JUS506 | Criminal Behaviour Analysis | Theories Of Criminology

1. Analyze the behavior of the individuals presented in the video, and apply one of the criminological theories covered in your reading to the specific individuals.

2. What type of criminological theory explains their behavior?

Answer:

Introduction

Crime is an inevitable part of the human nature that is inescapable and it is very hard to find out a specific cause of crime. Moreover, crime is a much complex phenomenon that readily changes over various culture and time. Apart from that, crime also focuses on the behaviour of the attorneys, judges, police, victims etc. and the every other actions that take place within the criminal justice system. Almost everything of what is done regarding the criminal justice is explained by the criminological theory and helps us in understanding the running of the criminal justice system and the major and minor players within the system. Here we will give a glance on some of the incidents that correlates to the  theories of criminology.

Discussion

For the understanding of the context why people commit a crime is of crucial importance so as to be able to prevent such sort of deeds in the near future. Here we will at the first place consider the case of naked swordsman attack on the churchgoers on November 28, 1999. In this case, a man indiscriminately attacked the churchgoers with a a 3 ft (91 cm) Samurai sword and critically injured four of the parishioners. This relates much to the psychological approaches of  criminal behaviour that led the 26-year old man to commit such a crime out of depression regarding the several incidents that he had faced since his childhood regarding sexual  abuse by his family friend, losing his parents. Gottfredson have expressed that ‘Modern control theories in criminology have their roots in systematic efforts to discover and then to explain the facts about crime’ (85-86). Personality of  human being is the major factor of motivation  at every situation and drives the behaviour of an individual. In such a situation, the crime committed by the criminal results from the inappropriate or abnormal mental condition of the criminal. Some psycho-criminologists emphasize on some personality disorders, such as psychopaths, antisocial personalities, and sociopaths as the reason why some people may take some impulsive decision that may go to the point of harming others. Agnew performed qualitative research in criminology and performed psychological research on aggression (143-164). With relevant psychometric tests and proper counselling and treatment these kind of activities among some may be controlled.

In the similar context, the Yorkshire Ripper serial killer who murdered 13 women was arrested to prevent such kind of crime. Peter Sutcliffe, who was the convict for the serial murders in the UK, claimed that he have heard some voices that ordered him that he must kill the prostitutes while he worked in the profession of a grave digger. This was the very fact that indicated that this serial killer was not psychologically stable.

In this context, Farrington ‘elucidates life-course implications of a general age-graded theory of crime’ (175). Following this psychological approach for criminology,  psychologists may determine the fact that how and to what extent these mental processes may affect an individual’s tendencies to commit such crime and act of violence. With the psychoanalytic perspective the information that are derived regarding criminals may be used to train and cure them so that they are prevented from doing such deeds of crime in near future. In this context, family history and early childhood experiences of the individuals associated with such crimes are very crucial and found to have a significant impact on development of such major criminological thought. Apart from that some other severe issues that may give rise to these situations includes lack of education, poverty, racism, social inequality, and disorganization of the neighbourhood. It is found that the criminals committing this kind of crimes are linked with the absence of social etiquette, dependence on the others, immaturity. Steinmetz and Matt have expressed their views regarding implications for Psychology (17-26). Following these theories accompanied with love, affection, proper counselling sessions with these personnels over their reasons of being unhappy and deprived may bring about major improvements in the life of these criminals.

Conclusion

As per psychodynamic theory, criminal offenders are often aggravated and frustrated. It is found that the past events of their life that happened in their early childhood and deprivation affect them to a huge extent in development of the criminal thinking patterns. On the whole it is the thought and feelings of the individuals that overrule their actions. Upon control and proper alignment of these thoughts every sort of criminal activities can be overcomed.

Refrences

Agnew, Robert. "Revitalizing merton: General strain theory." The origins of American criminology. Routledge, 2017. 143-164.

Farrington, David P. "A general age-graded theory of crime: Lessons learned and the future of life-course criminology." Integrated developmental and life-course theories of offending. Routledge, 2017. 175-192.

Gottfredson, Michael R. "The empirical status of control theory in criminology." Taking stock. Routledge, 2017. 85-108.

Steinmetz, Kevin F., and Matt R. Nobles. "Introduction." Technocrime and Criminological Theory. Routledge, 2017. 17-26.