CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES OF CRIME CAUSATION

PROPONENT(S) THEORY EXPLANATION IMPLICATIONS

Jeremy bentham if Jordan thinks about The classical school of
Cesare de beccaria Classical stealing the candy and criminology also focused on
then realizes that he methods of making the
could go to jail for it, he administration of justice,
might not steal it because including criminal sanctions,
he'll be trying to avoid more rational, effective, and
the pain of jail. efficient.
Cesare Lombroso Positivist a person who has They focused more on
repeatedly robbed stores reformation and rehabilitation of
has a psychological drive criminals rather than imposition
to commit robberies. of punishment

William Blackstone Neo classical A theory which assumes Contradicted the idea of frewill
that a firm's layoff Children and lunatics cannot
decisions are based on a calculate what is good or evil
balance between the therefore must be exempted
benefits of laying off an from criminal liability
additional worker and
the costs associated with
that action
Robert E park Chicago They developed the emphasizes social and
Ernest W burgess concentric zone theory, environmental factors as the root
Louis wirth which states that cities causes of crime
grow outwardly into five
different zones from a
central point. As a city
becomes more
populated, the central
part of a city becomes
more disorganized,
causing the more affluent
to retreat to the
outskirts.
Biological homeostasis, evolution The growth and development are
Cesare Lombroso and natural selection, cell positively influenced by factors,
theory, and gene theory. like parental health and genetic
Charles goring composition,

Ernest hooton
Sigmund Freud It is Study human help us to make predictions
Psychological behavior in relation in about what might happen in
Hans Eysenck criminality certain situations
Albert Bandura

Robert Hare
structural-functional sociologists develop a mindset to
approach, symbolic explain how these personal
Emile Durkheim Sociological interactionism, and experiences, along with their
George Simmel conflict theory challenges, impact the larger
society in which we operate.
Robert K. Merton

Edwin H.
Sutherland
Agnew Robert Political Community
Empowerment
Initiatives: Programs
 Any crime that is that empower
judge to have communities to
been committed in participate in decision-
order to harm the making processes,
state government shape public policies,
or political system and address local issues
of a state through grassroots
organizing and
community-led
development projects
William Adriaan Bonger Economic a theoretical model of an based on the assumption that
agent's consumption investors and consumers are
behavior would generally rational and very “efficient
suggest a positive machines,” namely, that they
relationship between make the best choices for
expenditure and income. themselves.
C Ray Jeffrey the study of crime Environmental Protection Laws:
Environmental Legislation to establish and
Criminality and enforce regulations aimed at
victimization as protecting air and water quality,
they relate first conserving natural habitats, and
the particular preventing pollution.
places and
secondly to the
way that
individuals and
organizations
shape their
activities.
Anomie Anomie in individuals and Loss of one's sense of social
David durkheim society is a condition of belonging and Breakdown of
instability and social norms that keep people
united
disintegration. It stems
from the breakdown of
previously shared norms
and values that regulated
social interactions.

David matza and Drift /Neutralization A individual will obey or the idea that people who violate
Graham sykes disobey societal rules the law learn to neutralize the
defending upon his or orthodox attitudes and values of
society, allowing them to drift
her ablity to rationalized
between outlaw and orthodox
whetter he is protected behavior
from hurt or destruction

Lloyd ohin Differential opportunity Differential opportunity There is differential opportunity

theory is a school of or access to success goals by both
criminological ideas that legitimate and illegation
posits that when young
people are able to
become successful via
legitimate means, then
they will turn to deviant
or criminal behavior.

Robert merton Strain theory It suggests that an people who use illegal drugs to
individual's inability to make themselves feel better, or a
achieve culturally valued student assaulting his peers to
end the harassment they caused.
goals causes frustration,
which can lead to
 deviant, and often illegal
behavior.

Earl Richard Quiney Instrumental theory Believes that the poor State exist as a Device for
are motivated to commit controlling the exploited class the
crimes due to their class that for the benefit of the
rulling class
frustrations in society
because of their statues.
They believe that the
criminal justice system is
to serve the rich. Along
with their belief, some
believe that crime is
necessary for the poor.

Travis Hirschi Self control Selfcontrol theory of Results from the individuals
crime proposes that inability absence to effectively
individuals with low self- control his/her impulse part of
human though process
control are more prone
to commit crimes, as they
are less capable of
restraining themselves
from impulses and
immediate gratifications,
despite potential
negative consequences.