(student name)
CRJ 308: Psychology of Criminal Behavior
Stephanie Myers
February 13, 2012
This paper will cover family violence by exploring current research that focuses on the cognitive aspects of criminal offenders involved in family violence type cases. This paper will also analyze the perceptions, reasoning, beliefs, decision making, and attitudes of criminal offenders. Applying psychological theories, referencing strengths, limitations, and applications of each in relation to family violence will also be touched upon. Illustrating sociological theories, referencing strengths, limitations, and applications of each in relation to criminal behavior will help conclude this paper.
“Recent research has shed considerable light on family violence and various efforts to combat it within the justice system.” (U.S. Department of Justice, 1998). Domestic violence, child abuse/neglect, elder abuse, and wife/husband abuse are some of the major categories that are “hot topics” in family violence. Any instances where one family member has caused physical, sexual, or emotional abuse to another family member is considered family violence.
The majority (48.9%) of criminal offenders for intimate homicides revealed that they were possessive of their victim. Alcohol abuse is also seen as a factor that is repeatedly seen in these types of cases. Men who abuse their children and wives are often seen as incompetent, immature, overwhelmed, and frustrated individuals. The attitudes of these offenders were precieved as irrational, expressive, and often precipitated by frustration and extreme anger. Some professionals also suggest that street violence is a rationale. (Bartol C. & Bartol A, 2011, pg 277).
“Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart (1994) identified three primary types of male spouse batterers: Type 1 batterers who abuse family members only. Type 2 batterers who abuse family members because of emotional problems, and Type 3 batterers who are
References: Bartol C. & Bartol A, 2011 Criminal Behavior, A Psychological Approach Conklin, John E., 2010 Criminology Davenport, Anniken U., 2009 Basic Criminal Law, The Constitution, Procedure, and Crimes Foshee, Vangie A., & Bauman, Karl E., & Linder, Fletcher, 1999 Family Violence and the Perpetration of Adolescent Dating Violence. http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/353752.pdf?acceptTC=true Wallace, Harvey & Roberson, Cliff, 2008 Principles of Criminal Law U.S. Department of Justice, Offices of Justice Programs; National Institute of Justice and American Bar Association, Research Report, Legal Interventions in Family Violence: Research Findings and Policy Implications, 1998, https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/171666.pdf Department of Justice. (n.d.). About doj. Retrieved from http://www.justice.gov/