wk 1cjs checkpoint

Criminal Acts and Choice Theories Response

The two categories that attempt to explain criminal behavior that I am choosing to compare and contrast are biological theories as well as psychological theories. As defined in our text, biological school is a perspective on criminological thought that holds that criminal behavior has a physiological basis. Whereas by definition psychological school is a perspective on criminological thought that views offensive and deviant behavior as the product of dysfunctional personality. Psychological thinkers identify the conscious and especially the subconscious, contents of the human psyche as major determinants of behavior. Therefore, in comparison of both of these attempts to explain criminal behavior the mind is examined. Also both take into account one’s mental processes. In contrast, biological theories state that the criminal tendencies are constitutionally and genetically based. Also it states that criminal tendencies may be passed from generation to generation. The final contrasting point would be that it states some human behavior is a result biological propensity inherited from more primitive developmental stages in the evolutionary processes. Whereas with psychological theories it said that personality is the major motivational element within individuals. Also stated was that crimes result from inappropriately conditioned behavior or from abnormal, dysfunctional, or inappropriate mental processes. The final point is that defective or abnormal mental processes may have a variety of causes, including a diseased mind and inappropriate learning or improper conditioning, often in early childhood. Common models for society to determine which acts are considered criminal are criminological theory, the classical school, biological theories, psychological theories, psychobiological theories, sociological theories, social process theories, and conflict theories.