Chapter 5: Criminological Theory
- Page ID
- 328892
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- 5.1: What is Theory?
- This page discusses the vital role of criminological theories in comprehending crime, stressing their need to accurately reflect observations and explain criminal behavior. It illustrates the importance of theories in identifying crime causes and shaping policies. An example involving ice cream sales and murder rates demonstrates the difference between correlation and spuriousness, highlighting the influence of third variables.
- 5.2: What Makes a Good Theory?
- This page covers the evaluation of criminological theories, highlighting logical consistency, scope, and testability. Logical consistency ensures a theory is coherent, while scope indicates the range of explanations it provides. Testability relates to a theory's falsifiability, with some being more vulnerable to refutation. The text underscores that a theory's scientific credibility hinges on its capacity for testing and potential disproval, drawing on Popper's philosophical insights.
- 5.3: Pre-Classical Theory
- This page outlines the evolution of societal understanding through three stages: theological, metaphysical, and scientific. It highlights how, during the middle ages, crime was perceived as a sin, leading to severe punishments enforced by feudal lords. Justice was influenced heavily by social status, with trials by battle or ordeal used to prove innocence. The page suggests a transition towards a more rational, scientific viewpoint, though details on this shift are minimal.
- 5.4: Classical School
- This page explores the ideas of Thomas Hobbes and Cesare Beccaria on the social contract and criminal justice. Hobbes argued for a government formed by the people to safeguard their natural rights, highlighting personal accountability for criminal actions. Beccaria advocated for punishments that match the crime, promoting deterrence through certainty, swiftness, and severity.
- 5.5: Neoclassical
- This page discusses Oregon's Measure 11, which established mandatory minimum sentences for serious crimes and impacted juvenile offenders, particularly minorities. It also explores the rational choice theory in criminology, which posits that offenders assess costs and benefits, highlighting the necessary conditions for crime: a motivated offender, a suitable target, and insufficient guardianship.
- 5.6: Positivist Criminology
- This page discusses positivism's focus on empirical evidence and scientific methods, particularly in criminology, to explore the causes of criminal behavior. Key principles include measurement, objectivity, and causality, leading to the categorization of individuals as criminals or non-criminals. Additionally, it highlights the influence of Darwin's evolutionary theories on the understanding of criminal behavior, although they do not directly address crime.
- 5.7: Biological and Psychological Positivism
- This page discusses theories on criminal behavior, notably Lombroso's idea of "born criminals," and Goring's findings on offender variations, establishing biological positivism. It contrasts Binet's view of intelligence as malleable with Goddard's fixed perspective, which led to harmful practices.
- 5.8: The Chicago School
- This page discusses Shaw and McKay's analysis of transitional urban zones, highlighting their decline in physical conditions, unique demographics, and socioeconomic challenges. They introduce the concept of social disorganization, suggesting that unstable populations weaken social institutions' ability to enforce norms, reducing community cohesion and potentially increasing crime rates.
- 5.9: Strain Theories
- This page discusses strain theories explaining crime as a response to societal pressures preventing the achievement of cultural goals like the American Dream. Merton presents five adaptations to the gap between societal goals and means: conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion. Cohen argues that lower-class youths often reject middle-class values, leading to delinquency.
- 5.10: Learning Theories
- This page examines classical conditioning through the example of dogs salivating to footsteps, highlighting learned associations. It also presents Sutherland's differential association theory, suggesting that criminal behavior is acquired through social interactions. Key aspects include the influence of legality definitions and the impact of association characteristics on learning.
- 5.12: Other Criminological Theories
- This page explores social reaction theories of crime, focusing on the contrast between reintegrative and stigmatizing shaming. It highlights how reintegrative shaming fosters forgiveness and community ties, while stigmatizing shaming damages social connections, potentially exacerbating criminal behavior. The discussion critiques critical theories, noting the influence of socio-economic status and capitalism on crime, often favoring the rich and punishing the poor more harshly.
- 5.13: "Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child" Myth
- This page discusses the AAP's strong opposition to spanking children due to its harmful effects on mental health and behavior, including increased aggression and anxiety. It advocates for alternative discipline methods that promote positive development and encourages nurturing, non-violent parenting strategies.