Psychological and sociological approaches to understanding criminal behavior
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Human Behavior in Criminal Justice Chapter 1 Briefly explain the difference between psychological criminology and sociological criminology. How do these differ from a psychiatric approach to the study of criminal behavior? While psychological criminology involves the scientific behavior and mental processes of an individual who commits a crime (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.8), social criminology examines the demographic-based aspects of crime and how they relate to criminal behavior (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.7). Psychological criminology is focused on an individual\\\\\\\'s behavior to determine how it is acquired, trigged, its progression, and how it can be changed (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.8). On the other hand, sociological criminology focuses mainly on target groups and the society, in general, to determine how they affect criminal behavior. Identify and provide one example of each of the three predominant methods of measuring crime. Official police reports of reported crime and arrests, e.g., National incident-based Reporting System (NIBRS) and Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.12) Self-report studies (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.19) e.g. Wallerstein & Wyle (1947). Regional or national victimization studies (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.21), e.g., the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). Chapter 2 Compare and contrast the cumulative risk and developmental cascade model. The differences between the cumulative risk model and developmental cascade model are (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.30); Cumulative risk model Developmental cascade model
Predicts negative mental and emotional health outcomes Predicts negative behavioral outcomes in the life span
An additive approach for assessment of overall effects of risks during development An interactive approach for assessment of effects of risks in the developmental pathways
Involves harmful environmental, social, and psychological influences Involves developmental competencies and resilience
Emphasis is on the identification of children faced with numerous multiple risks factors and how to reduce them during development Emphasis is on well-timed and targeted interventions meant to enhance positive outcomes through the development
Both models provide targets for preventions at specific periods in development, and they both emphasize the improvement of protective factors. What is the attachment theory, and how might it relate to juvenile delinquency and adult criminal behavior? Bowlby\\\\\\\'s attachment theory states that infants have a strong need to establish close emotional bonds with those in their social environments, and the nature of these bonds influences the quality of social relationships later in life (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.501). This theory explains criminal behavior through avoidant attachment. Children who lack attachment are more likely to engage in delinquent behavior such as sexual offenses. Also, an adequate attachment can explain the characteristics of adult criminal behavior and the other influencing risk factors, e.g., poverty. Chapter 3 What is meant by the term \\\\\\\"shared environment,\\\\\\\" and why is it important in genetic research on crime? The shared environment includes life and prenatal experiences that affect twins in the same way. Because twins are shared by the same biological parents and share a common home and hereditary environment, it promotes behavioral similarity between twins, especially identical twins. This understanding can be utilized to determine the influence of genes on criminal behavior, as genetics contribute 50% to criminal behavior variations (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.61). Explain how temperament plays a role in the development of antisocial behavior? Temperament influences antisocial behavior through a reciprocal approach. Good temperament influences the environment towards a positive interaction while poor/bad temperament attracts negative responses and therefore, will temperament doesn\\\\\\\'t lead to antisocial behavior; it determines increment or decrement of antisocial behavior (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.67). Chapter 4 Describe the process of operant conditioning and give an example of how criminal behavior is acquired. The process of operant conditioning is a learned and it leads to acquiring or eliminating a behavior because of the attached consequence (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.84). For example, in criminology, a person (infant or adult) might be promoted to engage and continue engaging in criminal behavior if encouraged, e.g., by fellow adults, guardians, or parents. In poverty-stricken communities, young girls might be operant conditioned to engage in criminal prostitution behavior if they are recommended/encouraged by adults as the only way to make a living. Compare and contrast the behaviorism promoted by B.F. Skinner with modern behaviorism promoted by Bandura. While Skinner argues for operant conditioning, Bandura argues for social learning. These two behavioral models are similar in that they are both learned behaviors. However, operant conditioning differs from social learning in that, while operant conditioning is experience-based (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.84), social learning is observational-based (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.91), leading to imitation. Additionally, while Skinner\\\\\\\'s operant conditioning is outcome-oriented, Bandura\\\\\\\'s social learning is processes based. Chapter 5 What physiological factors have been associated with aggression? Physiological arousal has been associated with aggression. Also referred to as excitation transfer theory, a person who suffers an anger-producing experience carries it over to the next minor anger-producing experience until the buildup of anger reaches climax and they explore resulting to such statements like \\\\\\\"You are taking out on me/the kids\\\\\\\" (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.121). Define hostile attribution bias and discuss how it might explain chronic aggression in young children Hostile attribution bias is the tendency of highly aggressive and violent youth to interpret ambiguous actions as hostile and threatening compared to their less aggressive counterparts (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.125). According to research, hostile attribution bias begins developing during preschool years, and for these highly aggressive young children, every social problem is typically defined through a hostile lens; thus, hostile goals are adopted, which serve to propagate aggression, resulting in aggressive behavior, and a repeat cycle of aggressive behavior which results to chronic aggression. Chapter 6 What are status offenses? What has research found relating to gender differences in these offenses? Status offenses among juveniles can only be committed by juveniles and typically handled only by a family or juvenile court (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.147). Status offenses range from misbehavior to offenses that can be interpreted subjectively. According to research, these offenses have been treated differentially among male and female offenders; for example, while adolescent girls have been detained for incorrigibility, adolescent boys are tolerated or entirely ignored. Describe Gerald Patterson\\\\\\\'s coercion developmental model. Coercion Developmental Theory argues that poor monitoring of child activities by their parents, inconsistent parental discipline, and disruptive family transitions are the major psychosocial contributors to the early start of youth delinquency (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.158). Thus, the early onset of delinquency is dependent on the family environment, and that those who start early are at a higher risk of more serious criminal offenses. Chapter 7 Describe the three and four-factor models of psychopathy. The three-factor model reflects; factor 1 on interpersonal and emotional components, factor 2 on social deviance or antisocial lifestyle, and factor 3 on emotional shallowness, callousness, and the lack of empathy (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.191). In addition to the effective disturbances in interpersonal and behavioral functioning, the four-factor model includes antisocial behavior as the fourth dimension for defining psychopathy (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.191). Name and describe briefly any five instruments used to measure psychopathy. i. Psychopathy screening device (PSD) – it is designed to identify aspects that are critical to the description of psychopathy in childhood. ii. Childhood Psychopathy Scale (CPS) – was developed to put into operation in childhood and adolescence the personality trains in the PCL-R iii. Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI) – a self-report used to assess psychopathy among youth, and several items on the scale are reverse coded for higher scores to indicate higher psychopathic characteristics iv. Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL: Y.V.) – is a 20-item rating scale modified from the Psychopathy checklist revised (PCL-R) for adults. It requires extensive training to administer and time-consuming (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p., 187). Chapter 8 Define and fully evaluate any three of the unique defenses discussed in this chapter. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – PTSD has been used as a defense in Not Guilty because of Insanity (NGRI); however, a review of cases shows that in cases where PTSD is cited as defense, it is not successful in freeing the defendant, rather it only results to diminished responsibility (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.231). Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) – DID has been used unsuccessfully in defense by the Hillside Strangler. To date, there still is a debate among professionals in the psychology field on whether DID is real (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.234). Dissociative Amnesia – as a defense, has not been accepted as a valid condition for NGRI or a condition for one not to stand trial. It is only viable as a defense if the defendant suffered a brain injury (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.235). Identify and include symptoms of the four diagnostic categories most relevant to criminal behavior. Diagnostic category Symptoms
Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders Hallucinations, Delusions, abnormal motor behavior, and disorganized thinking (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.217)
Bipolar disorder Hyper energy, euphoria, and distractibility (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.218)
Major depression Extreme depression, slowed mental and physical activity, despair, gloom, feelings of worthlessness, and suicidal thoughts (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.219).
Antisocial Personality disorder Failure to conform to social norms, irritability, impulsivity, deceitfulness, consistent irresponsibility, lack of remorse, and recklessness (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.219).
Chapter 9 What is the availability heuristic? How might it account for our perception of violence? The availability heuristic is the constant attention that politicians and the new media give to violence. This serves to create the populace\\\\\\\'s impression that violence is widespread and frequent, more than it is (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.248). Discuss in detail IPV among any two populations Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) among older adults is a significant problem that attracts less attention. Themes in IPV among older adults are; abuse lasts long, most healthcare facilities do not screen for IPV among older adults, and isolation of older adults is a contributing factor (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.264). IPV among Hispanics is higher as compared to non-Hispanic white couples. Risk factors include individual (unemployment, history of abuse, education level), community (violent and impoverished neighborhoods), and relationship (social support, and infidelity) (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.264). What is the cycle of violence hypothesis? The cycle of violence hypothesis holds that persons who are engaged in IPV are themselves highly likely to have experienced more severe or frequent psychological and physical abuse and punitive parenting during this childhood (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.283). Chapter 10 Identify and discuss the five-category typology based on the motivation for mass killings by Fox and Levin. Revenge – mass shooting killers seek to get even with a group of people they dislike or persons they associated with a person from whom revenge is sought Power – a mass killer seeks power and domination over their victims Loyalty – especially in family massacres, perpetrator seeks to save their love ones from the misery of hardships Profit – the perpetrator seeks to eliminate crime witnesses or victims, e.g., in robbery, drug wars, and organized crime Terror – the perpetrator seeks to send a message through mass killings (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.308-9) List and define the types of multiple murder and provide an illustration of each. Serial killings – the perpetrator carries out a series of killings over some time. Between 1979 and 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer lured boys and young men to his apartment and killed them, ate their flesh, and had sex with the corpses (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.298). Mass murder – killing four or more persons in one location, with no break between the murders. An example is the September 11, 2001 terror attack in New York that killed about 3,000 people (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.299). Define investigative psychology Investigative psychology is applying psychological principles and research in investigating criminal behavior (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.289). Chapter 11 Define the following concepts and explain in detail the role they may play in an individual becoming a terrorist: a) moral justification – enables a person to participate in reprehensive behavior by telling self it is social worth, and the result is morally good. An individual becomes a terrorist who believes they are doing what was commanded by the Prophet, Mohamed, thus good. b) Cognitive restricting – this is a process that involves moral justifications, euphemistic language, and advantageous comparisons. Terrorists, and especially trainers, use this process to radicalize recruits and restrict sense and logic. c) Advantageous comparison – the notion that one\\\\\\\'s way of life is superior. Terrorists are convinced that they are superior to those they attack, culturally, and way of life. d) Dehumanization – deprivation of persons, mainly strangers, of their humanness. By dehumanizing persons, a terrorist can kill or mistreat them as they are viewed as no longer humans with humanistic attributes. e) Deindividuation – the losing of individual sense when in a group or crowd. In terror groups, deindividuation removes self-imposed controls, and thus, all is done for the success of the larger group/missions (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.343). Describe in detail the main characteristics of the lone wolf terrorist. i. They operate as single individuals ii. They do not belong to a terrorist\\\\\\\'s network, group, or organizations, but they may claim affiliation to an interests group iii. Their actions are devoid of any direct influence iv. They attack after premeditation and careful planning v. The likelihood of being emotionally disturbed is very high, and they have poor interpersonal and social skills (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.336). How are terrorist groups classified? The first category is domestic and international terrorists. Domestically, the FBI classifies terrorists based on their political leanings, e.g., right-wing terrorists and left-wing extremist groups. FBI\\\\\\\'s other classification is special interest\\\\\\\'s extremists, e.g., radical environmental groups and nuclear/biological/chemical (NBC) terrorism (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.328-9). Chapter 12 Describe in detail the difference between rape and sexual assault? While rape is the penetration, including the slightest, of the vagina or anus with any body part of an object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person without the consent of the victim, sexual assault is an umbrella term for a variety of behaviors that may not include penetration (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.349). Define and provide in detail examples of rape myths. Rape myths are beliefs and attitudes that are false yet widely and persistently held to deny and justify sexual aggression by men (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.362). An instance of this is that marital rape does not exist, as a higher level of intimacy is to be expected between married couples, and that such an act would not be a violation of the right of the wife or be psychologically damaged. How do RNR principles apply in the treatment of sex offenders? The Risk, Need, and Responsivity (RNR) principles apply in the treatment of sex offender through; assessment of the risk of reoffending and using treatment to reduce recidivism, determining the criminological needs and applying treatment measures to avert such needs, and lastly, through the responsivity principle, apply treatment services that are in line with their learning abilities and styles of the offender, to ensure the maximum response to treatment (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.372). Chapter 13 Describe in detail the difference between pedophilia and child sex offending? Pedophilia is the recurrent sexual acts against children aged 13 and below that is recurrent over some time. Pedophilia is only a crime when the actions have been put into action. On the other hand, child sex offending are actions that range from sexual touching to penetration against children, and they are crimes that can be tried before a court of law (Bartol & Bartol, 2016, p.376). Outline child molestation typologies of the MTC and the Groth system. Which one is better supported by the research literature? Massachusetts Treatment Center (MTC) Groth
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