Biological Theories Criticisms

▪ Ignores some types of crimes▪ White-collar

▪ Organized

▪ Political crime

▪ Focuses on aggression or antisocial behavior in children and street crime in adults

Policy Implications (1 of 2)

▪ Still fear of ethical problems▪ Biology not necessarily destiny

▪ Provide unsound justifications for the control of minority populations

▪ New eugenics

▪ Gene therapy

▪ Discrimination based on presence of biological risk indicators

Policy Implications (2 of 2)

▪ The upside? Criminality as a public health problem▪ Prenatal care for at-risk mothers

▪ Strengthen environmental counterbalances for children with biological risk indicators

Psychology and Crime

▪ How does a psychologist or psychiatrist develop and understand the criminal mind?

▪ What does psychology contribute to the study of the criminal mind?

▪ What is the psychological approach to the study of crime?

Psychoanalytic Theory

▪ Sigmund Freud ▪ 1856–1939

▪ Psychic Determinism A CIGAR IS NEVER JUST A CIGAR

Freudian Elements of Personality

▪ Conscious vs. Unconscious Mind

▪ Id: “If it feels good, do it!”

▪ Superego: conscience—“Stealing is wrong.”

▪ Ego: psychological thermostat that regulates the wishes of the id with the social restrictions of the superego

Defense Mechanisms

▪ Used to reduce anxiety REPRESSION RATIONALIZATION DENIAL PROJECTION

Freudian Explanations of Delinquency

▪ Overactive Id

▪ Delinquent Superego

▪ Delinquent Ego

Crimes with “special meaning” Translating psychoanalysis into rehabilitation?

Works for articulate adult neurotics who can talk out their problems…

Policy Implications of Freudian Theory

▪ Drawbacks▪ Almost impossible to test empirically (Cannot

be directly observed and measured)

▪ Still maintains a place in psychology of criminal behavior

Many concepts from Freud used in modern theory– LOW SELF CONTROL– PRO-CRIMINAL ATTITUDES

Principles of Learning

▪ Three types of learning▪ Classical conditioning

▪ Operant conditioning

▪ Observational (vicarious) learning

Classical Conditioning

Principles of Learning

▪ Positive reinforcement: increases the target behavior by rewarding the individual

▪ Negative reinforcement: increases the target behavior by removing an unpleasant stimulus

▪ Punishment: reduces the odds of the target behavior being repeated

Principles of Learning

▪ Delinquency tied to parents’ failure to effectively condition their children away from bad behavior

Inconsistent and harsh punishment (Glueck and Glueck).

▪ Effective parenting (monitoring, punishing, and reinforcing behavior)nondeliquent children (Patterson).

▪ Parental behaviors may have few effects on the child’s long-term development (Harris).

Principles of Learning

GERALD PATTERSON AND FRIENDS

Observational Learning

▪ Albert Bandura (Bobo doll experiments): most human learning is not based on trial and error (operant conditioning).

▪ Effects on criminal behaviors are difficult to determine.

Media and Crime

▪ Does media (TV and movies) influence aggression, violence, and criminal behavior?

▪ Conducive to role modeling▪ Perpetrators not punished

▪ Targets of violence show little pain

▪ Few long-term negative consequences Some evidence (but still debate)—reducing

exposure may reduce aggression

Policy Implications of Behaviorism

▪ Criminals can learn pro-social behaviors to replace criminal actions.▪ Classical Conditioning Aversion therapy

▪ Operant Conditioning Token economy

Cognitive Psychology

▪ Humans’ ability to engage in complex thoughts influences behavior.

▪ Cognitions (like behaviors) can be learned.

▪ Focus on:▪ Cognitive structure (how people think)

▪ Cognitive content (what people think)

Cognitive Structure

▪ Kohlberg's theory of moral reasoning: humans advance through predictable stages of moral reasoning

▪ Self-control

▪ Ability to empathize

▪ Ability to anticipate consequences

▪ Ability to control anger

Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development (1 of 2)

▪ Stage 1▪ Right is blindly obeying those with power and

authority.▪ Emphasis is on avoiding punishment.▪ Interests of others are not considered.

▪ Stage 2▪ Right is furthering one’s own interests.▪ Interests of others are important only as a way to

satisfy self-interests.▪ Stage 3

▪ Moral reasoning is motivated by loyalties to others and a desire to live up to other’s standards.

▪ Stage 4▪ Right is following the rules of society and maintaining

important social institutions (e.g., family, community).

▪ Stage 5▪ Moral decisions are made by weighing individual rights

against legal principles and the common good.

▪ Stage 6▪ Moral decisions are based on universal principles (e.g.,

human dignity, desire for justice).▪ Principles are considered across different contexts and

are independent of the law.

Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development (2 of 2)

Cognitive Content

▪ Rationalizations or denials that support criminal behavior▪ For example, a criminal thinks, “I’m not really

hurting anyone.” Extremely common for sex offenders

▪ Criminals are more likely to express such thoughts Sociologists are often skeptical (time-ordering) Psychologists: NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT

▪

Policy Implications of Cognitive Psychology

▪ Cognitive theory translates easily into practice. Cognitive skills programs teach offenders

cognitive skills like moral reasoning, anger management, or self-control.

Cognitive restructuring attempts to change the content of an individual’s thoughts.

▪ Combination cognitive-behavioral have track record of success

Theory in Action

▪ Multisystematic therapy (MST)▪ Creator Scott Henggeler and associates

▪ Reduces criminal behavior

▪ Comprehensive approach

▪ Targets many areas for change

▪ Uses many different techniques (not just cognitive-behavioral programs)

Personality and Crime

▪ Crime and delinquency related to the presence of some personality trait

▪ Personality trait: a characteristic of an individual that is stable over time and across different social circumstances

▪ Personality: the sum of personality traits that define a person

Personality Traits and Crime (1 of 3)

▪ A number of related traits combine to form super factors

▪ Several different models▪ Five-factor model

▪ Tellegen’s personality model

▪ Recent studies use the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ)

Personality Traits and Crime (2 of 3)

▪ Personality dimensions in the MPQ▪ Constraint

▪ Traditionalism

▪ Harm avoidance

▪ Control

▪ Negative emotionality▪ Aggression

▪ Alienation

▪ Stress reaction

Personality Traits and Crime (3 of 3)

▪ Personality dimensions in the MPQ▪ Positive emotionality

▪ Achievement

▪ Social potency

▪ Well-being

▪ Social closeness

Criminal Personality:The Psychopath

▪ A distinct “criminal personality”

▪ One of the oldest concepts in criminology “MORAL INSANITY”

Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) from DSM-IV

1. Disregard for the rights of others. At least three of the following:

behaves in a way that is grounds for arrest, deceitful and manipulative, impulsive, aggressive, irresponsible, lack of remorse

2. Age 18 or older

3. A history of child conduct disorder

4. Antisocial behavior not a product of schizophrenic episode

“Psychopath” is narrower concept

Hervey Cleckley’s (1957) The Mask of Sanity

Key features: Manipulative, Superficial charm, Above-average intelligence, Absence of psychotic symptoms, Absence of anxiety, Lack of remorse, Failure to learn from experience, Egocentric, Lack of emotional depth

Other Characteristics: Trivial Sex life, Unreliable, Failure to follow a life plan, Untruthful, Suicide attempts rarely genuine, Impulsive, Antisocial behavior

HARE PCL

The Psychopathy Checklist Interview Measures different aspects of psychopathy

(each scored on a 0-2 scale) Has produced very interesting studies

(difference between psychopath and non-psychopath inmates)

Policy Implications of Personality Theory

▪ Personality traits consistently predict delinquency and crime.

▪ Criticisms: Personality traits are often portrayed as impossible

to change (See, Psychopathy) What causes personality traits?

Intelligence and Crime

▪ “Feeblemindedness” was once thought to be a cause of crime.

▪ What exactly is IQ and how does it relate to criminal behavior?

A Brief History of Intelligence Testing

▪ Binet started out like his peers: Measuring people’s skull size Not much difference—worried about bias in the tests Developed a “hodgepodge” of tests measure identify

learning disabled children Not meant to be a measuring device for intelligence in

“normal” students

Translated to English, used to identify “morons” and “low grade defectives” as part of eugenics

IQ and Crime

▪ There is an IQ gap of 8–10 points between criminals and noncriminals, even when statistically controlled for race and social class.

▪ IQ is not a very strong indicator of criminal behavior. But, it does consistently predict

IQ and Crime

▪ Travis Hirschi and Michael Hindelang▪ The Bell Curve

▪Direct effect

▪ Most criminologists find evidence of indirect effects

IQ School, Peers, etc. Crime

▪ The common emphasis of all psychological theories is on the individual.

▪ Modern Theory LEARNING COGNITION and IQ PERSONALITY

▪ Many psychological theories translate well into treatment programs.

Conclusion