Criminological Theories

Each of these theories had led to many new theories used today, such as the Rational Choice theory, Biosocial and Psychological Theory, Critical Theory, Cultural Deviance Theory, Life Course Theory, and many more. The one thing in common with every theory is that they all explain at least one behavioral factor that leads to crime. Today, all these theories, and more, are researched and taken into account when trying to understand why a criminal does what they do.

Criminological theories interpret the competing paradigms of Human Nature, Social Order, Definition of Crime, Extent and Distribution of Crime, Causes of Crime, and Policy, differently. Even though these theories have added to societies understanding of criminal behaviour, all have been unable to explain why punishment or treatment of offenders is unable to prevent deviancy, and thus are ineffective methods of control. The new penology is a contemporary response that favours the management of criminals by predicting future harm on society. However, all criminological theories are linked as they are a product of the historical time and place, and because of their contextual history, they will continue to reappear depending on the current

This essay will outline how crime theories are able to assist in recognizing the causes of criminal activity, as well as demonstrating two criminological theories to two particular crimes. Overviews of trends, dimensions and victim/offenders characteristics of both crime groups will be specified. The two particular crimes that will be demonstrated throughout this essay are; Violent Crime (focusing on Assault) being linked with social learning theory and White Collar crime (focusing on terrorism) being linked to General Strain theory. In criminology, determining the motive of why people commit crimes is crucial. Over the years, many theories have been developed and they continue to be studied as criminologists pursue the best answers in eventually diminishing certain types of crime including assaults and terrorism, which will be focused on.

Criminology is a field that has been researched prolong. Most of the information explaining crime and delinquency is based on facts about crime (Vold, Bernard, & Daly 2002, p.1). The aim of this paper is to describe the theories of crime and punishment according to the positivists Emile Durkheim and Cesare Lombroso, and the classical criminologist Marcese de Beccaria. The theories were developed as a response to the industrialisation and the modernisation of the societies in the 18th and 19th centuries and were aiming to create a rational society and re-establish social solidarity (Vold et al 2002, p.101). The criminological perspectives of crime and punishment will be discussed in a form of dialogue between the three theorists exploring

How can theories help us to understand criminal behavior and to design strategies intended to control such behavior?

Most people get killed over what is known as the “Code of The Street.” In the movie it shows that their code of the street was revenge. They killed Ricky Doughboy and his friends killed them. It also shows that violence and crime happens all over something petty. In one scene in the movie they show Ferris walking into Ricky

Criminology has emerged as a science in the recent years, and various theories and perspectives have been developed by the social scientists and criminologists in this regard. With the development of sociology as a new subject of study and defining the sociology by the August Comte in 1822, the way was paved for the development of criminology, as the new branch of study. This Branch deals with the study of crime and it gradually developed as academic discipline in Britain in 1950s. Cesare Lombroso became the founder of criminology which also founded the positivist movement in the criminology, thus giving this field a more scientific and modern approach (Anon., 2014). The main features of the positivist approach include the

Through out the years Criminologists has conducted a great amount of research and through that research Criminologist has developed different theories in order to better understand and explain criminal behavior. Theories try to help make sense out of many observations that are conducted presenting the facts of the principal that connects and explains the theories. If good theory has been developed; then it becomes very valuable to Criminologist, because it shows the knowledge that is beyond the facts that has been presented; which will show Criminologist how to predict how others might behave (Andrews, D and

To prevent crime, it is imperative that the law enforcement agencies and scholars examine why people commit crime. A number of theories have emerged and many still continue to be explored in exclusion and in combination to seek the best solutions that can ultimately reduce the types and the levels of crime. One such theory that is still being explored is social disorganization theory. According to this theory people's tendency to take part in criminal activities is largely determined by the neighborhood where they are brought up in especially if conditions favorable to crime and delinquency prevail in such places. When communities becomes incapable of realizing common goals and solve problems that its residents face, there is a high likelihood that its residents will engage in criminal activities (Sampson & Grove, 1989). Some of the problems that are likely to increase incidences of crime in neighborhoods when communities fail to address them are poverty, residential mobility, ethnic heterogeneity, and weak social networks. They decrease a neighborhood's capacity to control the behavior of people in public.

There are many different aspects of criminal justice policy. One in particular is the different theories of crime and how they affect the criminal justice system. The Classical School of criminology is a theory about evolving from a capital punishment type of view to more humane ways of punishing people. Positivist criminology is maintaining the control of human behavior and criminal behavior. They did this through three different categories of Biological studies, which are five methodologies of crime that were mainly focused on biological theories, Psychological theories, which contains four separate theories, and the Sociological theories, which also includes four different methods of explaining why crime exists. The last theory is

Considered the “new criminology”, the cultural and anarchic criminological theory explains how globalization has led to cultural homogeneity. It is a distinct speculative, procedural, and interventionist approach to the study of crime that places criminality and its control directly in the context of culture; that is, it observes crime and the agencies and institutions of crime control as cultural products or as creative constructs. So, they must be read in terms of the meanings they carry. The focus of the field is extensive, including situated and symbolic significance; fabricated social identity; subcultural study; space, place, and cultural geography; the continuing transformations and fluctuations associated with hypercapitalism; variations of power, resistance, and state control; existentialism and theories of risk, “edgework,” and personified practice. In all this, cultural criminology attempts to familiarize criminology to contemporary social and cultural changes and thus to imagine a “postmodern” or “late modern” theory of crime and control. In this regard, cultural criminology is involved in how individuals attempt to resolve certain internal spiritual and emotional conflicts that are themselves generated by the paradoxes and particularities of modern-day life. Put otherwise, cultural criminology seeks to combine “a phenomenology of modern crime with a sociocultural analysis of late modern culture” (Hayward 2004, p. 9, cited under Markets, Consumption, and Crime).

Theories of criminology were developed centuries ago so people can go in depth to seek what cause crime and why. In some cases these theories can eve go to the extent to prevent the crimes from happening again. Over the years more theories have been developed and the theories that have already been developed have been added to so they fit a larger spectrum. What cause a person to commit a crime and why would they commit a certain crime over another? These theories that have been developed give us an insight to the answer of these questions. These theories are used so Criminologist can have a better understanding of crime such as the Ferguson, Missouri riots that took place after the August of 2014.

“Usually death row is called the last mile, we called ours the green mile” (Darabont, 1999). That is how the story of Paul Edgecomb and John Coffey begins in the film The Green Mile. Paul Edgecomb is a prison guard on death row. While on duty, they bring in a new prisoner John Coffey. Mr. Coffey has been sent to the green mile for the murder of two young girls. However, throughout the film, Mr. Coffey seems to be nothing but calm and helpful in any necessary situation. This is noticed by Mr. Edgecomb, who witnessed the miracles John could perform first hand. Mr. Coffey was able to heal sicknesses and this made Mr. Edgecomb wonder how a person who was given this gift could kill two people. Mr. Coffey, much like the other prisoners on the green mile, faced the ultimate punishment but not before he proved his innocence. He showed Mr. Edgecomb and the

As a component of critical criminology, social conflict within societies is believed to be derived from class conflict and is associated with the ideas of Karl Marx. From his view, he theorized that crime would occur less frequently if equality was initiated more frequently in place of discrimination. In analyzing the development of critical criminology, this theory addresses the externalizations produced by a capitalist society and how this may result in in a more competitive society that ultimately leads to crime through economic opposition. Typically, critical criminologists view law as a tool for maintaining control through those in power. Those who have remained in control in powerful positions, have been more likely to accumulate and maintain wealth as well.

The six most important and influential thinkers of the Classical School of criminology and their intellectual contributions is listed as follows: John Lock: published essay Concerning Human Understanding, he compared adult human qualities to life experiences, he wanted the government to get involved more with their citizens instead of the citizens taking ownership for their own problems.Thomas Paine: has a claim to the title The Father of the American Revolution, which rests on his pamphlets, especially Common Sense, which crystallized sentiment for independence in 1776(Schmalleger, 2012).Thomas Hobbes: English philosopher, developed an extremely negative view on human nature and social behavior.Cesare Beccaria: had a doctor of laws degree by the time he was 20 years old; he claimed that punishment should be imposed to prevent offenders from committing additional crimes. Jeremy Bentham: his beliefs went of the “Enlightment” thought; he didn’t promote cruel or extreme punishment;also known for "fundamental axiom" of his philosophy the principle that "it is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong".Charles–Louis de Secondat Montesquieu: French philosopher ,he weaved Locke’s ideas into a concept of a separation of powers between divisions of government ; both ideas was later put in the US Constitution (Schmalleger, 2012).