Notes on Introduction to Criminology and Juvenile Delinquency

Major Perspective of Criminology 5. Psychological Approach –

it is concerned about the
a. Situational forces – crime is s deprivation of the
function of free will and personal psychological needs of
choice. Punishment is a deterrent man, which constitute the
to crime. development of deviations
b. Internal Forces – crime is a of normal behavior
function of chemical, neurological, resulting to unpleasant
genetic, personality, intelligence emotions.
or mental traits. 6. Psychiatric Approach – The
c. Ecological Forces – crime rates are explanation of crimes
a function of neighborhood through diagnosis of
conditions, cultural forces and mental diseases as cause
norm conflict. of the criminal behavior.
d. Socialization Forces – crime is a 7. Psychoanalytic Approach –
function of upbringing, learning The explanation of crimes
and control. Peers, parents, and based on the Freudian
teachers influence behavior. theory, which traces
e. Economic and Political Forces – behavior as the deviation
crime is a function of competition of the repression of the
for limited resources and power. basic drives.
Class conflict produces crime.
f. Multiple Forces – Biological, Theories of crime
social-psychological, economic and
political forces may combine to 1. Demonological Theory
produce crime. - the theory in criminology,
which maintains that a person commits
Approaches of Crime crime or behaves criminally mainly
because he or she is being possessed by
a. Subjective Approaches – it deals evil spirits or something of natural
mainly on the biological force that controls behavior.
explanation of crimes, focused 2. Classical theory
on the forms of abnormalities - believed that individuals have
that exist in the individual free will to choose legal means to get
criminal before, during and what they want, the fear of punishment
after the commission of crime. can defer people from committing crimes
1. Anthropological Approach – and society can control behavior by
the study on the physical making pain of punishment greater that
characteristics of an the pleasure of the criminal gains.
individual offender with
non-criminal in the a. Cesare Beccaria
attempt to discover - In his book “Crimes and
differences covering Punishment” described both motive for
criminal behavior. committing crime and methods for its
2. Medical Approach – the control. His theory was based on
application of medical “freewill” and that people want to
examinations on the achieve pleasure and avoid pain. He
individual criminal concluded, crimes must provide some
explain the mental and pleasure to the criminal.
physical condition of the
individual prior and after b. Jeremy Bentham – one who proposed
the commission of the the “Utilitarian Hedonism”, the theory
crime. which explains that a person always
3. Biological Approach – the acts in such a way as to seek pleasure
evaluation of genetic and avoid pain.
influences to criminal
behavior. It is noted that 3. Neo Classical Theory
heredity is one force - it maintain that while the
pushing the criminal to classical school was correct in
common crime. general, it should be modified in
4. Physiological Approach – certain details, since children and
the study on the nature of lunatics cannot calculate pleasures and
human being concerning his pains, they should not be regarded as
physical needs in order to criminals or to be punished.
satisfy his wants.
4. Positivist theory
 - Features of this theory are: 1. of the brain dictates the physical
the belief that human behavior is a activity of a person.
function of internal and external
forces; 2. Embracing the scientific e. Richard Dugdale
method to solve problems. 3. - Studied the family free of Ada
Determinism “Multi-Casual Theory of jukes – known as the mother of
Crime”, explains that there are criminals, which he claimed that since
multiple factors causing the commission some families produce generations of
of crime. criminals, they must have been
transmitting degenerate traits down the
Auguste Comte line.
- the founder of sociology,
applied scientific methods to the study f. Henry Goddard
of society. Comte called this stage, - studied the revolutionary
the positive stage and those who family tree of Martin Kallikak. Who
followed his writings known as advocated the theory that
positivist. “Feeblemindedness” inherited as
mendalian unit, cause crime for the
BIOLOGICAL DETERMINISM reason that feebleminded person is
- People have biological and unable to appreciate the consequences
mental traits make them crime prone. of his behavior or appreciate the
These traits are inherited and present meaning the law.
at birth. Mental and physical
degeneracies are the causes of crime. g. Earnest Kretschmer
The interpretation of human and human - a German Psychiatrist who
life from a strictly biological point distinguished 3 principle of body
of view and it closely related to types: 1. Asthenic – lean, slightly
genetic influence. built; 2. Athletic – Strong Muscular,
usually connected with crime violence;
a. Cesare Lombroso 3. Pyknic – rounded figure, broad face.
- An Italian leader of the
positivist school of criminology who h. William Sheldon
was criticized for his methodology and - brought the work of Kretschmer
his attention to the biological to the United States. He formulated his
characteristics. own group of somatotype; 1. Ectomorph –
- His theory on Criminal slightly built; 2. Endomorph – round
Anthropology has two distinct features: bodies; 3. Mesomorph – Athletic and
1. criminal behavior is inherited (Born muscular. He maintains the belief of
Criminal), 2. born criminals suffer inheritance as the primary determinants
from “atavistic anomalies”- physically of behavior and the physique is the
they are throwbacks to more primitive reliable indicator of personality.
times when people were savages.
SOCIOLOGICAL DETERMINISM
b. Charles Darwin - The concept of upbringing,
- In his theory of Evolution socialization, learning and control as
“origin of species”, claimed that determinants of behavior.
humans, like other animals are
parasite. Man has an Animalistic Adolphe Quetelet
(aggressive) behavior which was the - Pioneering sociologist along
causes of crime. with E. Durkhiem, who instigated the
use of data and statistics in
c. Johann Kaspar Lavater performing criminological research.
- The theory of “Physiognomy” Known to be the founder of
studied the facial features of Cartographical School of criminology
criminals to determine whether the who made use of social statistics such
shape of ears, nose and eyes and the as demographic information on the
distance between them associated with population in relation to criminality.
anti social behavior.
1.Social Structure Theory
d. Franz Joseph Gall and Johann K. - It suggest that social and
Spurzheim economic forces operating in
- The theory of “Phrenology”, deteriorated lower class areas push
studied the shape of the skull and many of their residents into criminal
bumps on the head to determine whether behavior patterns.
these physical attributes were linked
to criminal behavior. They believed
that external cranial characteristics
a.Social Disorganization by two Chicago
Sociologist Henry McKay and Clifford
Shaw
- the absence of public order
coupled problematic characteristics of
disorganized communities – namely
poverty, population heterogeneity and
residential mobility are strong
predictor of high crime rates.
- they linked life in
transitional slum areas/neighborhood to
the inclination to commit crime.
b. Strain Theory by Robert Merton
- they believe that most people
share similar values and goals but the
ability to achieve personal goals is
stratified by socioeconomic class which
causes pressure (frustration, stress,
depression) to an individual resulting
to cause unconventional behavior.
- refers to the friction and
pains experienced by an individual as
he or she look for ways to satisfy his
or her needs.
become inoperative during the period of
social change or social crisis.
d. General Strain Theory by Robert
Agnew
- whereas Merton tried to explain
social class differences in the crime
rate, Agnew tries to explain why
individuals who feel stress and strain
are more likely to commit crimes. Agnew
also offers a more general explanation
of criminal activity among all elements
of society rather than restricting his
views to lower class.
- the greater the intensity and
frequency of strain experiences, the
greater their impact and the more
likely they are to cause delinquency
and criminality.
e. Cultural Deviance
- Obedience to the norms of their
lower class culture puts people in
conflict with the norms of the dominant
culture.

5 modes of adaptation f. Delinquent Subculture theory by

1.Conformity – when individuals both Albert Cohen
embrace conventional social goals and - the delinquent behavior of the
means. lower class youths is actually a
2.Innovation – when an individuals protest against the norms and values of
accepts goals but rejects or is the middle class. Because social
incapable of attaining them through conditions make them incapable of
legitimate means. This is most closely achieving success legitimately, lower
associated with criminal behavior. class youths experience a form of
3.Ritualism – it gain pleasure from culture conflict that is know as Status
practicing traditional ceremonies Frustration.
regardless of whether they have real - It claims that the lower class
purpose or goal. Have the lowest level cannot socialize effectively as the
of criminal behavior because they have middle class, forming subculture
abandoned the success goals, which is rejecting middle class values.
the root of criminal activity.
4.Retreatism – Rejects both goals and g.Differential Opportunity by Richard
means of the society. People are Cloward and Lloyd Ohlin
morally or otherwise incapable of using - states that people in all
both legitimate and illegitimate means, strata of society share the same
they attempt to escape their lack of success goals but that those in the
success by withdrawing – either lower class have limited means of
mentally or physically. achieving them. People who perceive
5.Rebellion – it involves substituting themselves as failures within
an alternative set of goals and means conventional society will seek
for conventional ones. They wish to alternative or innovative means to gain
promote radical change in the existing success.
social structure. - the absence of legitimate
opportunity. Blockage of conventional
c. Theory of Anomie by Emile Durkheim opportunities causes lower class youths
- from the Greek word “nomos” – join to criminal behavior.
without norms, state of normalessness.
A sociological concept that helps 2. Social Process theory
describe the chaos and disarray - hold that criminality is a
accompanying the loss of traditional function of individual socialization.
values in modern society. These theories draw attention to the
- according to Durkheim that an interactions people have with various
anomic society is one in which rules of organization, institutions and
behavior (norms) have broken down or processes of society.
Branches of Social Process 2. inferiors imitate superiors.
3. when two behavior pattern clash, one
a. Social learning Theories may take the others.
- suggest that people learn the
techniques and attitudes of crime from b. Social Control Theories
close and intimate relationships with - maintains that all people have
criminal peers; crime is a learned the potential to violate the law and
behavior. that modern society presents many
opportunities for illegal activity.
1. Differential Association by Edwin
Sutherland 1. Social Bond Theory by Travish
- the principal part of the Hirschi
learning of criminal behavior occurs - links the onset of criminality
within intimate personal groups. to the weakening of the ties that bind
- criminal behavior is learned, people to the society. All individual
learning is a by product of interaction are potentials law violators, but they
and the learning occurs within intimate are kept under control because they
groups. fear that illegal behavior will damage
their relationship with friends,
2. Differential Reinforcement (Direct parents, neighborhood, teachers and
Conditioning) by Ronald Akers in employees.
collaboration with Robert Burgess
- People learn to be neither “all 2. Social Reaction or Labeling Theory
deviant” nor “all conforming” but by Frank Tennenbaum, Edwin Lemert and
rather strike a balance of between the Howard Becker
two opposite poles of behavior. - this theory maintains that the
- it occurs when behavior is original cause of crime cannot be
reinforced by being either rewarded or known, no behavior is intrinsically
punished while interacting with others. criminal behavior if it is labeled as
such.
3. Neutralization theory by David Matza - holds that deviance is not
and Gresham Sykes inherent to an act, but instead focuses
- they view the process of on the linguistic tendency of
becoming a criminal as a learning majorities to negatively classify
experience in which potential minorities or those seen as deviant
delinquents and criminals master from norms.
techniques that enable them to - picks up on these concepts of
counterbalance or neutralize INTERACTION AND INTERPRETATION.
conventional values and drift back and - people enter into a law
forth between illegitimate and violating careers when they are labeled
conventional behavior. for their acts and organized their
personalities around the labels.
Technique of Neutralization
a. Denial Responsibility – claim c. Social Conflict Theory by Karl Marx,
their unlawful acts were simply Frederick Engel and William Bonger
not their faults. - it assumes that the inter group
b. Denial of Injury – denying the conflict and rivalry that exist the
wrongfulness of an act. society causes crime. The crime
c. Denial of Victim – neutralize producing traits of the capitalist
wrong doing by maintaining that society (master – slave and the have –
the victim of crime had it have nots)
coming.
d. Condemnation to condemners – Contributors to Social Conflict theory
Offenders views the world as a
corrupt place. 1. Ralf Dahrendorf – argues that modern
e. Appeal to higher authorities – society is organized into what he
caught in the dilemma of being called IMPERATIVELY COORDINATED
loyal to their peer group. ASSOCIATION. These association comprise
two groups: those who possess authority
4. Gabriel Tarde and his theory of and use it for social domination and
Imitation who lack authority and are dominated.
- he believed people learn from
one another through a process of 2. George Vold - argued that crime
imitation. can also be explained by social
1. Individuals imitate in others in conflict. Laws are created by
proportion to the intensity of and politically oriented group, who seek
frequency of their contacts. the government’s assistance to help
defend their rights and protect their - he believed that crime is an
interest. outlet in which their unsound
tendencies are discharged; they would
d. Earl Richard Quinney go mad if they are criminals.
(Instrumentalist Theory)
- The labor class is used a d. Aichorn
medium for the benefit of the ruling - the cause of delinquency is the
class. faulty development of the child during
the first few years of his life.
PSYCHOLOGICAl DETERMINISM
- The association between e. Abrahamsen
intelligence, personality, learning and - explained the causes of crime
criminal behavior. by his formula: Criminal behavior
equals criminal tendencies plus crime
a.Sigmund Freud and his situation divided by the persons mental
Psychoanalytical Theory and emotional resistance towards
- Psychologists have considered a temptation.
variety of possibilities to account for
individual differences – defective f. Cyrill Burt
conscience, emotional immaturity, - the theory of General
inadequate childhood socialization, Emotionality; offenses can be traced to
maternal deprivation, and poor moral either in excess or deficiency of a
development. particular instinctive drive.
- he was the one who advocate the
concept that human mind perform three g. Healy
separate function. - claimed that crime is an
ID- Pleasure Principle expression of the mental content of the
EGO – Reality Principle individual.
SUPER EGO – Morality Principle
h. Blomberg
Psychosexual Stages of human - claimed that criminality is t
development result of emotional immaturity. Person
Eros – the most basic human drive who is matured know how to control his
present at birth, the instinct to emotion effectively.
preserve and create life.
i. Charles Goring
Oral Stage – a child attains pleasure - studied the mental
by sucking and biting during the first characteristics of 3,000 convicts. He
year of life. found little difference in the physical
characteristics of criminals and non
Anal Stage – the focus of sexual criminals but he uncovered a
attention is on the elimination of significant relationship between crime
bodily waste. and a condition he referred to as
“defective intelligence”, which
Phallic Stage – children focus their involves such traits as feeble
attention on their genitals. mindedness, epilepsy, insanity and
defective social instinct.
Oedipus Complex – males begin to have
sexual feelings for their mothers.
Contemporary Versions of Criminality
Electra Complex – females begin to have
sexual feelings for their father. DEVELOPMENTAL THEORIES
- views that criminality as a
b. Isaac Roy and his Moral Insanity dynamic process, influenced by a
- he describe persons who were multitude of individual
normal in all aspects except that characteristics, traits and social
something was wrong with the part of experiences.
the brain that regulates effective
responses. a. Life Course Theory by Sheldon and
- he questioned whether we could Eleanor Glueck
hold people legally responsible for - it recognized that as people
their acts if they had impairment, mature the factors that influence their
because these people committed their behavior change.
crimes without intent to do so.
b. Latent trait theory by David Rowe,
c. Henry Maudsley D. Wayne Osgood and W. Alan Nicewander
 - the propensity to commit crime - identify the turning points of
is stable, the opportunity to commit criminal careers such successful
crimes fluctuates over time. careers and marriage.
- assumes that a number of people
in the population have a personal Theories of Victimization
attribute or characteristics that
controls their inclination or Victimology is the study of the role of
propensity to commit crimes. the victim towards the commission of
the crime. It is the scientific process
Latent Trait theories of gaining substantial amounts of
knowledge on offender characteristics
a. General theory of Crime by Michael by studying the nature of victims.
Gottfredson and Travish Hirschi.
- modified and redefined some of Benjamin Mendelsohn and Von Hentif is
the principles articulated in Hirschi’s the father of the study of victimology.
social control theory by integrating
the concepts of control with those a. Victim Precipitation theory
biosocial, psychological, routine - people may initiate the
activities and rational choice confrontation that eventually leads to
theories. their injury or death.
- people who are at risk because
they have impulsive personalities may a.1 Active Precipitation
forego criminal careers because there - occurs when the victims act
are no criminal opportunities that provocatively, use of threats or
satisfy their impulsive needs; instead fighting words or even attack first.
they may find other outlets for their
impulsive personalities. In contrast, a.2 Passive Precipitation
if the opportunity is strong enough, - occurs when victims exhibits
even people with relatively strong self some personal characteristics that
control may be tempted to violate the unknowingly either threatens or
law. encourages the attackers.

b. Differential Coercion Theory by Mark b. Life Style Theory

Colvin - people ma become crime victims
- there are actually two sources because of the lifestyle increases
of coercion: Interpersonal and their exposure to criminal offenders,
Impersonal. Interpersonal coercion is such as going out in public places at
direct, involving the use of threat or night.
force and intimidation from parents,
peers and significant others. c. Deviant Place Theory
Impersonal involves pressure beyond - victims do not encourage crime
individual control such as but are victim prone because they
unemployment, poverty, competition reside in socially disorganized high
among businesses. crime areas where they have the greater
- that a persons ability to risk of coming contact with criminal
maintain self control is a function of offender.
the amount, type, and consistency of
coercion experienced as he goes through d. Routine Activities theory by
the life course. Lawrence Cohen and Marcus Felson
- crime victims are closely
c. Control Balance Theory by Charles related to the interaction of the three
Tittles variables:
- believe on the concept of
control has two distinct elements: 1. 1. Availability of Suitable Targets
the amount of control one is subject to 2. Absence of Capable guardians
by others and 2. the amount of control 3. Presence of Motivated offenders.
one can exercise over the others.
CONTEMPORARY THEORIES
c. Age Graded Theory by Robert Sampson
and John Laub a. Rational Choice Theory
- this theory attempts to explain - holds that youth will engage in
the trajectories and transitions of delinquent and criminal behavior after
criminal behavior over the life course. weighing the consequences and benefits
Trajectories and transitions are of their actions.
pathways or lines of development and
specific events that took place on the b. Biosocial Theory (Trait Theory)
life of a person.
 - it argue that no two people are
alike and that the combination of human
genetic traits and the environment
produces individual behavior patterns.

1. Biochemical – relationship that

genetically predetermined and those
acquired through diet and environment
influence anti-social behavior.
2. Neurophysiology – the study of brain
activity. The relationship can be
detected quite early and that children
who suffer from measurable neurological
deficit (trauma – low IQ) at birth are
more likely to become criminals later
in life.
3. Minimal Brain Dysfunction or
learning disabilities
- abnormality in the cerebral or
brain structure or brain damage.
4. Genetic Influence – inherited
aggressive predisposition. Inherited
condition associated with crime such as
impulsive personality.