Crime and Deviance: Theories, Prevention, and Punishment

Introduction: Crime and Deviance Defined

Crimes and increasing criminal activities have become a major concern for security enforcement agencies. These agencies seek help from technology as well as social and psychological theories to prevent crimes and address them effectively. The first priority of security agencies is to prevent crimes; the second is to control them by punishing criminals so that they serve as an example to society. This paper offers an insight into how crime prevention activities can be implemented, including an examination of biological, psychological, and sociological theories pertaining to crimes and criminology. Human beings generally — and criminals specifically — act under the influence of physical, environmental, cultural, and individual factors, all of which are discussed below.

Crimes and deviance are behaviors that violate the settled and accepted norms of a society. Crime is something that is both unethical and prohibited by law, while deviance lacks any formal rules against it. Criminal behavior can be illustrated by examples such as stealing and theft, while deviance can be illustrated by adopting a discourteous communication style. Both behaviors are a concern for society, and sociologists attempt to explain their causes and effects.

It is vital to understand the causal factors behind crime and deviance, since both disrupt the peace of a society and diminish individual productivity. Crime is often described as an illegal act against a person or property (Community Crime Prevention Guide, n.d.). When the actions of criminals are studied, the main objective is to protect other people and their property. It can be difficult to differentiate between crime prevention and punishment, because punishing one offender is sometimes what prevents another person from committing the same act.

There are many ways in which crime can be prevented. Based on the objectives and resources of an organization, strategies can be developed for people-focused crime prevention, place-based crime prevention, and situation-based crime prevention. Theories of criminology suggest that crimes can be understood through the humanistic factors of biology, sociology, and psychology. Sometimes people assume that physically fit individuals do not commit crimes, but incidents in which athletes have killed loved ones demonstrate that factors beyond biology are also at play (Saletan, 2013). Accordingly, strategies should be developed based on expert theories acknowledging that there can be several different reasons why a person commits crimes. The strategy for dealing with criminals must recognize that a habitual criminal should not be treated or punished in the same way as a psychologically disturbed criminal.

Theories of Crime and Their Policy Implications

Criminological theories are not established laws, but they offer direction for developing strategies used in criminal activity prevention and control. Criminal activities can be explained in light of several different theories that help in understanding the problems of individual criminals. This equips security forces to anticipate criminal behavior and take measures to control it. Rohald and Akers (2011) note that studies across nations and cultures have established that each individual — and each criminal — is different, yet there are common patterns in criminal behavior that can be studied through theory. These theories help practitioners understand criminal behavior and take appropriate measures. Social learning and control patterns can be established in light of these theories, which can certainly help prevent and punish criminal behavior.

The following overview summarizes the major theories of crime, the causes each attributes to criminal behavior, and the policies they suggest:

(Figure 1: Summary of Crime Theories, Crime Theories, 2004)

No factor — whether biological, social, ecological, or related to self-control — can be ignored when identifying the cause of criminal behavior or laying down a strategy for dealing with it. However, some factors are more active than others in any particular case. While biology reveals a person's capacity for crime, ecology reveals what can actually push a person beyond decent behavior (Moore, 2011). A complete understanding of the influence of criminal factors can be developed by constructing a matrix showing how different factors combine to cause criminal behavior. A detailed understanding also helps develop a criminal pathway — an anticipation of crime by a specific person or in a specific area (Office of Justice Programs, 2011).

More than a hundred studies have demonstrated that the human genome is involved in factors that cause crime (Cohen, 2011). Sometimes a person finds himself overwhelmed by anger, aggression, and anxiety, leading to frequent violence. This may be because he has inherited aggressive tendencies or a hormonal imbalance from his family. Criminologists therefore consider it essential to understand the biological factors that contribute to crime. Without addressing and treating a criminal's aggression problem, illegal habits may persist. A criminal can sometimes only relinquish harmful behavior by receiving medication that regulates hormonal levels. The justice system thus needs to incorporate biological factors into crime prevention processes, since a medical intervention is often the solution to a problem that cannot be resolved by years of detention.

There is a biological difference between criminals and non-criminals. These biological features can sometimes be obvious, and sometimes they can only be detected through biological testing. Such characteristics may include certain hormonal levels, brain function, and physical strength.

Psychology offers another lens through which to understand crime. Psychologists hold that people are not born criminals or saints; rather, anyone can develop bad or criminal habits. Psychology is a field with dual relevance to criminology: it not only helps identify and prohibit activities that can lead to crime, but can also help address the depression or mental distress that underlies criminal acts. There is often a measurable difference in IQ between the average person and a criminal, which can help distinguish offenders from non-offenders. Some psycho-criminologists also find it useful to identify personality disorders that predict future criminal behavior (Siegel, 2007), including sociopathy, psychopathy, and antisocial personality disorder. Identifying individuals who may engage in criminal behavior in the future allows authorities to monitor them and prevent violence.

Sociological theories of crime study how different people behave under different social circumstances. The Department of Sociology at the University of Chicago studied these patterns for the first time in the 1920s and found relationships between a person and his or her surrounding environment. When an area and its environment are disorganized, this can have a negative impact on individual behavior (Crime Theories, 2004). People frequently face sociological pressures that lead to crime. The Chicago studies examined the "Anomie Theory" group and found that social inequities are a primary cause of crime. Social discrimination causes stress among people, compelling some toward offensive behavior.

Control theories explain that some people are raised in ways that leave them with poor self-control, making it difficult for them to resist taking what they want. This may lead to stealing, which is the basis of many more serious crimes. Improper child-rearing is a foundational element contributing to low self-control (Crime Theories, 2004). Crime prevention strategy should therefore begin with a child's upbringing — what a child watches, what games he or she plays, and all other influences should be arranged to build self-control rather than undermine it.

Crime Prevention vs. Crime Punishment

As noted earlier, crime prevention is a proactive approach — preventing a person from committing a crime in the first place — while punishment is a reactive approach used after a crime has been committed. In some contexts, the cost of crime control is evaluated in economic terms, while in others it is viewed as a social activity (Robert, 1991). From an economic perspective, crime control provides a peaceful environment for conducting business. Some criminologists are uncertain whether to prioritize crime prevention or crime punishment strategies. This question can be resolved by analyzing theories of crime and deviance and identifying which theoretical framework applies in a given setting.

Crime prevention is one basic function of criminology departments, which also look for signs of criminal activity in areas not yet identified as hotspots but potentially at risk. Related concerns include the design of cities and the flow of traffic in ways that make crime less attractive or feasible in certain areas, thereby discouraging criminal activity through environmental structure.

Crime theories have strong potential to assist in designing structures and strategies that can prevent crime. These theories indicate which biological, psychological, social, and self-control features are more common among criminals; on the basis of these traits, criminologists can arrange to observe high-risk individuals and intervene before crimes are committed (Crime Control: A Short Note, n.d.). Sociological and psychological profiles can also indicate where a criminal might seek refuge. An ideal society would be one where crime is prevented entirely and no one is detained. In the real world, however, the detention and punishment of criminals is as important as prevention. Some individuals are so dangerous that treating them for biological and psychological problems alone would not do justice to victims and their families. Punishment is therefore justified, and detention serves as both a penalty and a guarantee of security for society.

Conclusion

Crime has several different dimensions and is rooted in human biology, psychology, environment, and self-control. Crimes can be discouraged through prevention and punishment strategies grounded in an understanding of criminological theory. It is more effective to understand the factors causing crime before implementing a strategy. The reason for crime differs for every criminal, and so should the response. Crime prevention and crime punishment activities become far more effective when criminologists recognize that no single approach fits all cases. Social and environmental development activities are essential to creating a society that is less hospitable to crime. Crime rates can be tracked annually after implementing prevention strategies in order to evaluate their effectiveness.

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