Victimization Theory | Summarize the theory of victimization, describing its meaning and core concepts as it relates to the nature of crime. | Identify subcategories of the theory and describe each. | Apply the theory to one (1) real life example or scenario. Briefly explain why the theory applies to the example you identified. | Rational Choice Theory (This theory is completed for you as an example of how to complete the remaining theories) | According to this theory, crime is a matter of personal choice and the criminal makes a rational decision to commit the crime. This view is that If a person is motivated, considers the choices, and they believe crime will benefit them without risk. (Siegel & Worrall, 2013, p. 45)This view is that for the criminal, the profit outweighs the punishment. | One sub-category is the “Deterrence Theory” which aligns itself by indicating crime would not be a “rational choice” therefore not chosen if there was a strong enough fear of punishment, acting to deter the criminal activity. (Akers, 1990, p.2) | One real life case was that of Ariel Castro. This is the nationally televised case of a man who kidnapped and held three (3) women captive in his Cleveland, Ohio home for over 10 years, during which he physically and sexually assaulted, fathered a child and kept these young women captive until one managed to escape 2013. Castro pleaded guilty to 937 counts including murder, rape, and abduction, to avoid Ohio’s death penalty. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole + 1,000 years by Judge Russo, Cuyahoga County, Cleveland where the crimes were committed. After being in prison only 30 days in Franklin County, Castro hung himself in his prison cell, ending his own life. I believe it relates to rational choice theory, Castro made a calculated choice to kidnap the missing teens and commit these crimes for over a decade, while working and interacting in the community. His motivation for the benefit of committing these crimes over a decade was stronger than fear of getting punished. | Biosocial Theory | This Theory consists of criminals choosing crime because of their environmental exposer “People choose Crime because of a preexisting physical condition” (Siegel & Worrall, 2013, p.45) | | An Example of this theory is Boston Marathon Bombing, On April 15, 2013 Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his older brother Tamerlan Tsarnev set off three self-made pressure cooker bombs at the Boston marathon that killed 3 and injured more than 260 others. The two then lead law enforcement on an intense four day man hunt which lead to a shootout between police and Dzhokhar’s older brother Tamerlen leaving him badly wounded and eventually dying from loss of blood and Dzhokhar was found shortly after hiding severely injured in a boat in Watertown. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was arrested and plead Not Guilty to 30 federal charges but after a long trail was later convicted and received the death penalty. This relates to the Biosocial theory because of his home environment and following in the footsteps of his older brother lead him to the crimes he committed. | Psychological Theory | According to this theory a person commits a crime because of early developmental issues and “Crime is a manifestation of feelings and oppression and of an individual’s inability to develop the proper psychological defenses and rationales to keep to keep these feelings under control” (Seigel & Worrall, 2013, p 46 ) | One subcategories example for this is the Psychodamymanic Theory “ The most deeply disturbed are referred to as psychotics, who cannot restrain their implosive behavior” (Seigel & Worrall, 2013, p 46) | An example this theory is the Auroa theater shooting. In July of 2012 James Holmes entered a movie theater during the midnight showing of the Batman film Dark Knight Rises and fired multiple rounds of ammunition killing 12 including 6 year old Veronica Moser-Sullivan and wounding 70 others. Holmes pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, Court-appointed psychiatrist William Reid, who made the comments during questioning by a prosecutor in a capital case now in its sixth week, said Holmes also indicated he was sorry when he learned a young girl was among the dead. (Coffman, 2015).James homes fits this catergory becasuse before the 2012 shooting Holmes had undergone nuemouse psych evaluations and suffered from mental illenes making him a danger to society. James Homles Is currently on trial for the 2012 shooting | Social Structure Theory | A person’s position in the social structure controls his or her behavior. (Siegel & Worrall, 2013, p.48) meaning people who commit these crimes are a products of their own environmental status | A subcategory to this crime is “Strain Theory” according to this many people require thing’s that they are unable to provide for themselves so resort to violent acts of crime to satisfy the need. | Jamyra Gallon 21 of D.C we’re desperate for money when she and her lesbian girlfriend Domonique Johnson placed an ad on craigslist posing as a male prostitute. Law attorney David Messerchmitt responded to that ad and was robbed and brutally murdered in his hotel room. Gallmon told police that she went to The Donovan hotel on Feb. 9 with the intention of robbing Messerschmitt, but stabbed him with a knife after he grabbed her arm and they started fighting. (Sweeney, 2015) She made away with $40.00 and his metro card, The nature of this crime fall in the Social structure theory because Gallmons financial needs caused her to commit the crimes of robbery and murder. | Social Process Theory | According to this theory people commit crimes as a result of their individual experiences in life. | | One real life example of this theory is Ismaaiyl Brinsley’s case, after a series of tragic events involving police officers and unarmed African American men Brinsley decided one day to take the law into his own hand’s driving from Baltimore to Brooklyn, New York and killed two police officers as they sat in their squad car. Officer’s Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were executed while they sat watch in an effort to stop crime in a local neighborhood. After killing the two officers Brinsley then fled to a nearby subway station and turned the gun on himself. This crime fits the Social process theory because he became enraged over recent events in the African American community that he sought vengeance taking matters into his own hands. | Social Conflict Theory | According to this theory people of wealth and power get treated differently than those living in povertyHuman behavior is shaped by interpersonal conflict, and those maintain social power use it to further their own investment. (Worrall, 2013) | | An example of this theory is the cases between Alex Couch 16 and Alex Couch 37 both involved in fatal car crashes while driving under the influence that took the lives of innocent people. Alex Couch from Texas was driving while under the influence with a blood alcohol level of 0.24 three times the legal limit and cause an accident that killed (4) a mom and daughter who were helping a friend fix a tire along with a good Samaritan and injured (2) others when they were thrown from the back of his pickup truck. Couch who came from a family with wealth faced 20 years but was given 10 years’ probation after claiming the Affluenza because he came from wealth and was never given any rules in his life so he didn’t know any better (Ford, 2014) Vs Auturo Noriega a middle to lower class citizen who was involved in an accident while driving under the influence traveling west on U.S. 181 on Labor Day weekend when he ran a red light and slammed into the Honda Accord killing Richard Cassas a father of two, Noriega was given life with the possibility of parole after serving 30 years. Both cases are an example of this theory because wealth played a major role in the decision that was made in Couch’s case. | Developmental Theory | This theory focuses on the underlining reason of why the crime was committed and how your environmental factors can have a strong impact on someone’s life | | Iraq war veteran Bradley Stone 35 of Pennsylvania killed his ex-wife and five of her family member’s. After a recent custody dispute between Stone and his ex-wife after dropping his children off to a neighbor’s house. According to The new York times (2014) “Mr. Stone’s body was found Dec. 16 in a wooded area about a half-mile from his house, one day after he embarked on a 90-minute rampage across three towns in which the authorities say he variously used an ax, a machete, two knives and a gun to kill his ex-wife, Nicole Stone, 33, and five members of her family while they lay in bed. The killings occurred between 3:30 and 5 a.m.” (Wiiliams, 2014) | References
Coffman, K. (2015). James Holmes Picked Midnight Movie To Avoid Shooting Children, Psychiatrist Says. Huffington Post, 1.
CONTRERAS, G. (2013). Man gets life in prison for fatal DWI crash. MySa San antonio weekly, 1.
Ford, D. (2014). Judge orders Texas teen Ethan Couch to rehab for driving drunk, killing 4. CNN, 1.
Sweeney, S. (2015). 2 women plead guilty in Donovan hotel murder of D.C. lawyer. WJLA/AP, 1.
TINA MOORE, D. W. (2015). Two NYPD officers 'assassinated' while sitting in patrol car in Brooklyn by gunman who boasted on Instagram about 'revenge' killing cops. New York Daily News, 1.
Wiiliams, T. (2014). Overdose cited in death of man who killed 6 in Pennsylvania. New York Times, 1.
Worrall, S. &. (2013). Essentials of Criminal Justice.