor Ahmed Abd Raboh Term Paper Criticize the modernization theory using all available materials on modernization and its critique, providing your own opinion on how modernization leads to development. The way people, societies, and countries develop and interact with each other have a strong influence on deviance. Although societies may differ in appearance and way of life, they all have crime, religion, family structure, politics, and economy. The vast differences in societies are constantly studied and theorized. Grand theories, for example, are meta-theories that examine an aspect of society on a global or national scale. One particular theory of interest is the modernization theory. The modernization theory suggests that the main causes of crime are the repercussions of the rapid development and modernization of nations (Howard 148). The theory of modernization is composed of three distinct Parts: (1) Identification of types of societies, and explanation of how those designated as modernized or relatively modernized differ from others; (2) specification of how societies become modernized, comparing factors that are more or less conducive to transformation; and (3) generalizations about how the parts of a modernized society fit together, involving comparisons of stages of modernization and types of modernized societies with clarity about prospects for further modernization. (Defining Modernization) Part one explains that there...
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...Bureaucratic and Patron-Client Organization Executive Summary Howard Abadinsky (1985) proposed the bureaucratic and patron-client models of organized crime. The bureaucratic model characteristics have compilation from Fredrick Taylor (1990) and Max Weber (1947) theories on organized crime. This structure has a requirement of a hierarchy of power, rules, and regulations with each group, a labor division, specialized members, and a routine necessary for the group to function efficiently. ¬¬¬Outlawed biker groups such as the Hells Angels and the Warlock are a bureaucratic form of organized crime. The Mafia represents the comparable model; the patron-client organized crime model. Formal initiation confirms membership into the group and like the bureaucratic model; the structure is of hierarchy power. The main boss has an underboss and downward levels of power the members have a close relationship and the relationships branch out towards the bottom level and this is where new members are initiated. By branching out the lower level, the organization has a better opportunity to evade detection and apprehension by law enforcement, and maintain a steady flow of production and operation (Limbaugh, Sept.10, 2010). Another attribution for the organization models an executive branch as in a system of government. For example, if the top leader were unable to fulfill the role, the next person in position would take over the role of that leader, and so forth. The “patron-client...
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...its main aim is to research crime and individuals who commit crime, while also looking at the criminal justice system in the hope that this information can be transformed into policies that will be effective in handling, or even eliminating crime. Although it is a specialty, it's not a single discipline. It combines the efforts of sociologists, psychologists, psychiatry, biology, law and statistics. It produces findings that can support, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, probation officers, and prison officials, giving them a better understanding of crime and criminals, and to develop improved and more appropriate sentences and treatments for criminal behaviour. Criminology centres its attention on the criminal as a person, his or hers behaviour, and what has led him or her to a life of crime. It also looks at society's reaction towards breaking laws. Task 2: Explain the difference between macro and micro theories used by Criminologists. Macro theory and Micro theory are both detailed theories that pay close attention to different aspects of crime and criminal behaviour. The Macro theory of crime and criminal behaviour explains the larger scale of crime across the world or across a society; they attempt to answer why there are variations in group rates of crime, for example Macro theory may provide and explanation as to why one neighbourhood has a higher crime rate than another local neighbourhood. In contrast, the Micro theory of crime and criminal behaviour focuses...
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...Running head: CRIME DATA COMPARISON PAPER Crime Data Comparison Paper Willie Clark University of Phoenix Crime Data Comparison Paper In this paper, I will take a caparison look at the crime index for two metropolitan areas in the United States using statistical information provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Uniform Crime Report posted yearly will display the two geographical areas I choose to compare for the study is Memphis and Nashville TN. I will compare the violent crime of murder rate for Memphis versus the Property index rate for burglary for Nashville and how the two, which are just two, and half-hours apart vary so differently. A little history on the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting or UCR created in 1992 and the International Association of Police Chiefs is credited for its influences dating back to the 1920s to push for complete crime statistic yearly in order to combat the increasing crime rate. In the Uniform Crime Reporting system, there are seven main categories identified, manslaughter and non-negligent murder, burglary, aggravated assault forcible rape, larceny, arson, and motor vehicle theft. The Uniform Crime Report first was in January 1930, the UCR reported 400 cities throughout 43 states, covering more than 20 million individuals, approximately 20 percent of the total United States population. The city of Memphis is in the southwest portion of the state of TN. The city has a population as of September...
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...Using material from Item A and elsewhere assess the usefulness of labelling theory in explaining crime and deviance. (21 marks) Labelling theory is a micro theory that explains how self-identity and behaviour of individuals may be determined or influenced by the terms used to describe them. As Item A states, it is a micro approach that examines how individuals construct society. Labelling theory is useful in explaining crime and deviance through the way in which Lemert distinguishes between primary and secondary deviance. However, the usefulness of labelling theory can be criticised as they fail to explain why individuals commit primary deviance. The usefulness of labelling theory in explaining crime and deviance will be explored. Labelling theory is useful in explaining crime and deviance as it distinguishes between primary and secondary deviance. Lemert (1972) makes this distinction, he argues primary deviance is a deviant act that has not been publicly labelled and has little or no significance, whereas secondary deviance is an act that gets a negative social reaction and consequently incurs a label. This implies that, as Item A states, that an action is criminal only when society views it as criminal. This is useful in explaining crime and deviance as it indicates how deviant acts can escalate from primary to secondary deviance and when this occurs how an individual is labelled and excluded from society. This progression is illustrated in Jock Young’s study of hippies who...
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...ABSTRACT In this presentation you will find out how much the crime rate has changed and how other countries compare. We are the highest in the rate of incarcerations and murders. The presentation should start out with some statistics from years ago. Show that with the increase in population and show how much the crime rate has went up since then. In doing some research I found a site that had statistics from 1960-2010 and you can see the increase from year to year and some decreased in certain years too. I understand the more people that live here, the more things are going to happen. It doesn’t help that the past few years have been tarnished by the recession and people are hurting. In 1960 In 2010 * Population 179,323,175 308,745,538 * Violent Crimes 288,460 1,246,248 * Murders 9,110 14,748 * Rapes 17,190 84,767 * Total of all crimes violent and non-violent 3,384,200 10,329,135 I would start out my PowerPoint presentation with telling what crimes are done. Where they are happening, how many, and how the United States compares to the rest of the world. It would be nice to see if there is any countries that compare to us at all and how they handle it. I would include the economic standings here and compare them to the other countries. This way we could see how that compares and see if this could be one of the circumstances that cause the crimes. Maybe they are doing something different that we are not...
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...of both the causes of crime and the solutions to crime (21 marks) As suggested in item A, right realists explain crime to be a social problem requiring practical solutions. Realists focus on crime which is at the centre of public concern, for example street crime, violence and burglary; they are concerned with increasing measures of crime control. Wilson and Hernstein put forward a biosocial theory explaining the causes of crime; they argue crime is an activity disproportionately committed by young men living in large cities, these young men are temperamentally aggressive as a result of biological factors which predisposes them to crime. The social aspect to their theory comes from the belief that young men are socialised in the family, school and wider community in a culture that emphasises immediate gratification, low impulse control and self-expression which has reduced the restraints on their behaviour in conforming to society’s norms and value, resulting in more crime. A criticism of Wilson and Hernstein’s theory is their assumption that young males in inner cities are responsible for most crime. Right realists uses official statistics to base their theory on, thus, the assumption of young males could be based on an invalid picture presented by official statistics. The theory also ignores wider structural causes of crime, such as the increasing gap between the rich and the poor creating resentment and relative deprivation resulting in more crime. Right Realists focus...
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...committing crimes. While others will argue that a negative environment is a much stronger influence, and that an education can just make it easier to commit such crimes. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, about 41% of inmates in the Nation’s state and federal prisons and local jails in 1997 and 31% of probationers had not completed high school or its equivalent. In comparison, 18% of the general population age 18 or older had not finished the 12th grade. Between 1991 and 1997, the percent of inmates in State prison without a high school diploma or GED remained the same — 40% in 1997 and 41% in 1991. Of inmates in State prisons, 293,000 in 1991 and 420,600 in 1997 had entered prison without a high school diploma, a 44% increase. With statistics like this one could argue that education plays an enormous role in the likelihood of one committing a crime. According to an article published in the “OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS” in 2013, Traditional biological theories state that individuals commit criminal acts due to biological or genetic defects. Crime is a result of these abnormalities, and not a choice made by the offender. Crime can be prevented by isolating, treating, separating, sterilizing, or killing the individual. Modern biosocial theories believe that an individual with an inherited trait can benefit from social programs, and that an inherited trait alone is not sufficient to doom an individual to a life of crime. It is important to note that biosocial theories have...
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...The Role of Sociology in Criminal Justice A person cannot avoid the experience of making decisions from a list full of options and choices in this life. The choices that an individual makes are vital in determining the shape his or her later life will take. Making the choice to attend or not to attend college is one of the choices a high school graduate has to make. It is essential for an individual standing at the cross roads after high school to be visionary in making a decision to join a college. Attending college is worth it because the knowledge obtained cannot be taken away from you. College education contributes significantly to the person development. College learning is both inside and outside classroom. The college experiences are a reminder that adulthood comes with more responsibility. In addition, it instills in a person the virtue that it is essential to work hard for one to succeed. There exist studies that support the need for a student to attend college. In a survey investigating the importance of college education today as compared to high school education, it was found that almost 90% of the respondents admitted that college education is important. The presentation of this paper agrees with these findings. With the changing societal needs, college education has become important like high school education. Therefore, the perception toward college education makes it important. There are other ways in which attending a college is important. First, college...
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...origins and development of organized crime in the United States. It examines the structure and activities of organized criminal enterprises, considers different models that have been employed to describe organized crime groups, and explores theories that have been advanced to explain the phenomenon. Major investigations of organized crime and legal strategies that have been developed to combat it are also considered. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies governing your current class modality. Course Materials Lyman, M. D., & Potter, G. W. (2007). Organized crime (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Mallory, S. L. (2007). Understanding organized crime. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. All electronic materials are available on the student website. Week One: Understanding Organized Crime | | Details | Due | Points | Objectives | 1.1 Define organized crime. 1.2 Compare the various models...
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