CRJS 131-1A Criminology Key Graded Assignment – The Mind of a Killer Ernesto Argote Westwood College January 2012 Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, cause, and control of criminal behavior (Siegel 4). Criminology is not just understanding criminal actions but also studying how to correct and prevent crime, overall. There are five major Criminological theories, (1) Classical Theory, (2) Positivist Theory, (3) Marxist / Conflict Theory, (4) Sociological Theory, and (5) Multifactor / Integrated Theory. Classical Theory originated at about 1764 and it involves Jeremy Bentham’s Utilitarianism, which means that people choose to act when they believe their actions will bring an increase in pleasure and a decrease in …show more content…
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. John Wayne Gacy was born on May 17 (St. Patrick’s Day), 1942 to Marion Elaine Robinson Gacy and John Wayne Gacy, Sr. at Edgewater Hospital in Chicago. He was the second of three children. His older sister Joanne had preceded him by two years and two years after his birth came his sister Karen. The Gacy children were raised as Catholics and attended Catholic School (Taylor 2003). The neighborhood where Gacy grew up was a middle class neighborhood. Gacy, along with many of the children in the neighborhood, had part-time jobs after school. He got part-time jobs doing newspaper routes, bagging groceries, and Boy Scout activities. Gacy was not much popular in school but he had no trouble having friends and fitting in with others. He had friend in school and among his Boy Scout troops and he was liked by his teachers and his co-workers. With some exceptions, Gacy seemed to have had a normal childhood (Bardsley & Bell n.d.). At age 11, Gacy was playing at a swing set and was
Looking at Gacy’s childhood, he lacked these elements. His attachment to his parents were one-sided. Gacy had still loved his father even when he was often severely beat for having congenital heart disease, His attachment to his peers were skewed as well. His peers teased him for having the disease. The only relatively good attachment he had were with his teachers. His teachers said he was smart and a good student.
John Wayne Gacy was born in Chicago, Illinois on March 17 1942. Gacy had an uneventful childhood up until the age of eleven. While out playing he had been struck on the head by a swing. Subsequently he suffered fainting fits for many years.
John Wayne Gacy. Jr was born on March 17, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois to Marion Gacy and John Gacy Sr. When Wayne was 11 he hit his head at the playground, and that caused him to frequently pass out. Until reached the age of 16. He was physically and mentally abused by his father. Since his father was a drunk he would beat John and his siblings and sometimes he would have to watch his father beat his mom so severely that she had to go to the hospital. John also had heart problems, which caused obesity. Because of his appearance, he was bullied by his classmates. He decided to drop out of high school, without a highs school diploma he could not find a job. As a result, he went back to school and enrolled in business school. Soon after, he was
John Wayne Gacy was born in Chicago, Illinois on March 17 1942. Gacy had an uneventful childhood up until the age of eleven. While out playing he had been struck on the head by a swing. Subsequently he suffered fainting fits for many years.
John Wayne Gacy was born on March 17, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois. He was the son of Danish and Polish parents. He and his siblings were raised by a drunken dad. Their dad often beat them with a razor strap if they were misbehaving. Gacy’s mother was also physically assaulted by the father as well. His sister, Karen, said that the siblings learned to be tough and that John would not cry.
John Wayne Gacy, Jr. was born March 17, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, to both his parents John Stanley Gacy and Marion Elaine Robinson. He was a very quiet child who kept himself involved in some way. was not popular but he was well-liked by his peers at school and boy scout activities. To everyone on the outside looking in, Gacy seemed to have a perfectly normal childhood life but it was the total opposite. At the age of 11, gacy was hit in the head by a swing set while playing and it caused blood clots in his brain that were not discovered until the age of 16. Not long after the accident and the diagnosis, Gacy began suffering from blackouts caused by the clots. “They were finally treated with medication” when gacy turned 17 he was hospitalized several times during his life
A number of factors take place regarding incidents of crimes and why they may have been committed that might explain the difference between the two. In determining these factors, theories of crime must be considered since there is more than one factor present when one commits a crime. These theories include learning theory, labeling theory, social disorganization, trait theory, social conflict, choice theory, and life course theory.
There are three theories of criminal behavior: psychological, sociological, and biological. The aim of each theory is to explain the criminal behavior of a person (Helfgott, 2008). Each theory has a different explanation that could be used in the analysis of certain cases. It is also possible to explain the reasons for felony and misdemeanor.
Criminology describes crime, criminal behavior and its causes, and how crime can be controlled and prevented (Schmalleger, 2015). It encompasses a vast realm of disciplines including biology, psychology, and sociology. The field of criminology is composed of many different elements that help make the discipline whole. Some of those components may include criminal behavior, criminal justice, theoretical criminology, translational criminology, and the criminal justice system. Without understanding and studying criminal behavior, one would not understand criminology.
Also, which one of these theories exemplifies the causation of criminal behavior today. The main Psychological Theories are the Learning Theory, Cognitive
Bartollas &Miller (2011) defines criminology as the study of theories, that try to provide an understanding of criminal behavior and crime. These theories also attempt to provide an explanation for the who, what, when, where, why, and how events occur.
Criminology, as defined by the book Criminal Justice: A Brief Introduction, written by the author Dr. Frank Schmalleger, Ph.D., is “the scientific study of the causes and prevention of crime and the rehabilitation and punishment of offenders” (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 20). Criminology, in itself, has a wide variety of function in treating crime and providing punishment to those who commit the crimes here in the U.S. Since crime increases with the population growth, more policies are being given to law makers, which changes the perspective in how the Criminal Justice system works. Due to the increase in crimes, new laws are made to help reduce the crimes in order to minimize the threat of increasing the crimes that are being committed. The Criminal Justice system offers a wide area of responsibilities that houses different types of functions which helps in the fulfillment of accomplishing the tasks needed for a better, well organized running of the Criminal Justice system.
There are various theories within the biological explanation as to why individuals commit criminal behaviour, these include:
Criminology is a study of crime, criminals and criminal justice. Ideas about criminal justice and crime arose in the 18th century during the enlightenment, but criminology as we know it today developed in the late 19th century. Criminology has been shaped by many different academic disciplines and has many different approaches. It explores the implications of criminal laws; how they emerge and work, then how they are violated and what happens to those violators. Laws are relative and historically shaped; they vary from time to time and from place to place (Carrabine et al, 2009).
Criminology is the interdisciplinary field in both the behavioral and social sciences, it's also the study of the nature, extent, management causes, control, consequences, and prevention of criminal behavior.