4 Theories of Individual Criminal Behavior Free Online FlashCards

What central question do theories of individual criminal behavior address?

Criminological theories offer different explanations for why people break the law, emphasizing choice, shaping influences, or psychological processes.

How does classical theory explain a decision to offend?

Classical theory views people as generally capable of choosing and suggests they may offend when expected benefits seem greater than expected costs.

What is deterrence in classical theory?

Deterrence uses the threat of punishment to prevent crime. Classical theory favors laws and penalties that are public, predictable, and proportionate.

Which features of punishment did Beccaria emphasize?

Beccaria argued punishment should be sufficiently certain and prompt; increasing severity alone is not necessarily the most effective deterrent.

What is one limitation of classical theory’s account of choice?

Classical theory may be less complete when it assumes people make careful calculations, since choices can be impulsive or shaped by pressure and individual capacities.

What characterizes the positivist approach?

Positivist theory uses systematic observation and scientific methods to investigate biological, psychological, and social influences associated with offending.

What does a risk factor tell us about an individual?

A risk factor may be associated with offending, but it does not establish that a particular person will commit a crime.

Why must positivist explanations distinguish association from causation?

An observed association does not prove causation; factors may overlap, making causal claims difficult to establish.

How can learning and reinforcement contribute to offending?

Learning and reinforcement approaches propose that behaviors, attitudes, and expectations can be learned through experience, rewards, modeling, or repeated practice.

What do cognitive and moral development approaches examine?

Cognitive and moral development approaches examine how reasoning about rules, consequences, and others’ rights may influence decisions.

How do personality and self-regulation relate to offending?

Impulsivity or difficulty regulating emotions may contribute to risk-taking for some people in some situations, but a trait alone does not determine criminal behavior.

How should claims from psychodynamic approaches be treated?

Psychodynamic approaches have linked behavior to unconscious conflict or early relationships; specific claims should be assessed against evidence rather than assumed to explain crime.