Unit 3.2

• strengths of lombroso

  his research showed importance of examining clinical and historical records

  helped us focus on preventing crime
• limitations of lombroso

  scientifically racist

  didn't compare theory of criminals with a control group
• strengths of sheldon

  glueck et al found 60% of offenders were mesomorphic

  most were extremely mesomorphic in his sample
• limitations of sheldon

  glueck at al found criminality was best described with biological, environmental and psychological factors

  ignores women

  more than 3 body types

  subjective to wc
• strengths of jacob et al

  association found with xyy and prisoners

  whatmore and price found links of xyy to property crimes
• limitations of jacob et al

  doesnt prove all offences

  very rare; cant explain much crime
• strengths of twin study

  raine et al found high CR for MZ twins over DZ twins

  MZ is logical to study as they are identical
• limitations of twin study

  if genes was only cause, CR should be 100%

  high CR for MZ twins could be due to environment
• strengths of adoption studies

  support genetic explanations (research findings)
• limitations of adoption studies

  often placed in environments similar to previous

  many not adopted immediately after birth but will remain with birth family
• strengths of SLT

  takes into account we are social beings

  shows importance of role models
• limitations of SLT

  lab study

  ignores freedom of choice

  not easily imitated- mediational process
• strengths of sutherland

  attitudes of work groups normalise WCCs and can be justified
• limitations of sutherland

  not everyone exposed to influences becomes criminal
• strengths of BF.Skinner

  human learning is similar to animals
• limitations of BF.Skinner

  animals arnt adequate models of human behaviour

  ignores mental processes (thinking and values)

  humans have free will
• strengths of kohlberg

  research support
• limitations of kohlberg

  focusing on moral thinking rather than behaviour
• strengths of eysenck

  offenders tend to be extraverted and neurotic
• limitations of eysenck

  E scale may be measuring 2 things; impulsiveness and sociability

  self report task
• strengths of freud

  theory shows importance of early socialisation and family relationships

  influenced policies to deal with crime
• limitations of freud

  critics doubt the existence of the unconscious mind

  unscientific and subjective
• strengths of bowlby

  research support- bowlby

  considers parents-child relationships
• limitations of bowlby

  overestimates the extent of impact due to childhood
• strengths of functionalism

  durkhiem was first to realise crime can have a positive function for society
• limitations of functionalism

  its not victim focused as he claims crime is functional for society (not for victims)

  durheim claims we need a certain amount of crime to function but doesnt clarify how much
• strengths of strain theory


  shows how both criminal and deviant behaviour arise from same goals

  theory can be used to explain patterns in OS
• limitations of strain theory

  ignores crime of wealthy and overpredicts WC crime

  doesnt focus on all crimes

  merton sees deviance as an individual response
• strengths of subcultural theory

  shows how subcultures perform a function for members by offering solutions to problems of failing to achieve mainstream goals

  cloward and ohlin show how different types of neighbourhoods give rise to opportunities and subcultures
• limitations of subcultural theory

  ignores upper class crimes and over predicts WC crime

  researchers assume that everyone starts with mainstream goals and turn to subcultures if fails

  subcultures are not clear cut
• strengths of marxism

  shows how poverty and inequality can cause WC crime and how capitalism promotes greed

  shows how both law making and enforcements are biased against WC
• limitations of marxism

  focuses on class and ignores other factors

  overpredicts WC crime

  suggests that all capitalist societies have a high crime rate
• strengths of labelling theory

  shows how the law is not a fixed set of rules to be taken for granted, but something whose construction we need to explain

  shifts focus onto how police create crime by applying labels based on typiflications

  attempts to control deviance but can trigger a deviancy amplification spiral
• limitations of labelling theory

  implies that once you are labelled, a deviant career is inevitable

  places emphasis on negative effects of labelling

  fails to explain why people commit primary deviance before labelled
• strengths of right realism

  several studies support RCT

  RR has been used to explain some opportunistic crimes like petty theft
• limitations of right realism

  not all crimes are a result of rational decisions
• strengths of left realism

  focuses on areas that dont often get a lot of attention

  victim focused
• limitations of left realism

  fails to explain WCC

  overpredicts WC crime

  makes crime seem like a bigger problem than it is