Cant account for all kinds of crime

• What types of crimes does DAT struggle to explain?

  • it better explains non-violent crimes (e.g. theft, fraud) than violent or impulsive crimes (e.g. murder, rape)

  • however, non-violent crimes make up the majority of offences
• Why can’t the theory fully explain youth crimes rates?

  • 40% of crimes are committed by people under 21 (Newburn, 2002)

  • other theories (e.g. eysenck’s personality theory) explain youth crime better through traits like risk-taking