Sociological Perspectives on Criminal Behavior

¶ … Crime Three Perspectives on Crime For decades sociologists have debated the causes of crime and criminal behavior and have created three sociological perspectives involving the cause of crime. Schmalleger identifies these three perspectives as Individual Responsibility Perspective, Social Problems Perspective, and Integrated Perspective. A discussion of current criminal activity can easily identify cases in which each of these perspectives can be applied. The Individual Responsibility Perspective defines criminal behavior as the result of individual personal choices.

According to Schmalleger, this perspective states that individuals are ultimately responsible for their own behavior and that some individuals choose to engage in criminal activity as opposed to following the law. HSBC is Europe's third largest bank and in 2013 it agreed to pay a $1.9 Billion fine "to resolve charges it enabled Latin American drug cartels to launder billions of dollars…." (Smythe, 2013) HSBC CEO Stuart Gulliver and Chairman Douglas Flint were accused of failing to monitor wire transfers in excess of $650 Billion and close to $10 Billion in U.S. currency purchases.

It could be argued that these gentlemen personally made the choice to engage in criminal behavior because they would be rewarded financially. In exchange for a deferred prosecution agreement, the bank agreed to pay the fines and enact specific reforms which will put the bank in accordance with the law. The second perspective is the Social Problems Perspective and is defined by Schmalleger as criminal behavior as a result of social problems such as poverty, discrimination, substance abuse, inequality, etc.

In 2010 a troubled person named Todd Hannigan was convicted of trafficking narcotics and sentenced to 15 years in prison. However, it could be said that Mr. Hannigan's case could be the result of the Social Problems Perspective on crime. In Hannigan's case he had a number of minor prior convictions involving theft, robbery, and burglary and suffered from both social and psychological problems. While attempting to commit suicide by overdosing on Hydrocodone, Hannigan was arrested before he could ingest a lethal dose.

Because he still had 31 remaining pills in his possession, he was charged with trafficking narcotics. Florida law then required the judge to impose a mandatory 15-year sentence who stated "I do believe this is an inappropriate sentence for you. I really believe that. But there are restraints placed on my ability to stray from the statutory framework for sentencing…" ("Todd Hannigan") Finally there is the idea of the Integrated Perspective which attempts to merge concepts from different sociological and criminological theories.

This perspective does not attempt to explain all criminal behavior but it believes that individual cases can be explored through a wider picture of crime which involves a variety of different theories. The recent case of Miller v. Alabama is a good example of how various theories can be used to discuss the sociological perspectives of a criminal case. Evan Miller was convicted of killing Cole Cannon and sentenced to life without parole when Miller was just 14 years old. ("Miller v. Alabama") An appeal to the U.S.

Supreme Court decided that sentencing juveniles to life in prison was a violation of the Eighth Amendment against cruel and unusual punishment. Justice Breyer also argued that Miller may not have intended to kill Cannon and without such intent a life sentence was not constitutional. This case could involve the idea of the Choice Theory by asking.