Criminology Flashcards

Four definitional perspectives

Legal, Political, Sociological, Pyschological

Legalistic perspective

human conduct in violation of the criminal laws of a state, federal government, or a local jurisdiction that has power to make such law

an antisocial act of such a nature that its repression is necessary or supposed to be necessary to the preservation of the existing system of society Human relationships offenses first, violation of law second

Political perspective

built into the law by powerful groups and are then used to label selected undesirable forms of behavior as illegalLaws serve interest of the politically powerful

Psychological perspective

problem behavior, human activity that contravenes the criminal law and results in difficulties in living within a framework of generally acceptable social arrangementsharmful or potentially harmful behaviors

criminologist

one who studies crime, criminals, and criminal behavior

criminalist

specialist in the collection and examination of the physical evidence of crime

criminal justice

criminal law and study the components of the justice system

research findings may have broader importance than theory testingincludes government initiatives, programs, and plans intended to address problems in society

perspective holds that crime is a manifestation of underluyihn social problems (poverty, discrimination, inequality of opportunity)

holds tha people are fundamentally responsible for their own behavior and that they choose crime over other, more law-abiding courses of action

very crime has a unique set of causes, consequences, and participants, these reactions may contribute to the creation of a new social policy

primacy of sociology

contemporary criminology rests on a tradition of social scientific investigation in to the nature of crime and criminal behavior

evidence based criminology

-founded upon the experimental method-emphasizes randomized controlled experiments-evidence refers to scientific findings

Evolving science of criminology

-John Laubs three erasgolden age research, golden age of theory, empirical testing of dominant theories

theory building of criminological research

construction of theories or models that improve our understand of criminal behavior and help us create effective strategies to deal with the crime problem

research

the use of standardized, systematic procedures in the search for knowledge

stages in research

problem identification, development of a research design, choice of data collection techniques, review of findings

problem indentification

frequently involves testing a hypothesis, because those are measurable and can be tested

case studies

in depth investigations in to individual cases, suffer from high levels of subjectivity but provide the opportunity to examine individual cases in depth

secondary anaylasis

evaluation fo existing data that was gathered for a different purpose

problems in data collection

intersubjectivity: independent observers must see the same thing under the same circumstancesReplicability: when the same symptoms exist the same results can be expected

Quantitative methods

techniques that produce measurable results that can be analyzed statistically

qualitative methods

produce subjective results, or results that are difficult to quantify

early sources of criminal law

code of hammurabi: one of the first known written laws and emphasized retribution roman law: twelve tables, these were a collection of basic rules relating family, religious, and economic lifeCommon law: a body of unwritten legal precedents created through everyday practice and supported by court decisions during the middle ages in England

Mala in se

acts are fundamentally inherent ally wrong regardless of time or place

mala prhibita

acts are said to be wrong because they are prohibited

Thomas Hobbs

fear of violent death forces humans in to the social contract

John Locke

life path depends on experiences

Jean-Jaques Rousseau

advanced the notion of the social contract

Thomas Paine

natural rights, rights retained in the face of govt. action & interest

crime

result of free will and punishment can be effective by negating the pleasure derived from it

the Classical School

Classical school principles

Rationality, hedonism, punishment, human rights, and due process

Classical school Principle: Rationality

humans have free will and choose their actions (rational choice)

Classical school principle: Hedonism

pleasure and pain, reward and punishment are the major determinates of choice

classical school principle: punishment

is a deterrent to crime, and deterrence is the best justification for punishment

classical school principle: human rights

society owes respect for the rights of citizens and their autonomy

Classical theory

concept of right and wrong and concepts of morality and propriety known as mores and folkways

Mores

rules covering potnetionally serious violations to the groups values (murder rape robbery etc )

Folkways

customs which have a force of tradition but whose violation is less likely to violate the survival of the social group (dress code, social manners)

Cesare Beccaria (1738-1794)

-punishment should be swift-punishment should be just severe enough to outweigh the benefit of crime-purpose of punishment is deterrence not retribution-expressed a need for a process of trial jury

Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832)

-to reduce crime, the pain of the crime commission must outweigh the pleasure to be derived from the activity.-people are rational and will weigh the pain of punishment against the pleasure to be gained from crime.-opposed to cruel punishment-believe in the swift and certain doctrine

age of enlightenment 17th and 18th century

Social Contract, natural law, natural lights

humans abandon their natural state of individual freedom to join together and form a society, surrendering some freedoms but forming a government which is obligated to assume certain responsibilities toward citizens and to provide for their protection and welfare

Natural law

certain laws are fundamental to human nature and can be determined through reason

Natural Lights

rights that individuals retain in the face of the government action and interests

Neo Classical Criminology

classical criminology in 1800's gave way to approach knows as "positivism"

Positivism

a. positivism uses scientific method to study criminalityb. positivism is based on hard determinism, the belief that crime results from forces beyond ones control, and rejects the idea of free will.-1970s many assumptions of positivism were undermined and a resurgence of classical ideals led to the development of neoclassical criminology

Rational Choice theory

includes many of the theories of classical criminology, and based on the belief that criminals make conscious, rational and at least partially informed choices to commit crime

General deterrence

works by example and seeks to prevent others-punishment must be swift, certain, and severe if it is to be effective

specific deterrence

prevents an offender from re-offending (prison)

Major principles of biological theories

The brain is the organ of the mind and the locus of the personalityBasic determinants of human behavior are constitutionally or genetically basedObserved gender/racial differences in rates/types of criminality may be at least partially the result of biological differencesMuch human conduct is rooted in instinct (Territorial, adultery, acquisitiveness)Biological roots of human conduct have become increasingly disguisedSome behavior is the result of biological propensities inherited from more primitive developmental stagesThe interplay among heredity, biology, and the social environment must be considered

Biological roots of human agressions

Charles Darwin, and Konrad Lorenz

CHarles Darwin

Interspecies aggression favors the strongest and best animals in the reproductive process

Konrad Lorenz

Human aggression serves other purposes but takes on covert forms (drive to acquire wealth and power)Human behavior is adapted instinctive behavior(instinctive response) pp 88

Two principles Positivist school was built on

Acceptance of social determinism (free will not determined by choice but by causative factors beyond the control of the person)Application of scientific techniques to the study of crime and criminology

observable, explainable, and measurable in quantitative terms

Cesare Lombroso

Developed concept of atavism, criminaloids, and also believed criminal behavior among women derived from atavistic foundations, while criminal women examined masculine features and mannerisms

Atavism

Criminality is the result of primitive urges that survived the evolutionary processAtavistic individuals are throwbacks to a more primitive biological state

Criminaloids

"occasional criminals," people enticed into crime by environmental influences

Hypoglycemia

early research linked murder to hypoglycemia - low blood sugar reduced the minds ability to reason affectivelyRecent research has linked excess sugar consumption to hyperactivity, aggressiveness, etc.Current evidence on sugar/behavior link unclearPET scans found lower glucose levels in prefrontal cortex of murderers

allergic reactions verse crime

Allergic reactions may cause brain swellingImpede higher faculties, reduce sense of moralityMay reduce learning during childhood, contribute to delinquency, adult crime

Food additives verse crime

Some food additives (MSG, dyes, artificial flavorings) may be linked to violenceCaffeine and sugar may trigger antisocial behaviorVitamins, other nutrients may have behavioral impact

why does Environmental pollution affect violent behavior?

Several studies have found a link between industrial and environmental pollution and violent behaviorCorrelation between juvenile crime and high environmental levels of lead and manganeseToxic pollutant may cause learning disabilities, an increase in aggressive behavior, loss of control over impulsive behaviorExposure to the color pink may have a calming effect on people experiencing anger and agitationPrenatal exposure to marijuana, tobacco, alcohol may lead to higher rates of conduct disorders, delinquency, psychiatric problems

Temperature is the only weather variable consistently related to crimeRelationship moderated by temporal factorsConsistent with routine activities theoryPossible link between barometric pressure and violent crime

Criminal Families in genetics

Criminal families::The Juke family - Richard L. Dugdale:The Kallikak family - Henry H. Goddard

Eugenic criminology

root causes of criminality were passed down in the form of bad geneseugenics movement: 1920'2-1930's-buck v. bell (1927)

The human genome project

International research project mapping the human genomeHGP may support concept of behavioral genetic determinismBelief that genes are major determining factor in human behaviorDominant view today holds that the interaction of genes and the behavioral possibilities they represent, with environmental features, produce meaningful human activityRecent research suggests the explanatory power of heritability limited by the fact that it may only apply to specific environments existing at the time of given study

Moffits biosocial theory

--Life course persisters (LCP): display constant patterns of misbehavior throughout life--Adolescence-limited offenders (AL): led into offending by structural disadvantages--Maturity gap - desire for autonomy (age 12) prevented by societal limitations. ("your to young for that" )Thus, childhood maltreatment is a "universal risk factor for anti social behavior

Policy Implications of Biological Theories

C. Ray Jeffrey's proposed biologically based crime prevention programPre- and post-natal careMonitoring children through developmentNeurological examinationsBiological research in prisons and treatment facilities

Psychopath

is the concept of the mental disease or diseased mindalso generally viewed as cruel and without thought or feeling for victims

Hervey CLeckley "mask of Sanity" characteristics of psychopathic personality

1. Superficial charm and good intelligence2. Absence of delusions, hallucinations, or other signs of psychosis3. Absence of nervousness or psychoneurotic manifestations4. Inability to feel guilt or shame5. Unreliability and chronic lying6. Ongoing anti social behavior7. Poor judgment and inability to learn from past experience8. Self-centered and incapacity to love9. An impersonal, trivial, and poorly integrated sex life10. Failure to follow a life plan

The APA has replaced psychopath and sociopath with the above term. A lack of love or the sensed inability to depend unconditionally on a central loving figure (usually the mother) are often suggested as major psychogenic factors contributing to the development of antisocial personality disorder

Sigmund Freud: id

the fundamental aspect of the personality from which drives urges and deires emanate, operates the pleasure principle, instant gratification

Ego

a. Emphasizes how ones objectives can best be accomplished, develops strategies that maximize pleasure and minimize pain.b. Functions on the reality principle and recognizes the need to delay gratification to achieve a long term goal.

Super ego

: the moral guide to right and wrong, the consciencea. Guides the ego to select strategies that are socially and ethically acceptableb. Guilt may result when the superegos dictates are not followed.The psychoanalytic perspective suggests that a poorly developed superego might result in criminal behavior.

Self control theory

Self-control involves a person's ability to alter his/her states and responses It is most obvious when the person acts contrary to his/her preferences and impulses

Four types of self control

-Impulse control-Control over the contents of the mind (suppression of unwanted thoughts)-Control over emotional and mood states-Control of performance

Self control deficiencies

Drug abuseSchool failureAlcoholismUnwanted pregnancyMoney managementPoor eating habits & obesityCigarette smokingDelinquency and criminality

Michael Gottfredson and Travis Herschi General Theory of crime

It suggests that low self-control accounts for all crime at all times and is the primary individual-level cause of crime (hence general)

Self control defined

defined as the degree to which a person is vulnerable to momentary temptations-Self control is acquired early in life-Low self control is the Premier individual level cause of crime Gottfredson and Herschi reject the idea that some people have a propensity to commit crime; they suggest, rather, that some people have a tendency to ignore the long-term consequences of their behavior

Criminology Flashcards ionicons-v5-c