Arousal Theory

- a view of crime suggesting that people who have a high arousal level seek
powerful stimuli in their environment to maintain an optimal level of
arousal. The stimuli are often associated with violence and aggression.
Sociopaths may need greater than average stimulation to bring them up
to comfortable levels of living. This need explains their criminal
tendencies.
- According to the arousal theory, if an individual does not reach a
sufficient level of arousal, they become bored. On the other hand, if there
is too much arousal, the individual may become rather anxious. In turn,
excessive anxiousness may lead to sensation-seeking behaviors (Wagner,
2013).
-is usually applied when the crime is based on the feeling of sensation. These
individuals can be characterized as crime prone due to their environmental and
biological predilection to illicit activities (Hirschi, 2011).
-the key premise is the feeling of boredom and desire to live a thrilling life
Nature Theory
 Assert that the etiology of criminal behavior is biologically based in
genetic inheritance and the structure and functions of people’s brain and
other psychological responses (Coyne & Wright, 2014)
Nature Theory vs Nurture Theory
• Nature Theory- Intelligence is largely determined genetically and that
low intelligence is linked to criminal behavior.
• Nurture Theory- intelligence is not inherited but is largely a product of
environment. Low IQ scores do not cause but may result from same
environmental factors.
Proponents of Nature Theory
 Henry H. Goddard in his studies in 1920 that many institutionalized
people were what he considered "feebleminded" and concluded that at
least half of all juvenile delinquents were mentally defectives(Siegel,et
al,2007).
 William Healy and Augusta Bronner tested a group of delinquents in
Chicago and Boston and they found that 37 percent were subnormal in
intelligence.
Rational Choice Theory
 views man as a reasoning actor who weighs means and ends, cost and
benefits, and makes a rational choice. The foundation of rational choice
theory is behavioral choices, that includes the choice of the person to
engage in criminal activity on intent/premedication and that the possible
benefits outweigh the risk.
 Criminal behavior is a rational choice made by a motivated offender who
perceives that the chances of gain outweigh any possible punishment or
loss (Siegel et al, 2007).
  Rational choice theory posits that one takes those actions, criminal or
lawful, which maximize payoff and minimize costs (Akers, 1990).
Routine Activity Theory
 created by Lawrence E. Cohen and Marcus K. Felson, with the 1979
publication of their seminal article "Social Change and Crime Rate
Trends: A Routine Activity Approach.“
 viewed that crime is a "normal" function of the routine activities of
modern living; offenses can be expected if there is a motivated offender
and a suitable target that is not protected by capable guardians (Siegel et
al, 2007).
Three Elements of Routine Activity Theory

1. an accessible target
2. the absence of capable guardians that could intervene
3. the presence of a motivated offender,

A capable guardian could also be CCTV, providing that someone is monitoring

it at the other end of the camera at all times.
• police patrols • security guards
• door staff • vigilant staff and co-workers
• friends • neighbors

Lifestyle Theory
• developed by Michael R. Gottfredson, Michael Hindelang, and James
Garofalo in 1978.
• The main concept of lifestyle theory is that people may become crime
victims because their lifestyle.
• This theory suggest that certain people become the victims of crimes
because of their lifestyle and choice. It explain that victimization is the
function of victims lifestyle.
• - A high risk lifestyle may mean getting involved with deviant peer
groups, just "hanging out", or frequenting bars until late into the
night and drinking heavily (Walsh, 2012).
General deterrence theory –prevents crime by frightening the public with
punishment of an individual defendant.
-The purpose of general deterrence is to discourage refers to the practice of
instilling fear in people in the hopes that such fear will prevent them from
committing crimes in the future. This is done by making an example of
offenders through their punishments.
- focuses on potential offenders and that these offenders must receive
punishment in severe, swift and certain way. It is also manifesting societal
deterrence which aimed to target would be offenders (Siegel et al, 2007).
Three key elements
1.Certainty of punishments simply means making sure that punishment takes
place wherever a criminal act is committed.
2. Celerity-refers to how quickly an individual is punished after committing a
crime.
3. Severity or amount of punishment
Specific deterrence theory holds that if offenders are punished so severely,
the experience will convince them not to repeat their illegal acts.
- Its main targets are those offenders who have already been convicted and
it also claimed that punishing more criminals will reduce their involvement
in criminal activity (Siegel et al, 2007).

Victim Precipitation Theory

• The victims themselves may actually initiate, either passively or
actively, the criminal act that ultimately leads to injury or death. It was
first presented by Hans von Hentig (1941) and applies only to violent
victimization.
Active precipitation occurs when victims act provocatively, use threats or
fighting words, or even attacks first the offenders (Siegel, 2012).
Passive precipitation occurs when the victim exhibits some personal
characteristic that unknowingly either threatens or encourages the attacker
(Siegel, 2012).
Incapacitation Theory - Stands to reason that if more criminals are sent to
prison or keeping known criminals out of circulation the crime rate should go
down (Siegel et al, 2007). This theory supports the idea of imprisoning the
criminals.
Behavioral Theory
• Propounded that human behavior is developed through the learning
experience.
• that behavior is learned when it is rewarded and extinguished by
negative reactions or punishment (Siegel, 2004).
• It has the notion that people alter or change their behavior depending on
their environment.
• Children or people learn violence through observation of others.
Social Learning Theory
 • the branch of behavior theory most relevant to criminology. It was
created Albert S. Bandura (1973), a Canadian psychologist who argued
that” people are not actually born with the ability to act violently
but that they learn to be aggressive through their life experiences”.
• The experiences include personally observing others acting aggressively
to achieve some goal or watching people being rewarded for violent acts
on television or in movies.
• Bandura claimed that people learn to act aggressively when, as children,
they model their behavior after the violent acts of adults.
• example, the boy who sees his father repeatedly strikes his mother with
impunity is the one most likely to grow up to become a battering parent
and husband (Siegel, 2004).
Bandura(1973) believed that violence was something learned through a
process called behavior modeling. Aggressive acts are usually modeled after
3 principal sources:
1.) Family members. Bandura reports that family life showing children who
use aggressive tactics have parents who use similar behaviors when dealing
with others.
2.) Environmental experiences. People who reside in areas where violence is
a daily occurrence are more likely to act violently than those who dwell in low-
crime areas whose norm stress conventional behavior.
3.) Mass media. Films and television shows commonly depict violence
graphically. Moreover, violence is often portrayed as an acceptable behavior,
especially for heroes who never have to face legal consequences for their
actions (Siegel, 2004).