The CSA uses the reverse, the "top down" processing, which relies on subjective conclusions derived from investigative experience of crimes and criminal interviews by the police and investigators (Hayden).
Motive is the reason behind the commission of a crime (Zandt 2006). It is not an element of a crime, which needs to be proven in court. But some utterly heinous or unnatural crime may require it for the jury to understand and appreciate why it is committed. An example is the killing of one's own spouse or child. Prosecutors must clearly establish the motive, which is the offender's reason for committing what is considered unreasonable, heinous or unnatural. The prosecution must prove and convince the jury, explain and show how anyone can commit that offense or crime. The questions asked when investigating are who, what, when, where, why and how in order to solve a crime. Who is the victim, the crime, when it is committed, where and how it is committed. Of these questions, the less obvious or evident "why" is the hardest to understand and establish. It is not just about needing money, frustration, anger, rage of stupidity. Some lawyers do not ascribe much importance to motive. Motive may not be a legal element in a crime. But it provides the purpose for the performance of an act or commission of an offense, which is forbidden by law. It thus becomes a legitimate element of a crime. It is the reason and the why the decision to commit a crime evolved from the human mind (Zandt).
Without understanding why an offender commits a certain crime, an investigation is armed with nothing (Zandt 2006). In many cases, it is only because the police or investigators do not have enough time or resources to determine it. But if they possess information on certain elements of the crime and certain evidence found at the crime scene, these may suggest the type of person who has committed the crime. The information can provide clue to his motive, which will lead the investigation to his identity. This may, however, take much time and effort. The search for motive poses a huge challenge to investigators if there is no specific race, sex or age group on target. The prosecution may...
Through the maintenance of proper scientific and ethical standards, the knowledge gained from this research could revolutionize the field of criminal justice and public rehabilitative systems. References Lowenstein, L. (2003). "The Genetic Aspects of Criminality." Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment 8(1), pp. 63-78. Peele, S. & DeGrandpre, R. (1995). "My genes made me do it." Psychology today 28(4), pp. 50-7. Pieri, E. & Levitt, M. (2008). "Risky individuals and the
Psychopathy The dependence on science to precisely label and indentify processes and facts can cause some problems within this discipline. Psychopathology, usually identified as a psychological disorder, has seen attempts to place this phenomena in a biological framework. The purpose of this essay is to discuss whether or not psychopaths are more likely to exhibit criminal behavior and what factors may contribute to such behavior. This essay will also discuss the
Psychosocial Aspects of Criminal Behavior Criminality is a multifaceted issue that is influenced by the presence or absence of several factors. The nature of these factors varies from biological and psychological factors, to social and environmental factors. As a multidimensional construct, criminality cannot be fully understood through the use of one perspective exclusively. As a complex issue, criminality requires attention to various perspectives in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of
Psychology differs from other sciences, such as physics or chemistry, where test conditions and parameters are easier to control. In psychology, there are factors that are easily controlled, but there are also circumstances that are beyond the control of the researcher. For instance, the researcher cannot control a history of abuse, or social teaching that occurred in the subject's childhood. All of these factors could affect the outcome of the
Introduction Psychopathology has been viewed differently throughout history and throughout various cultures. The ancient Chinese, Greeks and Romans viewed it psychopathology as a spiritual issue, and they all had their own ways of treating it—from dietary interventions to music interventions to getting more fresh air out of doors and in a natural setting, and so on (Kyziridis, 2005). The Egyptians viewed it as a physical disorder. The Hindus viewed it as
Psychopathology Criminal Behavior Part What might be some of the implications for the forensic field of the differences between the "low-fear hypothesis" and the "high-impulsive" subtypes of psychopathy? In other words, how might the differences in the models help inform us about best practices for such activities as police work on the streets, interrogation methods, trial and sentencing practices, providing treatment, or evaluating recidivism risks? In retrospect, theorists view Lykken's conceptual framework
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now