SOC 515 Intro to Criminology 2 – Flashcards
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Classical Criminology
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-make a choice to engage in crime -flows directly out of enlightenment period
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Classical School Principles
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(1) Emphasize rationality (2) Hedonism (3) Punishment (4) Human Rights (5) Due Process
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Emphasize Rationality`
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-idea that human beings have free will and choice -reasoning process weighs pro's and cons of engaging in criminal activity
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Hedonism
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-human behavior is motivated by pleasure and pain -maximize pleasure-->minimize pain -pain is punishment, pleasure is pro
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Punishment
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-focus on punishment -best way to end crime/criminal behavior
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human rights
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-according to school society is made up of individuals -society and government need to respect right of individuals
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Due process
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-pushed by classical school -huge cornerstone of classical thought -idea of "people are innocent until proven guilty" -no punishment until confirmed guilty
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The Enlightenment
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1650'S-1800'S -modern American system stems ideas of formation of enlightenment period consequences: French and American revolution -heavy emphasis on reasoning (AKA age of reason)
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Enlightenment: Sociocultural context
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-tradition and revelation was hallmark of pre-reason period -religion controlled communities and punishment -societal cornerstone = religion -Enlightenment was a response to sociocultural change
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Pre Enlightenment Criminal Justice system
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-torture was primarily being used to get confessions -punishment was driven by retribution (idea of getting even) -overly harsh punishments ex.) if you got convicted of felony, the crown took all your resources (family gets no money + corruption of blood)
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Purpose/Goal of Enlightenment
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-reform society via reasoning -promoted science -intellectual exchange and debate (before no freedom of speech) US is a great example of Enlightenment thought
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Major Enlightenment Ideas
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-Social contract -Natural laws -Laws encoded in nature and should never be infringed upon
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Thomas Hobbes: Creating a Social Contract
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-wrote leviathan--> forms basis of western philosophy -argued natural state of humans was violent -anarchy w/o strong central government -humans are afraid of violent death in chaos
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social contract
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-how people come together and form social limits -contract means giving up freedoms -with giving up freedoms people also gain benefits ex.) safety, school, + education
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John Locke
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Tabula Rasa (blank slate) theory -people are not born violent -born to a blank slate influenced by experiences and environment -criminals are made not born
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John Locke + Social Contract
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-government has a duty to protect the people -individuals also take responsibility (not one way street) to government ex.) have a job, vote for leaders, follow rules of government (individual perspective)
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Jean-Jacques Rousseau
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-humans were born fair/good people -gov/society + civilization corrupts these good people
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Jean-Jacques Rousseau Social Contract
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-came about to offset corruption -emphasized working together *each philosopher has social contract emphasis
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Emergence of Natural Law
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-Jean Jacques Rousseau argued laws are unchanging, immutable, innate that are encoded in nature -These laws are not formed by governments or man -you can learn these laws by reasoning ex.) Declaration of Independence/ 10 Commandments -Natural Law however was not Rousseau's idea (st. thomas aquinas)
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Thomas Paine
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idea of natural law--> he took a step further -natural rights cannot be denied by gov. -Democracy is the only kind of gov. that ensures and defends individuals rights "a gov. by the people will not trample the people"
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Natural Rights in USA
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-life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness
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Legacy of Enlightenment
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-idealized that people are self-determining entities -in short free will + freedom of choice -rationalized thought leads to behavior Natural Laws..by extension we have natural rights -classical school is a direct result of enlightenment -previously people engaged in crime due to spiritual, mythological, religious explanation (devil made me do it) -enlightenment = rational thought leads to crime Fundamental shift in society -crime is a moral failing that resulted from an individuals personal choices
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Classical: Cesare Beccaria
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-philosophy on punishment -ideas came from enlightenment -justified punishment as best way to stop crime -social contract can be reflected in laws -breaking laws hampers society -purpose of punishment should be to deter future crime/criminal behavior -People decide through rational thought to engage in crime Key: effective punishment (did not like capital punishment)
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Beccaria effective punishment
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-needed to be swift -needed certainty (perpetrator knows beforehand the risks of punishment) -Needed severity (needs to be severe enough to fit the crime and limit engagement in crime again)
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Beccaria: Public Punishment
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-making it public deters people from committing act -public punishment is humiliating
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Legacy of Beccaria
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-idea that criminals control behavior -they are responsible -punishment will stop choice -massive progressive for his time
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Classical: Jeremy Bentham
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-influenced by enlightenment -hedonism and applied it to criminological context -said human beings are motivated by pleasure/pain -people engage in criminal behavior because it maximizes pleasure and limits pain -rewards outweigh cost of that behavior when crime occurs
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Hedonistic Calculus (utilitarianism)
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a calculate process that people take time to decide criminal engagement 4 dimensions (1) Intensity (2) Duration (3) Certainty (4) Immediacy -to prevent crime = changing calculus
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Fall of the Classical School
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-fell out in late 1800's -New idea of Hard Determinism
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Hard Determinism
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-behavior is predetermined for some extent -behavior can be predicted -says free will does not exist -fundamental shift in what causes crime -person has no control over criminal engagement -looked at socialization, genetics, families, and poverty -Industrial revolution influenced hard determinism
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Why fall of Classical School?
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-instead of armchair logic; HD saw a rise of science/ scientific method -emergence of evolution "survival of the fittest" -birth of sociology and social sciences (exclude free will--> focus on society)
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Neoclassical Criminology
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-classical thought returns--1970's -Factors that contributed to return (1) Fear of Crime ex.) civil rights, Vietnam, tremendous social upheaval ex.) politicians used get tough campaigns to get votes; solved social problems by throwing money at them (2) Research questions rehab (must be free will) (3) Cognitive revolution (contributed to increase in rational thought)
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Rational Choice Theory (RCT)
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-states criminals make conscious rational choice Assumption--> crime was not coming from social problems (social safety nets should decrease crime yet crime rate rising) -crime is a function of 3 things (1) weigh rewards (2) weigh costs (3) opportunity (if opportunity does not present itself, cannot engage in crime)
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RCT: Reduction of crime
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-increase cost (higher punishment) -lower rewards ex.) taking faceplate off car stereo -minimize opportunity ex.) cameras + surveillance
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Situational Choice Theory
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-a variant of RTC but modern standards have combined them -emphasized cold calculated process -RTC placed too much emphasis on decision (problem because situational context surrounds decision) -Behavior occurs within a situation ex.) peer pressure, stealing from pharmacy for dying child
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SCT: Soft Determinism
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-human beings still have rational choice to engage in criminal behavior -rational logical thought process occurs within social situation -rational thought process can be constrained due to social situation ex.) drinking with friends vs. drinking with parents
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SCT: Preventing Crime
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-change situation ex.) UNH putting up more street lights "situational crime prevention" ex.) blue light box system @ UNH
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Critiques of RCT
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-Do we really make rational choices? >crimes are impulsive action -Is everyone equally capable of rationality? >differences between children + adults (different brain processes and developments) -Does situational prevention work? >might work but has a tremendous cost >may work but crime moves to another area -What about the environment? >RCT does not take into account environment -Theory is too individualistic >individuals weigh awards differently ex.) Trinkner's enjoyment of strawberries vs. his wife's allergic reaction..far different rewards
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Neoclassical Punishment
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-punishment changed decision process -focus on deterrence -basically stopping crime -Beccaria + Benthem -Neoclassical identify 2 types of deterrence (1) Specific (2) General -Return of Retributive punishment types (this pushes policy that original founders fought against) ex.) "Just Deserts Model" (you get what you deserve)
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Specific Deterrence
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-individualistic -stopping or preventing a particular offender from re-offending ex.) changing the individuals decision making process -think micro level deterrence
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General Deterrence
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-Macro Level -It looks to stop society as a whole from engaging in crime ex.) the sight of seeing other people get punished gives punishment credibility -focuses on society
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Neoclassical Punishment: US Policy Examples
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-determinant sentencing -a fixed/ specific punishment (automatic non negotiable, no flexibility) (1) Mandatory sentencing ex.) Crack in 80's = 15 year sentencing (2) Enhanced sentencing ex.) aggravated assault w/ hate crime element increases punishment (3) Three strike Law ex.) each felony is a strike; 3rd in Cali is automatic 25-life
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Truth in Sentencing
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-Sentence to 14 years in jail and people only serve 4 or 5 yrs -Judge decides the minimum level of serving time and by law has to make it public -prisoners can enroll in programs that allows for reduced serving time
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Incapacitation
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-fancy word for likelihood how someone does not later engage in crime -accomplished through imprisonment
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Selective Incapacitation
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-select an individual to incapacitate
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Collective Incapacitation
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-pass laws where you incapacitate whole groups ex.) drug offenses
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Effectiveness of Neoclassical Punishment
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-Generally; punishment is not effective -UCR/NCVS-->crime is declining (fails to focus on individual) -high rates of recidivism within US populations ("repeat offenders") -According to neoclassical philosophy, effective punishment needs certainty, swiftness and severity
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Certainty: Crime Funnel
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-estimated that 42 million felonies committed in US -only 12 million do the police know about -6 million the police arrest -less than 100,000 go to trial and get convicted -420,000 serve time -of all crimes estimated: .01% go to prison -of all crimes known: .04% go to prison
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Swiftness and Immediacy
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-rarely the case -due process takes a long time -court systems are too stressed to legitimize swiftness/immediacy -"thought experiment" in book -is idea of effective punishment a pipe dream -how could you make punishment, immediate, certain, and swift? (Judge Dredd)
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Biological Basis of Crime
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Shift to the individual -biological factors influencing criminal behavior (neurochemicals, hormones, genes, body types) -criminology has been slow to accept biological undertones -criminology dominated by social sciences -Biology is making inroads within psychology -Society does not like biological perspectives of crime >reluctant to accept biological basis >people tend to think we have no control over biological makeup -Biology has an undeniable contribution to behavior -Biology is expanding within the field
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Biology + Crime
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-Biology does not always focus on crime ex.) biological basis of recklessness, fearlessness, and deciet special focus--> violence aggression -correlation does not equal causation
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Biology is not..
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DESTINY -do not always measure criminality -balance with environment
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Key Principles: Biology Theories
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-all theories state that brain controls behavior and personality -no criminological theory can ignore neurological system -heavy influence on genetics-->genes influence behavior -behavior is influenced by evolution >biological basis of our behavior is due to adaptations >limbic system developed 80,000 years ago >human beings care about territory (wanting same seat in class) >crime is primitive part of brain lashing out
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Early Biological Theories of Crime
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-focused on physical characteristics (used this because easy to observe, limited by technology) ex.) Francis Gall + Phrenology
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Phrenology
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Francis Gall -Brain is organ of the mind -->before people thought behavior cam from heart -different aspects of personality is associated with brain parts -Brain development influences personality -Skull shape corresponds to personality -->skull grows as brain grows ex.) courage area might be protruding -very systematic observation of biology *first to call brain as organ of the mind
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Constitutional Theories
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-Theories based on body type -Somatotypes -->height -->weight -->how all tie into personality -assume criminals look a certain way ex.) Sheldon's Somatotypes (1949)
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Sheldon's Somatotypes
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1949 -->examined boys in rehabilitation -->height, weight, and crimes committed -->emphasized 3 major body types (1) Ectomorph (2)Mesomorph (3)Endomorph
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Endomorph
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-soft bodies, fat -lack of need for physical activity -goodnaturedness -relax; not too intense -tolerant; social -love of food *This stereotype exists today
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Ectomorph
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-thin and fragile -long,slender, low muscle mass -timid, introverted, shy, self conscious -inhibited, awkward socially
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Mesomorph
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-muscular and athletics -considerable defined body mass -tend to be adventurous -in tune with power and dominance -competitive (alpha male) (4) Balanced body type (average body type)
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Sheldon Somatotypes conclusion
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-more likely to engage in crime if mesomorph -->uses strength to exert dominance -->not a causal relationship
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Locating crime in the Brain
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-brain is complex -3 primary areas of brain associated with criminal behavior (1) Frontal Lobe (2) Prefrontal Cortex (3) Limbic system
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Frontal Lobe
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-received attention on crime -distinguishes humans from animals -responsible for higher cognitive functions -->decision making -->morality -->personality
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Pre Frontal Cortex
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-refers to outside of brain -front of the frontal lobe (TIP) -responsible for executive functions -->controls brain processes -->makes reason process -->allows to differentiate between decisions -->allows to look at emotions and regulate our behavior
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Limbic System
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-within center of the brain -older part of the brain (evolved long ago) -not a tremendous difference between animal and humans function: -emotional part of our brain -expression of emotions (happy or mad) -controls fight or flight response
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Amygdala
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-one piece that gets tied to criminal behavior -small size; almond -controls emotions such as irritability, anger, fearlessness, and hostility -if you electronically stimulate amygdala-->see anger/aggression/violence -understimulate-->associated with fearlessness -dysfunction could create a fearless aggressor
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Frontal Lobe + Prefrontal Cortex: Morality
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-new studies look at morality -emotional component "feel bad" -cognitive component "know its bad morals" -both are associated w/ frontal lobe (areas of frontal lobe spike) -Prefrontal cortex deal with conflicting situation
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Frontal Lobe + Prefrontal Cortex: adolescent biology
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-originally thought development was over at 18 -frontal L and PC not fully developed -crime rates suggest highest rates at point when brain not fully developed (14-25yrs) -high crime rate because of biological development -criminals typically have decreased functionality within frontal + prefrontal cortex (violent habitual offenders)
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Emotional Reasoning deficits
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-criminals have emotional reasoning deficits -->unable to process emotional feeling -->do not feel whats right and wrong -->best example is psychopathy Psychopaths -lacking shame + guilt -very manipulative -Impulsive
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Youtube video--Psychopaths
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-Psychopaths look at emotional and neutral words the same correlation does not equal causation -allows for a 3rd variable problem
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Neurotransmitters
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-every nerve cell contains ntransmitters -If you stub your toe, your toe uses neurotransmitter communication -influence everything-->cant sense anything, cant behave -alcohol, cigarettes, eating a good meal influences neurotransmitters
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Neurotransmitters: Serotonin
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-responsible for sleep but also responsible for mood regulation -happiness/contentment -excess serotonin-->ecstasy pumping serotonin into brain -low serotonin levels = irritability and anger -one of the stronger links to crime (causal effect) -->low serotonin levels leads to increase in crime (negative relationship) -->dysfunction linked to psychopathic traits ex.) aggression, impulsivity, irresponsibility
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Neurotransmitter: Dopamine
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-similar to serotonin but have different function (work in tandem) -->cocaine influences Dopamine and Serotonin -related to pleasure -->extreme levels of Dopamine related to orgasm -linked to reward based learning -->doesnt matter type of reward -Criminal behavior is associated with high levels of dopamine -->violent offenders tend to have overactive dopamine -->if system under works, it will affect behavior --> high dopamine = high crime -->specific drugs (coke + meth) influence violent criminal behavior -->high dopamine is associated with recidivism -->high dopamine is linked to high sensation seeking (roller coaster)
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Crimes and Hormones
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chemical messengers tell body to do things -->puberty told to grow -hormones heavily influence behavior -->related to mood swings, mating, fight or flight response
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Testosterone
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"male" hormone, gives male characteristics -high levels linked to aggression -linked to violent crime (some studies don't find strong link because it is hard to measure hormones) -->more men have testosterone than women -->more men engage in violent crime
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Estrogen
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"female" hormone -Been linked to increase aggression during animal studies -hypothesized links -->aggression more likely when levels are up -->during menstruation women can be irritable + angry (pregnancy as well)
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Gene's, Inheritance, and crime
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Do we inherit genes that lead to criminal behavior -stems from nature v. nurture debate -NOT ASKING BORN CRIMINAL -does not look for "crime gene" -generally think of a conglomeration of how genes interact with one another and the environment -gene's are not destiny -the influence is undeniable problem: Hard to split genetics + environment (parents provide both)
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How to separate genetics and environment
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-take advantage of special groups/populations -adoption studies + twin studies
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Adoption studies
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-allows to separate gene's + environment -Participants split into four groups (1) Step parents (convicted or not convicted) (2) biological parents (convicted or not convicted) -designate children and see if they were convicted of a crime -if completely driven by environment --> biological parents have no influence -If completely driven by biology-->environment is influence
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Adoption study statistics
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-regardless of environment genes play a role -genes have influence -convicted biology + convicted environment high rates of engaging in crime (each work together)
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Twin Studies
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(1) Monozygotic twins -"identical twins" (MZ twins) -100% same genes (2) Dizygotic twins -"fraternal twins" -approximately 50% same genes
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Concordance
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-fancy term which reflects if twins engage in same behavior when: -both twins engage or both not = concordant -one twin engages and other does not = discordant
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MZ vs. DZ
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-one thing that differs between two pairs = genetic makeup -environment is the same-->genetic similarity is different
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MZ vs. DZ: Concordance Numbers
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-if crime is driven by genes completely, expect higher number in MZ twins -If crime is driven by environment, expect numbers to be similar and low -MZ twins have higher concordance rates than DZ -age has factor on criminal behavior -as they age (both MZ + DZ) concordance numbers go down
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problems with MZ vs. DZ studies
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-assumption that MZ + DZ twins grow up in the same environment -->guy growing up in society is different that girl (DZ twins) -->some parents have favorite child
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MZ vs. MZ twin study
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-MZ pairs raised together vs. raised apart -same genetic code, different environment -results indicate strong genetic component but that also environment has a role
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gene-environment interaction
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-biology does not always directly lead to crime -interplay with environment
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Diathesis-environmental model
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2 major components -gene predisposes you to crime -environmental stressor to engage genetic predisposition ex.) poverty, family, communication (1) genetic predisposition present (2) Environmental stressor present
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Psychological Perspectives
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-micro level analysis -looking at single individuals
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Psychological Perspectives: Misrepresentations
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psychology = mental illness/therapy -psychology covers more than mental illness/therapy -psychologist think crime is maladaptive -crime is natural response to human behavior -psychology is a narrowly defined field (in eyes of criminologists)
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Psychological criminology
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-study of behavior and mental processes of criminals -vague definition on purpose
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Psych criminology: major principles
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-focuses on the individual -not the sole focus on psychology -psychologists do understand importance of environment -Generally view crime as "abnormal" (crime is deviant) -->goes against social norms -->does not mean crime is dysfunctional -personality is a vital component -->stable behavior patterns -emphasizes human agency -->understands processes within individual interact with environment -emphasizes conscious and unconscious -->learning = unconscious -->motivation is on both levels, but mostly unconscious -psychology theories were not created/developed to explain crime
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Psycho Analysis
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-the principle theory that is attached to psychology -developed by freud Where does crime come from? -thought crime was dysfunctional -talked about how there were different structures within the mind (1) conscious (2) preconscious (3) unconscious
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Conscious
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-everything your thinking in this moment -Freud thought this was very small
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Preconscious
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-longterm memory -anything you can draw from -Freud thought was a little bit bigger
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unconscious
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-stressed by Freud -parts of the mind you are unaware of and cannot access it -basic human instincts -whatever is in the unconscious was sent there by the consciousness -behavior is still influenced by the unconscious
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Structure of Personality
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How (1) ID, (2) Ego, (3) and Superego interact with one another
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ID
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-according to Freud, everyone born with ID -entirely unconscious -followed pleasure principle "hedonism on steroids" (1) wants all needs satisfied (survive/ reproduce) (2) Never wants to delay fulfillment of needs -ID is selfish; does not care how you fulfill needs
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Ego
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-developed 2-3 years -controls the ID -understands human beings live in a real world where pleasure needs to be delayed -partly conscious, follows reality principle -final determiner of behavior (1) ego understands needs, wants, desires need to be satisfied (2) must satisfy within social bounds
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Super Ego
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(last to develop around 9-11 yrs old) -conscience -moral compass-->whats right and wrong -follows ethical/ideal principle (1) superego understands societies values (2) striving to regulate ego on what to do -judges behavior; where we get feelings of shame/ guilt
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ID, Ego, Superego: How it ties into crime
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-all three are in conflict -ego decides how to satisfy within moral compass -conflict in personality that leads to criminal behavior
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Freud: 3 fundamental components of crime
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-overdeveloped ID -underdeveloped superego -underdeveloped ego *law abiding citizen= ego dominant
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modern resurgence of psychoanalysis
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-came to the forefront through biological breakthroughs -limbic sizes up/ equivalent to ID -frontal lobe, prefrontal cortex equivalent to ego -originally people did not buy into different parts of the mind
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Anti Social Personality Disorder (ASPD)
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-varying degrees -pervasive disregard for other peoples rights -tend to be unsocialized individuals -Impulsive, selfish in that they need immediate gratification -Feelings lacking guilt and shame (do not feel superego) -manifests itself in early childhood
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ASPD causes
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-no idea what causes ASPD -links to low serotonin levels -usually do not have very cohesive families -dysfunctional environment *combination of psychological, genetic, biological, environment, and social factors
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ASPD Treatment
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-hard disorder to treat (do not know exact cause) -Psychotherapy and medication -->in some individuals some treatment has more success (mixed bag)
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ASPD links to Crime
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-symptoms associated with crime -1 in 2 incarcerated have ASPD -1 in 5 women in prison have ASPD -ASPD individuals who abuse drugs are more likely than typical drug users o engage in crime
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Psychotherapy
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-no recognized by APA as legitimate illness on DSM (Diagnostic Statistical Manual) comparison w/ ASPD: -->most psychopaths are ASPD -->80-90% of Psychopaths are ASPD -->few ASPD's are Psychopaths
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DSM
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bible for diagnosing mental illness -DSM chose in version 4 that the focus would be placed on behavior -->psychotherapy became ASPD; considered severe form of ASPD
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Schizophrenia
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-one of the most severe mental illnesses (cancer of mental illness) characterized by: -breakdown of cognitive capacities -poor emotional responses -disorganized thinking -Keep in mind not in constant state of breakdown
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breakdown of cognitive capacities
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-normal then psychotic episode -do not process information like normal human being -disorganized sentence structure "World Salad) -not experiencing reality
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Poor emotional responses
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-catatonia (no response) -showing inappropriate responses ex.) patient in hospital laughing uncontrollably after hearing father died
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Disorganized Thinking
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-Hallucinations (physically sense something is not there) -delusional thinking (refers to thought process: inflated self-esteem)
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Schizophrenia causes
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do not know exactly -meth induced schizophrenia
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Schizophrenia treatment
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-fairly successful at this point -medications + psychotherapy (caution; some medications may provide other conditions-->shaking)
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Schizophrenia: Linked to Crime
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-Scizophrenia left untreated-->increase crime Ultimately mixed results: -different levels of schizophrenia have greater chances of criminal behavior -Schizophrenia and drug use (cant distinguish which motivates criminal behavior)
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Insanity Plea
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"Insane" = legal term -not a psychological term -insanity is determined by legal rules -mental illness does not = insane -->many people with mental illnesses are not insane
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Insanity plea prevalence
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less than 1 percent in all trials per year
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Insanity Plea Success
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Out of 1 percent, 25% are successful in being fount not guilty by reason of insanity
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Insanity and Incarceration
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-give up the right o serve time -the government can detain you indefinitely ex.) John Hinkley shot Ronald Regan -->if he plead guilty, did his time, he would be out by now
