crim unit 2

• Lombroso's Theory


  Criminals are born criminal with Atavistic Features which define if they are criminal or not. Criminals are a primative species which are not fully developed.
• Strengths of Lombroso's theory

  Charles Goring (1913) found that criminals have low intelligence rates meaning that it is linked to genetics.

  
  

  Ceasare Lombroso is the father of modern criminology meaning that he has started criminology which helped made other people want to study it.

  
  

  A study done by Bath Spa University found that jourers would pick someone who looked 'uglier' to be the criminal.
• Weaknesses of Lombroso's theory


  He did not use a control group.

  
  

  Goring used a control group and found no correlation between atavistic features and criminal behaviour.

  
  

  DeLesi (2012) stated that the atavistic form theory is scientific racism as the typical atavistic features are from an African background.
• What is Sheldon's Theory of Somatotypes?


  There are three different body types:

  
  

  Mesomorph: Muscular and Hard- Most likely to be criminal.

  Endomorph: Fat and Soft

  Ectomorph: Skinny and Weak- Least likely to be criminal.

  
• Strengths of Somatotype Theory.

  Putwain and Sammonds confirmed that Sheldon's theory is true.

  Gleuek and Gleuek (1956) found that 60% of delinquents were mesomorph whereas in non delinquents 31% were mesomorphs meaning it backed up Sheldon's theory of Somatotypes.
• Weaknesses of Somatotype Theory

  Not everyone who is Mesomorph is criminal.

  Endomorphs and Ectomorphs are criminals too.

  People's body shapes change over time.
• What is the XYY Theory ?

  The XYY theory is where some males have an extra Y chromosome which makes them more aggressive. Criminality is genetic, and these people with an abnormality are more likely to commit crime.
• Strengths of XYY


  Adler found that it is possible that aggressive and violent behavior links partly to genetic factors.

  
  

  Jacobs et al found that more men in prison have xyy that in the outside world.

  
  

  Theildgard found that XYY men are more likely to be aggressive.
• Weaknesses of XYY


  Genetic abnormalities widespread through the population meaning that they do not explain aggression.

  
  

  They ignore the fact that crime could be caused by other factors like behavioral ones.

  
  

  Theilgard compared the characteristics of XYY men and XY men, he found that xyy men had a slightly higher rate of aggression but that doesn't explain how they committed crime.
• Twin Studies Strength


  .Such stories are natural experiments, as the biological relationships between the twins is a naturally occurring variable,

  
  

  2.Christiansen (1977) supports the view that criminality does have a genetic component.

  
  

  3.The results of twin studies have helped in the prevention of vulnerable disorders.
• Twin Studies Weaknesses


  If twins are brought up in the same household then it could be linked to nurture rather than genetics.

  
  

  Early studies lack vadility as they were not controlled correctly as the twins were picked based on their appearance rather than their genetics (MZ or DZ).

  
  

  Only a small sample of 30 sets of twins were used in the experiment meaning it may not be a true representation of the general population.
• What is the Social Learning Theory?

  The social learning theory states that we learn how to behave based on observing those around us. The bobo doll experiment was used to back up Albert Bandura's theory, where children watched an aggressive adult abuse the doll and then the children were put into the room with the doll and they imitated the behavior that they had observed.
• Strengths of SLT


  Experiments like the Bobo Doll one can be replicated with slight changes and the results will still be the same. The experiment showed the cause of aggression was due to watching the model. The Bobo Doll experiment was controlled precisely which makes the experiment more accurate.

  
• Weaknesses of SLT


  Scientists are highly critical of laboratory studies of imitation as they have lower natural validity, as it wasn't a natural situation and often doesn't occur in a normal family situation for a child. The child did not get time to interact with the adult before they watched and imitated the behaviour. The doll was a object that the children had not seen before if they knew what it was and had seen it before they may not be as aggressive to the doll as they may like it. The experiment could have been unethical and they do not know the long term effects of the experiment on the children.
• What is the Psychodynamic Theory?


  This is a theory by Sigmund Freud where he says that the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind are at a battle with each other. There are three parts of the personality, the ID, the Ego and the Super Ego. The ID is the selfish part of the brain that you are born with, criminals are ID dominated as they only think about themselves. The Ego develops in childhood around the ago of 7 which helps to balance these selfish thoughts and tries to find ways to get these desires but remembering that we live in reality. Finally the super ego is at the top it is the best version of the personality that someone can be as it is self critical so it makes decisions based on rules and regulations set by society and family members.
• Strengths of Psychodynamic Theory


  It makes important links with childhood experiences. It has also paved the way for later research.
• Weaknesses of Psychodynamic Theory


  The psychodynamic theories of offending are no longer widely affected by psychologists. It is impossible to prove to the unconscious minds or the other parts of the brain. It is unscientific and unprincipled as it explains behaviour once it has happened not before it happened. It lacks objectivity as it behaviour can be interpreted differently to different people based on their thoughts and feelings. Therapies based upon this theories are successful.
• What is the Psychological Theory?


  This is a scale which measure different people's mental processes, the scales are stable to neurotic or extrovert to introvert. The typical criminal is between neurotic and the middle of the scale and highly extroverted meaning that they are outgoing and socially confident.
• Strengths of Psychological Theory.


  It is possible to treat behaviour at an early stage before it can develop into worse behaviour even criminal.
• Weaknesses of Psychological Theory.

  There is a lack of reliability and consistency to do with the results of the study. Much of the research was based on people in prison so there is no evidence on people who haven't got caught for their crimes or a control group. Research relies on self report measures of the personality meaning that people could be biased or they could lie. There is a focus on offender and the general population but the latter includes un-convicted offenders too.
• What is Marxism?


  Marxism is a social structure theory where the bourgouise are the ruling higher class who commit crimes but they do not get prosecuted or found out about them as much as the proteriacts (disadvantaged social class) do. Maxists also say that capitalism is the route cause of divisions in society.
• Marxism Strengths


  Capitalism encourages competitiveness and therefore competition between social classes- most crimes simply result in class conflicts. Crimes change from society to society depending on the economic base (capitalism). Crime does not come from moral or biological defects but defects within the social structure. It says that proteriacts commit crime because they are poor.
• Marxism Weaknesses


  It does not look at other options for causes of crime it might not be because of capitalism it may be due to other factors. Not all poor people commit crimes, and not all capitalist societies have high rates of crime including Japan and Switzerland. It ignores the relationship betyween crime and other inequalities like gender and ethnicity. An example of this would be honour crime as it is committed as someone brings shame upon the family not because of economically motivated crimes.
• Functionalism Theory


  This is where crime is inevitable in society, it is needed to keep society functioning correctly. It only becomes dysfunctional when crime rates are too high or too low. Crime brings society together like the case of Shannon Matthews as the people of the Moorside estate went out looking for her and held vigils.
• Strengths of Functionalism


  There are shared norms and values by society which keep to the status quo, and everyone in society has to accept their roles in this. Society is integrated, meaning if someone does something wrong the whole of society will be affected by it.