1. Social Process Theories suggest that crime is the end product of factors such as inappropriate socialization and social learning.…
Walters (2010) applies the Robert Merton’s strain theory to explain hate crime. Strain theory posits that most members of society have similar goals. However, crime occurs when some individuals do not have legitimate avenues to pursue these goals. Walters (2010) argues that hate crimes against minority groups could be due to socio-economic instability in the offender’s life. This instability is perceived to be caused by the incoming minority groups.…
The social process theory draws the conclusion that criminals were raised in an environment that forms them to make unlawful decisions. People are influenced by what they are taught and their surroundings such as where they were raised, their guardians, and people they associated with. Individual’s actions and thought process will be based on what their first instinct is and their first instinct will be what they know best. For example, if a boy is raised in a home where their family shows his or her anger by reacting physically, that child will be more likely the one that is getting in fights at school than the child who grew up in a home were fighting was never present. No one is born with the mind be a criminal, they are in some way directed to perform the behavior or actions he or she have committed.…
What are the central assumptions of biological theories of crime? How do such theories differ from other perspectives that attempt to explain the same phenomena?…
In societies where there are strong social controls, it limits the ability of the criminal to engage in criminal behavior. Without these social controls, the criminal elements will be successful and influence members of the society. Another aspect of the personal crime theory is that people who live in communities that lack the necessary social controls experience strain when they cannot reach the same success as other members of society. The strain that is met by the citizen turns to anger or frustration is alleviated by criminal behavior that gets the person closer to his or her…
There are many criminological theories to explain why crime and criminals work the way they work. Five theories are fit into a majority of today’s crime cases are Anomie theory by Emile Durkheim, General strain theory by Robert Agnew, Social Disorganization theory by Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay, Social Bonding theory by Travis Hirschi, and the Containment theory by Walter Reckless. Anomie is when there is a clear lack of social norms and values. This is common among teens who grew up in a dysfunctional, abusive family. General strain theory is used an individual is strained and unable to cope with the strain so they commit their time to doing crimes. Social Disorganization theory shows why certain neighborhoods experience more crime rates…
Social process theory, also known as interactionist perspectives, suggest that everyone has the potential to violate the law. Social process theory holds that criminal behavior is learned through interactions with others and the socialization process occurring as the result of group membership is seen as the primary route through which learning is occur. Some of these groups can involve family, peers, work groups, and reference groups. Social process theorist suggest that individuals who have weak stakes in conformity are more likely to be influenced by the social processes and conditional experiences that lead to criminal acts. This specific theory looks at the interactions an individual makes within a group. Social process theory can be incorporated with a juvenile in a broken home, a first time offender serving year plus, or someone simply trying to fit in at school. More so in the pre-adult years, just about every interaction we have with anyone or group can be chalked up to a new learning experience. Some of the different types of social process theory are social…
This theory meshes some aspects from both the social disorganization theory and the strain theory. The main premise of the cultural deviance theory is that conformity to the prevailing cultural norms of lower class society causes crime. The lower class subculture has its own set of values, rules, and beliefs that clash with the mainstream values of the middle-class and wealthy. Criminality is a manifestation of conformity to lower class subculture values. Members of the working and lower class commit crimes of different variations as they respond to the cultural norms of their own class in an effort to deal with adjustments of the socioeconomic classes.…
There are many theories that attempt to explain criminal behavior. Social theories indicate that interaction with other individuals and environment are factors that contribute to criminal behavior. Many argue that social factors alone cannot be the only cause to criminal behavior, but peer pressure and rationalization are powerful tools of behavior modification.…
Social structure theories view societal, financial, and social arrangements or structures as the primary cause of deviant and criminal behaviors (University of Phoenix, 2013). In other words, the primary cause of crime or deviant behavior can be traced to the less fortunate, or lower class of people. Social structure theories indicate that neighborhoods of lower class individuals suffer from immense strain, stress, frustration, and a kind of disorganized chaos that creates crime (Inchaustegui, n.d.). While this theory definitely has some truths regarding resources and some people’s experiences, certain strains…
Biological theories of crime causation adhere to the principle that many behavioral predispositions, including aggression and criminality are constitutionally or physiologically influenced and inherited of the first basic principles of biological theories is the mind and locus of personality which is the organ brain. The brain is the organ of behavior. We have the basic determinants of human behavior passed on from generation to generation. Human behavior and traits are genetically based to a considerable degree. Gender and racial differences in rates and type of criminality may be at least partially resulting of biological differences between sexes and between racially distinct groups. Much of human conduct is fundamentally rooted in instinctive behavior responses. Bi-logical roots of human conduct have become increasing disguised. Some human behavior is the result of biological propensities inherited from more primitive developmental stages in the evolutionary process. There is the interplay of hereditary, biology and the social environment provides the consideration of crime. I think it will help understand the action better and who might have these specific biological traits but as for a full understanding of criminality it will not help because there is a lot more to consider then just biology alone. The types of crimes related to aggression , rape , murder more psychosocial related crimes would have to be my pick. If you are doing a study just further knowledge not every felon should get a scan but maybe a few from each group of felons that committed a specific crime because medically I don’t think you can help someone from committing a crime unless you drug them…
The aim of this essay is to compare, contrast and evaluate two sociological theories of crime causation and two psychological theories of crime causation.…
Strain theory focuses primarily on socially defined goals and the permissible modes to achieve the goals. The theory attributes delinquency and crime as a response to the pressure of social instability created when there is difficulty attaining the goal or the goal becomes an end in itself. The early development of strain theory examined the social structure at a macro-level and related anomie while later studies on strain theory resulted in general strain theory, which emphasized individuals and their direct social environment. Several empirical studies on strain theory including, generalized strain theory and their components are reviewed within this paper. Lastly, a theoretical framework of general strain theory will be applied to an existing criminal justice program to make the program more effective.…
The Social Structure Theory is the result of underlying social conditions, such as poverty and unemployment. In society many people usually tend to commit crimes due to their poverty level or economic status in society. Crime is thus is created by the structure of society. Social Structure is built on the distribution of wealth and power. According to statistics people who are apart of the lower class are more likely led to commit a crime.…
One theory would be classical theory, it suggests that crime is committed with individual will. For example; each individual has the will to say they are not going to rob that store or steal that truck. There is a theory that seconds guesses the classical theory and that is the social theory. The social process theory relates to crime being made because those individuals had failure in self direction. For example; if a boy grew up in a home where gang relations were present, that is a failure of self direction because it is leading him to commit the same acts of crime. These…