THEORIES

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THEORIES

• Criminology Theories
• Sociology
• Criticisms
• Arguments against class-based theories
• Psychological Theories
• Multi-Disciplinary

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Criminological Theories

• Differential Association
• Social Learning Theory
• Social Bonding Theory
• General Strain Theory
• A General Theory of Crime

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Sutherlands Differential Association Theory

• Criminal behavior is learned
• In interaction with other people
• Excess of definitions favorable to violation of
  the law

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Social Learning

• Akers
• Incorporation of behaviorism into Differential
  Association
• Definitions of behavior (good or bad)
• Norms
• Attitudes
• Orientations

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Social Bonding Theory

• Hirschi
• Sampson and Laub
• Bonds
• Conventional behavior
• Significant others

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General Strain Theory

• Merton, Cohen, Cloward and Ohlin
• Agnew
• Valued goals

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General Theory of Crime

• Gottfredson and Hirschi
• Low self control
• Impulsiveness
• Simple tasks

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Criminological Theory Criticisms

• Foglia,2000
• Andrews and Bonta (1998)
• Fishbein (2000)
• Goldstein and Fishbein

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Criticisms of Sociological/Criminological

• Lack of emphasis on cognition
• Sociological theories all consistent with
  importance of cognitions
• Historically Sutherland vs. Gleucks
• Theoreticism vs Empiricism
• Failure to realize need for multi-disciplinary
  perspective
• Class-based theories dont have empirical support

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Class-Based Sociological Theory

• Anomie/strain Theory
• Labeling Theory
• Conflict/Marxist Theory

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Andrews and Bontas Arguments Against Class-Based
Theory

• Ecological Fallacy
• Empirical Data

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Ecological Fallacy

• An error that results from analyzing groups but
  making inferences on the behavior of individuals

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Low income neighborhoods have higher crime rates
than do high income neighborhoods
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Examine criminal behavior as a function of
individual income and income of area
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Andrews and BontaCompare Correlates

• Risk/Need Factor

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Myth of Social Class and Criminality

• Study by Tittle, Villimez and Smith, 1978
• 35 studies of class-crime link
• 363 gamma coefficients
• Overall gamma -.09

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Review

• Criminological theories
• Criticisms
• Some consistent with/ draw from psychodynamic
  theories
• Problems with social class-based theories

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THEORIES

• Criminology Theories
• Sociology
• Criticisms
• Arguments against class-based theories
• Psychological Theories
• Multi-Disciplinary

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Historical Perspective on Psychological Theories

• Psychodynamic
• Behavior Theory
• Social Learning
• Cognitive Social Learning

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Psychodynamic Theories

• Freud
• Glueck and Glueck (1950)
• Control Theories
• Reckless (1967)
• Hirschis Causes of Delinquency (1969)
• Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990)

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Psychodynamic Theories

• Why people do NOT commit crimes Why dont people
  violate the law?
• Socialization theories
• How do people develop strong ties to convention
• How do people resist temptations to steal and
  aggress

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Psychodynamic TheoriesPsychoanalytic Theory

• Freud
• Id
• Ego
• Superego
• Conscience
• Ego ideal
• External environment
• Immediate situation of action

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Freuds Psychoanalytic TheoryBarriers to
Development

• Extreme neglect and abuse
• Extreme permissiveness or unconditional warmth
• No warmth or affection

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Psychoanalytic types of Offenders

• Weak superego type
• Weak ego type
• Normal antisocial offender
• Neurotic offender
• Other
• Psychotic
• Developmentally delayed
• Situational offender
• Substance abuse, intoxication
• Accidental offender

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Weak Superego type

• Reckless disregard for conventional rules
• Antisocial Cognitions
• Weak conventional ambitions
• Lack of ego-ideal
• Conduct problems
• Conflict with authority figures
• Separateness from others

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Weak Superego (cont)

• Cleckleys The Mask of Sanity (1982)
• Checklist for psychopathy
• Superficial charm
• Good intelligence
• Absence of delusions (not psychotic)
• Absence of nervousness
• Lack of shame
• Failure to learn from experiences

• Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised

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Weak Ego Type

• Immaturity
• Poorly developed social skills
• Poor reality testing
• Excessive dependence
• Following the leader
• Stumbling into criminal activities

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Normal Antisocial Offender

• Identification with criminal parent
• Superego is procriminal

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Neurotic Offender

• Unconscious desire to be punished
• Overactive superego

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Psychodynamic perspective Glueck and Glueck

• 1950 study
• Cross-sectional study
• Sample of 500 delinquents and 500 nondelinquents
• Matched
• Age
• Ethnic origin
• IQ

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Glueck and Glueck Data

• Social history interviews with boys, relatives
  and others
• Social welfare, court and correctional records
• School files
• Medical examinations
• Psychiatric interviews
• Psychological tests
• Anthropometric analysis of photos
• Teacher checklists

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Glueck and Gluecks Tentative Causal Formula

• Physical Mesomorphic constitution
• Temperament Restless, impulsive, extroverted,
  aggressive
• Attitude Hostile, suspicious, stubborn,
  unconventional
• Cognition Direct and concrete
• Family Little affection, stability or moral
  fiber
• Environment Exciting, little-controlled,
  culturally inconsistent, underprivileged area

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Glueck and Glueck Findings
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Glueck and Glueck Findings
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Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990)

• Single construct underlying psychological
  immaturity/ psychopathy/ weak ego/ weak superego?
• Can it be assessed
• Self Control

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Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990)

• Tendency to not defer immediate gratification
• Lack diligence, tenacity, persistence
• Adventuresome, active, physical
• Unstable commitments to work, marriage, family,
  friends
• Minimal cognitive, academic skill
• Self-centered, insensitive to others

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Psychological Theories

• Psychodynamic
• Behavioral
• Social Learning
• Cognitive Social Learning

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Behavior Theory

• Disappointment with treatment and lack of
  empirical data from psychodynamic theories and
  treatment
• Science of behavior
• Skinner (1938)
• Environmental consequences

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Bartol (1999)Three Types of Learning

• Behaviorism
• Classical or Pavlovian conditioning
• Instrumental or operant learning
• Social learning

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Behavior Theory(From Bartol)

• Perspective on human nature
• People and animals differ only in degree
• Reductionism
• React to environment
• Method of science
• Observable data
• verified or disconfirmed by others
• principles of science

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Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning

• Leaning through association
• Ivan Pavlovs experiments with dogs

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Instrumental or Operant Learning

• Learner must do something to environment
• Obtains rewards
• Avoids punishments
• Extinction

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Psychological Theories

• Psychodynamic
• Behavioral
• Social Learning
• Cognitive Social Learning

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Social Learning

• Importance of cognitions
• People perceive, think, expect, value, interpret
• Rotter (1954) and Bandura (1973)
• Observational learning/ modeling
• Self-efficacy

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Andrews and BontasPsychology of Criminal Conduct

• Attempt to tie together vast amount of data
• Empirical data to build theory
• Individual Differences

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THEORIES

• Criminology Theories
• Sociology
• Criticisms
• Arguments against class-based theories
• Psychological Theories
• Multi-Disciplinary

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Multi-Disciplinary Theories

• Fishbeins Biobehavioral Theory
• Farringtons Biological Influences
• Moffits Developmental Pathways

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Fishbein (2000)

• Study of Crime
• Legal
• No behavior inherently criminal (crime relative)
• Emphisis on phenotypes/components of antisocial
  behavior
• Measurable, stable, consistent
• Aggression, impulsivity or hostility

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Fishbeins Theory

• Phenotype
• The measureable or observable result of the
  interaction between genetic traits and
  environmental experiences
• Interindividual variation in antisocial behaviors
• Genetic
• Nongenetic

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Fishbein (continued)

• All behavior has a genetic component
• Expression of genetic/biological traits can be
  modified by the environment (phenotype)
• Antisocial behavior
• Greatest where highest social risks
• Social deprivation/abuse less protective effects
• Genetic and nongenetic influences

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Fishbein (Cont)

• Alcoholism
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• Biological Studies
• Biological mediators
• Low blood glucose
• Testosterone
• Neurotransmitters
• Dopamine and aggression
• Serotonin and impulsive behavior

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Fishbein (Cont)

• Research
• Gene-environment interaction studies
• Genetic
• Little immediate application
• Sufficient information to know future importance

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Farringtons Biological Influences

• Genetic Factors
• Twin studies
• Psychophysiological factors
• Heart rate
• Skin conductance
• Electroencephalographic (EEG) activity

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Farringtons Biological Influences (Cont)

• Neurochemical and hormonal factors
• Neurotransmitters
• Serotonin and violence
• Hormones
• Testosterone and aggression
• Neuropsychology and brain dysfunction
• Frontal lobe damage
• Neurological functioning

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Farringtons Psychological Influences

• Intelligence and school attainment
• Executive functioning
• School failure
• Hyperactivity and impulsivity
• Temperament and personality
• Eysenck, conscience as conditioned response
• Morality and psychopathy
• Kohlbergs moral development
• Psychopath
• Social cognitive skills
• Think and problem solving

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Moffitts Developmental Pathways

• Different types of offenders
• Life-course persistent
• Early signs
• Neurological problems
• Adolescent-limited
• Majority of delinquents
• No early, persistent antisocial history

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Moffitts Comparisons
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Studies Examining Moffitts Theory

• Moffitt et al (2002)
• ALs still in trouble at 26
• Maybe new developmental stage
• Same theory for females?
• Yes but fewer LCP females

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Moffitts TheoryMore Than Two Trajectories

• Nagin and Land (1993)
• 4 pathways (high-level chronics, low-level
  chronics, never-convicteds, ALs)
• Shaw et al. (2003)
• School age conduct problems (persistent,
  high-level desister, moderate-level desister,
  persistent low)

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Review

• Theories
• Sociological
• Conflict between perspectives
• Psychological
• Multi-disciplinary