Criminal Behavior
Approaches to Understand Criminal Behavior

Psychological Approaches

Sociological Approaches

Biological Approaches

Psychosurgery

Chemical Methods of Control

Imagine yourself having a walk in the premises of your house and a stone come flying through the boundary wall and hits you. As a layman, one might face difficulty in defining this incident. It can be termed as an assault, an act of violence or a criminal offence. This is a layman's term to define this act but in reality it has a way deeper meaning. Before going in the details of criminal behavior, few points must be pondered like why individuals offend, who are the ones who offend and who are the probable victims. Relationship between psychology and the criminal justice system is of great significance in developing an understanding about reasons that could lead to violence which is the consequence of criminal behavior. Many other facts are of importance while investigating the issue like police investigation,…...

Sociological theories of criminal behavior do not discount individual-level learning but focus more on the surrounding culture and environment. To explain criminal behavior, sociologists usually center on conflict theories, strain theories, labeling theories, and social control theories. Conflict theories have their roots in Marxist philosophy. They reveal how class conflict can create impetus for deviance and also lead to general anomie. Strain theory similarly suggests that criminal behavior can result from a gap between socially sanctioned goals and an individual's ability to achieve those goals in normative ways. These theories generally explain the greater prevalence of crime among socially disadvantaged groups. Social disorganization theory also takes into account the tendency for criminal behavior to arise in communities that lack structure and cohesion due to anomie. Social control theorists postulate that an individual's acceptance of and commitment to prevailing social institutions will diminish criminal behavior; the desire to conform overrides any…...

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References

DeMelo, D. (2006). "Criminology Theory." Retrieved Mar 22, 2007 at  http://home.comcast.net/~ddemelo/crime/crimetheory.html 

DeMelo, D. (2006) "Sutherland's Differential Association." Retrieved Mar 2, 2007 at  http://home.comcast.net/~ddemelo/crime/differ.html

" These authors purport that although mood and behaviour may constitute a vital part in disorderly outcomes of drinking scenarios, other social factors can equally contribute influences. These factors, according to these authors, can be categorized by the following factors:
the attitude and motivations that young binge drinkers bring to drinking, the social and peer group norms under which they operate, and features relating to the drinking environment.

Reasonable Investigations

In the journal article, Misinformation, Misrepresentation, and Misuse of Human ehavioral Genetics Research, Kaplan (2006) notes: "Researchers interested in understanding either the causes of variation in human behaviors or how human behaviors develop are at a disadvantage compared to researchers interested in answering similar questions associated with nonhuman organisms."

Reasons include:

Ethical restrictions on human experimentation make a number of experiments, standard in other model organisms, impossible to perform on humans.

Human development constitutes a slower process than that of traditional model organisms, such as nematode…...

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Bibliography www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5017425010

Beecher-Monas, Erica, and Edgar Garcia-Rill. "Genetic Predictions of Future Dangerousness: Is There a Blueprint for Violence?." Law and Contemporary Problems 69, no. 1-2 (2006): 301+. Database online. Available from Questia,   Accessed 16 February 2008. www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5006642298http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5017425010.Internet .

Bitsas, Constantine. "Food for Thoughout: The Role of Nutrients in Reducing Aggression, Violence and Criminal Behavior." Corrections Today, April 2004, 110+. Database online. Available from Questia,   Accessed 16 February 2008. www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=104853723http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5006642298.Internet .

Braun, Lundy. "8 Commentary," in Nature and Nurture: The Complex Interplay of Genetic and Environmental Influences on Human Behavior and Development. Edited by Coll, Cynthia Garcia, Elaine L. Bearer, and Richard M. Lerner, 139-143. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2004. Book online. Available from Questia,   Accessed 16 February 2008. www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5019164964http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=104853886.Internet .

Bullock, Bernadette Marie, Kirby Deater-Deckard, and Leslie D. Leve. "Deviant Peer Affiliation and Problem Behavior: A Test of Genetic and Environmental Influences." Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology 34, no. 1 (2006): 29+. Database online. Available from Questia,   Accessed 16 February 2008. www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5022133183http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5019164964.Internet .

On the other hand, his wife said that they dated for about nine months and then were engaged for about a year before they got married. There was some discrepancy in the Personal and Progress notes of Mr. W pertaining to the involvement of Mr. W in women during his time in high school, however, which does not have much role to play in this case. Mr. W claimed that the reason why he and his wife got divorced was because she was a very dominating woman and she had all the control in their relationship. He also said that she would spend luxuriously and would pressurize him to make more money. Later, he also made a claim that he thinks that he was under a lot of pressure to make a lot of money and that is one of the reasons why he had to indulge in criminal…...

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Bibliography:

American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. (1995). Ethical guidelines for the practice of forensic psychiatry. Greenfield, CT: Author.

American Psychological Association. (1992). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct.American Psychologist, 47.

Anastasi, a. (1988). Psychological testing (6th ed.). New York: Macmillan.

Marshall, W.L., Jones, R., Ward, T., Johnston, P. & Bambaree, H.E. (1991). Treatment of sex offenders.Clinical Psychology Review.

Leaders in society understand the need to resist putting unfair labels on people; this has been a positive trend over the recent past.
Feminist Theory: Feminist theories suggest, "…criminal justice decisions reflect male dominance and functioning to support patriarchy"; in short, the system is bias against women (Akers, 1999). This has changed society because women's liberation, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, have made it illegal to discriminate based on race, gender, religious affiliation or age.

Biosocial Theories: The risk entailed in criminal behavior is caused by a combination of environmental and biological dynamics (Vito, et al., 2006). Another aspect of this approach to criminology is to believe that personality traits, which are the result of biological forces inside the individual, can cause crime. Society puts criminals in prisons, but sociologists and psychologists strive to understand how biological and environmental factors factor in when people commit crimes. The change is…...

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Works Cited

Akers, Ronald. (1999). Criminological Theories. Florence, KY: Taylor & Francis.

Burfeind, James, Burfeind, James W., and Bartusch, Dawn Jeglum. (2010). Juvenile

Delinquency: An integrated Approach. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Florida State University. (2007). Durkheim's Anomie. Retrieved August 22, 2011, from  http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/crimtheory/week8.htm .

Likewise, full-body tattoos are considered deviant behavior and people who are completely tattooed are ostracized from some elements of society, but that behavior has never been considered illegal. In contrast, most people do not consider jaywalking or speeding to be extremely deviant behavior. On the contrary, most people have probably engaged in these criminal behaviors and may even be habitual offenders, but one would be unlikely to label them as criminals.
Therefore, it becomes clear that deciding what constitutes a crime is about more than deviance; it also requires the consideration of whether the behavior is harmful to anyone other than the actors and if society values those whom the behavior is harming. Looking at the example of homosexuality and tattoos; even if one considers that behavior self-destructive, it is difficult to imagine how the behavior harms anyone other than those involved in the lifestyle. In contrast, speeding and jaywalking,…...

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References

Bartol, C.R., & Bartol, A.M. (2012). Criminal Behavior: A Psychosocial Approach (Laureate

Education, Inc., custom ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Burkhead, M.D. (2006). The Search for the Causes of Crime: A History of Theory in Criminology. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc.

Federal Bureau of Investigation. Uniform Crime Reports. Retrieved March 5, 2013 from FBI

05 under Resolving Ethical Issues in corporate situations is apt.
One Research Standard in the "Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research"

The one research standard that stands out as among the most important standards is "accuracy," which, along with "honesty, efficiency and objective" make up the four most fundamental standards from the Office of Research Integrity. In the peer-reviewed journal Criminology, professor John Laub writes that "…facts must come first" when reviewing various approaches to criminology. The point of Laub's essay -- which basically takes Edwin Sutherland to task for Sutherland's analysis of criminology and crime research -- is that Sutherland "…rejected key facts about crime that were contrary to his sociological paradigm" (Laub, 2006, p. 239). In other words, Sutherland took a sociological view of crime and ignored those facts that were not convenient to his theory. That is as troubling as a detective ignoring facts in a murder case…...

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Works Cited

American Psychological Association. (2011). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct / Including 2010 Amendments. Retrieved May 23, 2013, from http://www.apa.org.

Laub, J.H. (2006). Edwin H. Sutherland and the Michael-Adler Report: Searching for the Soul of Criminology Seventy Years later. Criminology, 44(2), 235-252. .

Mihajlov, T.P., and Miller, W.A. (2012) Fraud at Buca de Beppo: A Villa in Tuscany?

Strategic Finance, 94(1), 40-46.

Whereas terrorists, are focused on achieving idealistic goals that are concentrating on creating destruction, severely weakening their adversaries and making the general public fearful about conducting routine activities. (Kane, 2005) ("Terrorist Links to Other Crimes," 2007)
The rationale behind white collar crimes is based upon self-interest and greed. While terrorists, are more ideological and want to create some kind of lasting change through a campaign of violence. As a result, while collar criminals want to maintain the status quo in order to continue to reap these benefits. However, the terrorists want to create radical changes to the system or the policies of various governmental entities. (Kane, 2005) ("Terrorist Links to Other Crimes," 2007)

Describe possible conclusions which can be drawn based upon this comparison.

Possible conclusions which can be drawn are that both kinds of activities will utilize the same kinds of tools and tactics. This is a part of a larger…...

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References

Terrorist Links to Other Crimes. (2007). NIJ. Retrieved from:  http://www.nij.gov/topics/crime/terrorism/other-crimes.htm 

Kane, J. (2005). Identify the Links Between White Collar Crime and Terrorism. NCJRS. Retrieved from:  https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/209520.pdf

Video Game Violence
Criminal behavior

Criminal behavior literature review: Video game violence

One of the most controversial contentions in the recent debate over the causes of violence in American society is that violent video games give rise to violent behavior. After the recent shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the Arizona Sun reported that local organizers in the community of Southington, Arizona held a violent video game buy-back, much in the same way that other communities had buy-backs of firearms. "Although the organizers are careful to note there's no evidence violent games contributed to the Sandy Hook shooting, the implication is nonetheless clear. So too, the organizers claim that research links video games with other aggressive acts and desensitization" (Ferguson 2013). The head of the National ifle Association (NA) likewise made a link between criminality and video game violence -- but not the presence of guns in American society -- in a much-maligned…...

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References

Anderson Craig. (2003). Violent video games: Myths, facts, and unanswered questions. APA.

Retrieved: http://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2003/10/anderson.aspx

Ferguson, Christopher J., Adolfo Garza, Jessica Jerabeck, Raul Ramos & Mariza Galindo.

(2012). Not worth the fuss after all? Journal of Youth and Adolescence. Retrieved:

This requires identification of the barriers to the readiness of the offender to change as well as the strengths of the offender that will enable their making those changes. Latessa relates that the failure of researchers and scholars to "bridge the gap among theory, research and practice" is striking and that suggestions for how promotion of change by academics and researchers include those of:
(1) leave the office -- be willing to attend and present at nonacademic conferences, conduct workshops for local professionals, testify at legislative hearings, and in general be willing to led the expertise and knowledge they posses;

(2) Make research understandable

(3) Include measures of program integrity and quality in research.

(4) Do a better job of preparing students:

(a) teach them the knowledge base;

(b) provide them better skills and competencies; and (c) expose them to other relevant disciplines. (Latessa, 2004)

Latessa (2004) states that he visited several state correctional systems and…...

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Bibliography

Schmalleger, F. (2007). Criminology today. (5th ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall

Ward, T. And Stewart, C. (in press-a) Criminogenic Needs and Human Needs: A Theoretical Model. Psychology. Crime and Law.

Ward, T. And Stewart, C. (in press-b) Good lives and the rehabilitation of sexual offenders, in T. Ward, S. Hudson, and R. Laws (Eds) Sexual deviance: Issues and Controversies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Birgden, Astrid (2002) Therapeutic Jurisprudence and 'Good Lives': A Rehabilitation Framework for Corrections. Australia Psychologist. 2002 Nov. Vol. 37, No.3. Online available at:  http://law.anu.edu.au/UnitUploads/LAWS8164-2581-Birgden%20 (2002)%20Aust%20Psych.pdf

Criminology is not an abstract discipline. It is designed to have real world, real-life implications and thus must be undertaken with care. However, human beings' behavior cannot be perfectly controlled, and no experiment conducted in the field can be isolated from variables that may potentially affect the results, even with the inclusion of a control group. A faulty experiment could have far-reaching effects.
Beyond the ethics of studying crime, there are also methodological questions. What branch of the social sciences does criminology encompass? Psychology? The natural sciences? Sociology? History? This question influences the assumptions, patterns, and standards of evidence to which research is held. It has been said that the "paradigm for criminology should not be tied to any particular discipline" because of its multidisciplinary nature (Laub 2006: 240). However, this means that creating a universally agreed-upon body of ethical standards can be extremely difficult. The standards of falsifiability and…...

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References

Laub, J. (2006). Edwin H. Sutherland and the Michael-Adler report: Searching for the soul of criminology. Criminology, 44(2), 235 -- 257. Retrieved from  http://www.ccjs.umd.edu/faculty/userfiles/27/laub2006.pdf

Background and Biographical Data The case of Jesse Norman Imeson reveals the possible connections between childhood upbringing, childhood trauma, and psychological characteristics on criminal behavior. While childhood experiences can never be used to condone violence or criminality, understanding the correlation between these factors may help identify early warning signs or risk factors that can then be used in crime prevention strategies. The story of Jesse Imeson gripped Canada because it involved the heinous killing of three individuals in the summer of 2007. Imeson was apprehended at age 22, pled guilty to all three counts of second-degree murder in 2008, and was sentenced to life in prison.
Jesse was the oldest of three children in the Imeson family. Until the first known traumatic event that occurred in Imeson’s early life, he was described by babysitters and friends as being “likeable,” “adventurous,” “happy,” and “wide-eyed...always smiling” boy who just wanted “to have fun,” (“LFP…...

Does Corporal Punishment Increase the Likelihood of Criminal Activity?NameInstitutionDateDoes Corporal Punishment Increase the Likelihood of Criminal Activity?Corporal punishment, is the use of physical force to inflict pain as a means of discipline, has been a topic of significant debate in child-rearing practices and educational settings. The central question is whether such practices contribute to a higher likelihood of criminal behavior later in life. The relationship between disciplinary methods in childhood and later criminal behavior is complex and multifaceted, involving psychological, sociological, and cultural factors. This paper analyzes both sides of the argument, reviewing recent empirical research and theoretical perspectives to present a balanced view. By examining the available evidence, we seek to present a thorough analysis of the latest research on this critical issue in social psychology and criminology.BackgroundThe debate over corporal punishment has a long history in child development and criminology research. Early studies in the 20th century often…...

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ReferencesCuartas, J. (2023). Corporal punishment and child development in low-and-middle-income countries: Progress, challenges, and directions. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 54(6), 1607-1623. Gawali, C., & Bedi, K. (2019). Parental discipline and psychological wellbeing of adolescents. International Journal of Indian Psych?logy, 7(4). Joyner, B., & Beaver, K. M. (2022). Unpacking the association between corporal punishment and criminal involvement. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 49(12), 1845-1863. Lokot, M., Bhatia, A., Kenny, L., & Cislaghi, B. (2020). Corporal punishment, discipline and social norms: A systematic review in low-and middle-income countries. Aggression and violent behavior, 55, 101507. Medeiros, J. K., Pessoa, A. S., Barbosa, A. F., & Liebenberg, L. (2023). ‘Hitting to Teach is One Thing, but to Hurt is a Different Thing, isn’t it?’: Understanding Cycles of Intergenerational Violence within Families. Journal of family issues, 44(5), 1380-1399. Nikulina, V., Gelin, M., & Zwilling, A. (2021). Is there a cumulative association between adverse childhood experiences and intimate partner violence in emerging adulthood? Journal of interpersonal violence, 36(3-4), NP1205-1232NP. Peng, Y., Liang, Y., Wang, Y., & Yang, G. (2024). Harsh Discipline and the Development of Children’s Externalizing Problems: Longitudinal Mediation of Intraindividual Reaction Time Variability. Early Education and Development, 1-18. Wang, M., Wang, Y., Wang, F., & Xing, X. (2021). Parental corporal punishment and child temperament: Independent and interactive predictors of child emotion regulation in China. Journal of interpersonal violence, 36(11-12), NP6680-NP6698.

Criminal Acts and Offender Behavior
Theoretical Dimensions of Criminal Behavior

Laws exist to maintain order and peace and provide for the safety and well-being of all members of society. Acts that disrupt and threaten this system of order are deemed criminal in nature and are therefore punishable by law. The psychology of criminal behavior addresses the thought processes that result in deviant acts and the motivations that drive them. It is believed that criminal types operate from a self-centered framework that shows little, if any regard, for the safety and well-being of others (Merton, 1968).

There are generally three broad theoretical models of criminal behavior: biological, psychological, and sociological. Most theoretical models overlap in their analysis and point to the genetic predisposition of some individuals toward criminal behavior, as well as environmental influences (Morley & Hall, 2003). Most commonly both play a part in developing a person's tendency to engage in criminal activity.…...

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References

Holmes, S.E., Slaughter, J.R., & Kashani, J. (2001). Risk factors in childhood that lead to the development of conduct disorder and antisocial personality disorder. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 31, 183-193.

Merton, Robert K. (1968). Social Theory and Social Structure. New York: Free Press.

Morley, K., & Hall, W. (2003). Is there a genetic susceptibility to engage in criminal acts? Australian Institute of Criminology: Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, 263, 1-6.

Raine, A. (2002). The biological basis of crime. In J.Q Wilson & J. Petrsilia (Eds.) Crime: Public policies for crime control. Oakland: ICS Press.

What seems clear is that while not all criminality is stable, those people who begin offending at relatively young ages are generally those who are lifelong offenders. In this way, it can be said that some criminality is stable over time.
The stability of criminal behavior can have a significant impact on criminal justice policy. When rehabilitation efforts proved largely unsuccessful, there was a conservative swing back towards incarceration to drive down crime rates. While incarceration does not have the blanket effect of reducing crime rates, it does reduce crime rates when high-rate offenders are incarcerated. "Moreover, the incarceration of high-rate offend-ers is cost-effective, meaning that the financial cost of keeping them locked up off-sets the costs of the crimes they would commit if free. The same cannot be said of locking up low-rate offenders" (Wright et al., 2008). There is the idea that understanding the stability of criminal behavior…...

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References

Wright, J.P., Tibbetts, S.G., & Daigle, L.E. (2008). Criminals in the making. Thousand Oaks:

Sage Publications Inc.

To argue against animal abuse, you want your thesis to clearly state that you're against it and why. Your opinion should be a part of the thesis statement, but you want to be careful to actually present arguable, logical points, as well. You could say you're against animal abuse for a number of reasons. For example, some common ones are that animals feel both physical and emotional pain (abuse is cruel), that animals can't defend themselves and people should care for them because of their innocent nature, and that animal abuse can lead to further deviant and criminal behavior -....

This is a very interesting topic.  Near the end of each year, Lux Research posts a list of transformational technologies to watch in the following year, which might be a good place to start if you are looking for ideas about a specific technology.  However, those are going to be technologies that are already invented.  Inventing a technology that would transform society in a specific country would require an intimate understanding and knowledge of a country’s culture, geography, religion, history, infrastructure, and natural resources; identifying a problem that it has; and combing up with a novel invention....

Accounting ethics are incredibly important because accountants are entrusted with handling money for individuals, businesses, and other organizations.  Unethical accountants can expose a business to financial risks and liabilities, even if their breaches of ethics do not amount to criminal behavior or involve intentional wrongdoing on the part of the accountant.  Huge financial scandals, such as Enron, could not occur without ethical breaches on the part of the accountants because the financial structure of large organizations requires at least passive participation in wrongdoing by people at the accountant level.  Accountant ethics are....

Forensic psychology refers to applying psychology to legal issues.  Forensic psychology can be applied to civil and criminal legal cases but is most commonly associated with criminal cases.

Ten possible essay topics / titles for forensic psychology are:

1. Future Dangerousness: Can Forensic Psychologists Assess Future Risk
2. Beyond Criminal Profiling: How Forensic Psychologists Help Law Enforcement
3. Legally Crazy Versus Mentally Ill
4. Victim Profiling: What Makes Some People Targets
5. The Psychology of Policing
6. Best Interests of the Child: How Forensic Psychologists Can Help in Child Custody Cases
7. Inherently Unreliable: The Problem with Eyewitness Testimony
8. Undeveloped Brains: Why Juveniles Should Not Be in the....