Psychological Theories Of Crime

Psychological Theories Of Crime Psychology and Crime Psychology of crime tries to give an explanation how some people deviate from the social norms and choose to commit crime. It is also a tool commonly used in the investigation process that helps investigators interview suspects effectively. Definitions of Crime A crime is generally considered as an act that is against what criminal law says. Crimes that are mala prohibita vary with time and place and are dependent relative to cultural context and values but crimes that are mala in se are universally forbidden. mala in se crimes include murder or theft. Consensus Theories This view regards all crimes to be intolerable to all society. Society as a whole agrees upon and formulates a written code which defines crimes and is a reflection of values, beliefs, and opinions of societys mainstream culture. There is a consensus between the majority in society as these agree on which behaviours should be criminalized or not. Sutherland and Cressey link crime with criminal law as according to them criminal behaviour is a violation that goes against mainstream beliefs. They also believe that the legal system deals with crime uniformly thus dealing with all kinds of different people in the same way. Social harm the consensus view distinguishes between illegal behaviours that cause social harm and those that do not. Deviant behaviour is against social norms but does not cause social harm. Deviant acts although deemed shocking or immoral are not necessarily criminal. However the consensus view still condemns victimless crimes even though they have wilful participants, they argue that this behaviour could undermine the social fabric and that all members of society must be protected even if they choose to engage in high-risk behaviours. On the other hand some other theorists of the Consensus View claim that deviance is in fact beneficial in society as it challenges old-fashioned ideas and brings about the needed change in society. Conflict Theories The Conflict Perspective believes that criminal law reflects and protects established economic, racial, gendered and political power. This perspective portrays society as a collection of different groups who are in constant conflict with each other as they are all the time struggling to achieve and maintain this power. Groups use the law in their favour to assert their political power. Therefore they consider criminal law as existing to protect those in power. According to this view the definition of crime is in the hands and monopolised in favour of those who have power. Crime is shaped by the ruling class instead of by societal consensus. Benign violent acts ensure tranquillity preventing the underclass from overthrowing their capitalist exploiters. Conflict theorists believe punishments are not given fairly and thus this theory holds that the system is shaped by the ruling class for the ruling class. For instance lower class people get harsher punishments for petty crimes than do white collar criminals. According to the conflict perspective, real crimes would include violations of human rights and inadequate childcare amongst others. Interactionist Theories According to the Interactionists, people act according to their interpretations of reality and assign meanings accordingly. They observe the way others react whether positively or negatively and then re-evaluate and interpret their own behaviour according to the meanings they have learned from others. Interactionists assert that people in power use their influence to impose their definition of right and wrong on others. To Interactionists crimes are outlawed behaviours because society has defined them that way. Criminal law is shaped by moral entrepreneurs who use their influence to shape the legal system the way they see it. Interactionists argue that crime has no meaning unless people react to it in a negative way. 2. Theories of Crime Classical Theories Basic elements of classical theories: In society people have free will to choose criminal or lawful solutions to meet their needs and settle their problems. Criminal solutions may be more attractive because they have a quicker and greater payoff. Persons choice of crime may be controlled by fear of punishment. The more severe, swift and certain the punishment is the better it is able to control criminal behaviour. The classical perspective influenced judicial philosophy; at the end of the 18th and 19th centuries, prisons started to appear as a form of punishment. Punishment by execution also began to be used for the most serious of offences. Let the punishment fit the crime is the key idea where punishment prevents persons from doing crime and from doing serious crime. Positivist Theories New discoveries in biology, astronomy and chemistry influenced social researchers to use the same scientific method to be applied to explain human behaviour. Human behaviour is a function of forces beyond the persons control. Behaviour is influenced by forces some of which are social, political, historical and biological. A persons biological makeup and structure also influence behaviour. The scientific method is used to solve social problems including human behaviour. Factual first hand information and observations are used. The work of Charles Darwin on the evolution of man encouraged further the development of science and that human activity could be verified by scientific principles. Physiognomists studied facial features of criminals to determine whether the shape of the nose, ears, eyes and the distance between them were associated with antisocial behaviour whilst Phrenologists studied the shape of the skull and bumps on the head and sought to determine whether these attributes were linked to criminal behaviour. Cesare Lambroso (1835-1909) studied physical characteristics of soldiers convicted and executed for criminal offences and believed that criminals are inherently born criminal as they inherit traits which subject them to criminality. These born criminals suffer from atavistic anomalies meaning that they are throwbacks to more primitive times with enormous jaws, strong canine teeth, sloping shoulders and foreheads, full lips and flat feet. These criminal traits can be acquired or inherited in 2 ways: Indirect heredity inherited from a degenerate family whose members suffered from ills such as insanity, syphilis and alcoholism. Direct heredity being related to a family of criminals. Radical Criminology Radical or Marxist criminology explains crime within economic and social contexts expressing the connection among social conflict, crime and social control. Theories within radical criminology argue that conflict promotes crime by creating a social atmosphere in which law is a form of social control controlling dissatisfied members of society, whilst the affluent maintain their power. Therefore criminal behaviour is a function of conflict and a reaction to the unfair distribution of wealth and power in society. Social conflict has its theoretical basis in the works of Karl Marx as interpreted by Bonger, Dahrendorf and Vold. Conflict theorists suggest that crime in any society is caused by class conflict and laws are created by those in power to protect their rights and interests. Radical criminology views the capitalist system as a major cause of crime; the poor commit crimes because of their frustration, anger and need. The wealthy engage in illegal acts because they are used to competition and to maintain their positions in society therefore the state serves the interests of the ruling capitalist class. Criminal law is an instrument of economic oppression re-enforcing the oppression of the subordinate classes. There are 2 main branches of radical criminology referred to as instrumental and structural theory. Instrumental theorists believe that the legal system supports the owners at the expense of the workers. Structural theorists on the other hand believe that the law controls the power of the capitalists. Labelling Theories Labelling theories are interested in the effects of labelling on individuals and ask why some people committing some actions come to be defined as deviant, while others do not. Once a group or individuals having a certain common characteristic are labelled to be deviant the more likely they are to be arrested for, charged with, and convicted of a particular crime. The label attached may become so dominant that it is often referred to as the master status which is seen as more important than all the other aspects of the person. He or she becomes a hooligan or thief rather than a father, mother or friend. Each label carries with it prejudices and images and this may lead to others interpreting the behaviour of the labelled person in a particular way. For example, a person who volunteers to stay late at work is usually seen as worthy of praise, but, if a person has been labelled as a thief, people might be suspicious that they will steal something. For some people once a deviant label has been applied this can actually lead to more deviance. This happens when people start acting in the way they have been labelled. The Labelling Theory argues that no act is intrinsically criminal as crime is defined in the interest of the people in power therefore it is the designation of criminality by authorities which makes an act unlawful and a person who commits it a criminal. Everyone is a conformist in some ways and a deviant in other ways and therefore dividing people into criminal and non-criminal categories does not make any sense. 1. Police hold stereotypes about typical criminals. 2. They use these stereotypes to interpret the behaviour of suspected deviants 3. The closer that a person comes to the stereotype held by the police the more likely they are to be arrested for, charged with, and convicted of the crime. Lemerts Theory of Secondary Deviance Lemert suggests that deviance doesnt just happen with a single instance of behaviour. He argues that there is first an act which may be mischievous that deviates from the normatively expected behaviour and which results in a reaction from society. The reaction often involves admonition not to deviate again, and perhaps punishment. Other acts, and reactions, continue to occur. Lemert wisely suggests that some instances of deviance in this pattern are probably simply clumsy and unintended. Punishment and admonition for those acts may very well provoke a sense of being treated unjustly. After a series of such interdependent interactions, eventually the person begins to employ his deviant behaviour or a role based upon it as a means of defence, attack, or adjustment to the admonitions and prohibitions that behaviour provokes and this is what Lemert calls secondary deviance. 3. Measurement of Crime Crime is a part of society therefore it is important for it to be measured. Through measuring crime we can see the amount of crime present and therefore test the effectiveness of preventative measures. Crime trends can be estimated and may be used as information for policy makers. Measurement of crime in USA In the United States of America crime is mainly measured by two ways; the National Crime Victimization Survey and the Uniform Crime Report. These two different measures are utilized to have a more accurate account of crime. The National Crime Victimization Survey began being used as it became apparent that not all crimes were reported to the police. A scientific survey would have to be conducted of the population in question to discover if they have been victims of crime and have not reported this to the police. The Uniform Crime Report (UCR) are the major crime reports that are reported to the police. These are then given to the F.B.I and they publish these reports. Measurement of crime in Britain In Britain the yearly British Crime Survey (BCS) and police records are both used to measure crime rates. Before 1982 only police records were used however it became evident that this was not enough. The BCS is analysed along with the police records to try and determine a precise analysis of the crime in England and Wales. The BCS is considered to be a dependable source of long term crime trends as it delves into detail about the victims experiences of the crimes along with the fear of crime in the particular areas. All this information is published in the annual report: Crime in England and Wales. Police Records Police records include all the reported crimes to the police which are in turn recorded in their database. These provide a valuable source of information for researchers, members of the press and even the police themselves. However these are still not a reliable source of the crime rates of a particular area as they only include crimes that police officers and victims actually do report. Not all reports are available to the public for a variety of reasons such as; to protect national security, to respect an ongoing investigation or even not to interfere with the prosecution or apprehension of criminal offenders. The Dark figure of crime A large percentage of crime committed remains unreported. This trend seems prevalent in many areas and this could be due to multiple reasons. One such reason could be that the person is unaware that they are a victim, such as in cases of fraud or even with drug dealers, where the buyer does not feel like the victim of a crime as he/she is also an active component of the crime. A victim may also feel embarrassed to report the crime which is often the case in sexual abuse and also in certain cases of physical abuse. The victim may decide to protect the offender which can be found in cases such as spousal abuse or it the victim knows the offender etc. It could also be that the victim is not in a position to protect themselves; such is the case with victims of a young age, old age, mentally challenged, physically challenged etc. The trivialisation of certain crimes, such as littering, and the lack of faith in the police and the judicial system, may also result in a deficiency of reports to the police. A victim may feel the wait for justice through the policing system may take too long and even decide to take hold of matters themselves inflicting payback on the offender themselves. This in turn, may be an act of crime in itself. People involved in criminal behaviour tend to take up this kind of activity where they are unlikely to make a report when they are in turn are made victims. The nature of a crime affects the likelihood of the crime being reported, if the crimes are of a serious nature or would entail police reports in order to make insurance claims. Police discretion may also influence the information represented on police records due to several factors such as; the type of policing which may affect crime patterns and rates. Police in different areas or with different methods may classify crime differently and also the fact that police stereotyping affects who the police search, arraign, arrest and investigate. During police campaigns that lead to arrests and convictions in regards to certain crimes, an increase in that particular crime would be recorded on the police records. However it is important to note that this may not be the case as the increase in the crime records may be a result of more arrests, not due to the increase of the crime itself. Several police forces do not report certain crimes as viewed as unimportant and are overlooked. Offender Surveys Offenders are also a component of crime researchers attempt to investigate. This is done through the use of Offender surveys where participants are asked if they have ever committed a crime. These are often criticised for being too subjective as they rely on the participants perception of what constitutes a crime. They seek to uncover the perpetrators of crime, particularly for crime that is not reported in order to identify the offenders experiences of crime. Victim Surveys Victim surveys help provide a better and more accurate picture of crime representation alongside official police statistics. Through sampling, a selection of individuals are chosen and asked whether they have been victims of crime and most importantly if they reported these crimes to enforcement agencies. National Crime Victimization Survey United States

Development of Feminism and Its Impact on Religion

Feminism is a movement concerned with the advocacy of uplifting the roles and status of women. This struggle of campaigning for women's rights has started from the nineteenth century up to the present. It takes in various forms of protests and activities, all of which are geared towards the attainment of equal rights for women from different classes. This movement has gone across different borders including their struggle in the areas of politics, economics, social status, and in the religious aspect.Over the history, the disparity of rights between males and females is noticeable. Women have become victims of discrimination and double standards. However, the growth of the feminist movements is considered successful in the way that women have become more empowered and represented in different arenas. In the area of religion, feminism has become a distinct philosophy and it has gained influence and respect from different groups. In certain religious groups, women are now allowed to ho ld certain positions of power.Women are now ordained as clergy, hence granting them rights that were in the past held solely by men (â€Å"Feminism and Religion). Feminist philosophers of religion also became widely influential in the study of religion, and as such they were able to provide remarkable standpoints on how religion is to be viewed in a perspective that is beneficial to women. Thus, this has served as a useful tool for women in expressing their own beliefs, ideas and relate their experiences to other people in a way that they are properly heard without being negatively criticized (Frankenberry 2005).This development in the feminist movement was able to seek transformation in the society by challenging social insitutions and attempting to change social norms and standards. The emergence of female heroic figures and saints is an example of how feminist movements have developed over time (Hunt 2004). The challenges posted by feminism became strong that feminists around th e world were able to gather support and hasten changes in the society, not only in political and economic aspects, but also in the field of religion which was for long been dominated by men.

Logical Reasoning Ability

I have known Mr. Avvijit Tandon as my student for the past one year. He is basically a creative person, always trying to present his ideas in a creative manner. He has a good logical reasoning ability and will always try to solve problems efficiently. In addition,he has demonstrated excellent powers of observation, and has the ability to communicate and suggest changes that were effective upon implementation. From the beginning of the course,he began to re-define our expectations of a good student leader.He regularly discussed with his fellow students about the subjects and brought in new ideas. Without prompting or precedence he spent several days working odd hours on his projects . Along the course he had an excellent sense of perception about the other subjects too, and improving the flow from one subject to the other and one concept to another concept – all to the great praise of both the staff and the fellow students in his class. He had also observed something about a co mmon aspect of the learning process that was applicable to all subjects at our department.He has written several assignments on our subjects, some of which have been excellent. He is always valued for his contribution and the skill and sensitivity with which he presented his ideas. Mr. Avvijit has also demonstrated his logical and analytical abilities in last one year. Being the COST ACCOUNTING teacher for Mr. Avvijit, I have seen him grow in communicative abilities tremendously over the last one year. His attentive listening and great enthusiasm has helped him overcome any language limitations.He is both self- confident and independent, and has a great sense of humor that has helped him form strong relationships peers, and members of our staff. In all of these areas, Mr. Avvijit has gone beyond expectations, and has out-shined all others in his peer-group at our college. He is a very admirable and ambitious person. I have no doubt that he will be a serious and enthusiastic student, and someday a successful person that you would be proud to call him an alumni. I wish him all the best in his higher education and strongly recommend him for Masters at your esteemed university.

Medical Mariujana essays

Medical Mariujana essays Put yourself in this position...your diagnosed with AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, or just chronic pain from old age. The medication your taking works, but after a while it is making your body dependent on the drug, eating away your stomach lining, you cant eat, you feel nauseated and you are losing weight fast. This doesnt sound too productive, in fact it doesnt sound fun, but the alternative can be fun and help all the previous listed symptoms go away. That is why I am urging you to contact your state senator, Chuck Grassly on House Bill 2592 on supporting the States Rights to Medical Marijuana. I. In recent years AIDS victims, cancer victims, and illnesses have risen to 40 million in the US alone. Many suffering with chronic problems due to prescription medication. II. AIDS patients have as much difficulty ingesting medications for nausea as they do food. The medications simply don't stay down long enough to take effect. III. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, January 30, 1997, "The advanced stages of many illnesses and their treatments are often accompanied by intractable nausea, vomiting, or pain. IV. Standard medications have side effects that marijuana doesn't. With many pain medications, a steady level must be maintained in the bloodstream. a. There is no "time off" from side effects like 1. Drug interactions must be monitored. Liver screens are necessary to prevent toxicity. I. This is why I urge you to contact your senator Chuck Grassly and vote yes on House Bill 2592 on supporting Rights to Medical Marijuana. i. the prescription or recommendation of marijuana by a physician for medical use ii. allows an individual to use it, without l ...

Three Peeves in One Newspaper Article

Three Peeves in One Newspaper Article Three Peeves in One Newspaper Article Three Peeves in One Newspaper Article By Maeve Maddox Im one of the diminishing breed that wakes to a rolled newspaper at my front door. Sadly, I often find food for DWT posts when I open it. This morning not one, but three pet peeves leapt to my eye, all from the same story. I wont use real names. The article is about the sentencing of a man, Smith, who was an accessory to the murder of a teenager, Jones. Another man, Green, was tried separately. Green, the triggerman, has already been tried and sentenced†¦ The choice of the word triggerman bothers me because it is one of those words that has its place in fiction, but doesnt belong in a straight news story. Its use has the effect of glamorizing a punk who killed a 17 year old for $30 and a hat. It belongs to a category of dime novel words that strike me as being out of place in general reporting, detective yarn words like heist, bust, and swag. The two [Smith and the triggerman] were suppose to give Jones a ride to his home. They were supposed to give Jones a ride. Two females went along also†¦ The use female as a noun outside a medical or natural history context always bothers me. Ive written about these particular peeves elsewhere on the DWT site: Inappropriate word choice to report on crime Use of -ed verb forms Non-technical use of female as a noun Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Possessive of Proper Names Ending in SDoes "Mr" Take a Period?Honorary vs. Honourary

Child Abuse in America I need this tonight by 1 am CST Coursework

Child Abuse in America I need this tonight by 1 am CST - Coursework Example In order to be able to tackle this problem, it is imperative that the factors responsible for the growth of this social evil are identified and eradicated from the society. To serve this purpose, this research aims at identifying the factors that play a role in the spread of child abuse at the domestic level. While there is a whole range of factors that play a role in the growth of child abuse in the American society both domestic and social, the scope of this research is limited to the identification of domestic factors. These factors can include but are not limited to divorce, lack of parental attention, and psychological problems of the children as a result of these and such other factors. This research would not only help identify the factors that cause child abuse in the American society to occur, but would also help categorize the factors according to their level of severity. This is important in order to decide which factors should be tackled at the earliest in order to halt t he spread of child abuse on immediate basis. The audience of this project is primarily the parents that have the risk of or have already suffered from child abuse. The audience also includes the law-making bodies because this research would provide them with useful information about the safety and custody of children in broken marriages, so that the laws can be modified or amended in the best interest of the children. In addition to that, this research’s audience includes all those couples that are considering breaking up because this research would make them aware of the potentially adverse impacts of their breakup that their children are likely to suffer from. This research would help create the awareness needed by the parents to minimize the risks of child abuse for their children. My role in this project would primarily be that of an advocate. On the basis of the level of severity

FINANCIAL SERVICES MARKETING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

FINANCIAL SERVICES MARKETING - Essay Example The financial service business is more about building a fruitful and beneficial relationship for both the parties. The key to this successful relationship is customer satisfaction, trust and commitment. The customer should be satisfied with the services they are getting from the financial institution they are engaged with and they must have an idea that this is the best which they can get and may not be considering switching to competitors at any point in time. This service industry is Business to Business (B2B) or Business to Customer (B2C) by nature. It requires internal marketing of its values and the ideology about customer satisfaction which needs to be delivered. The staff must be competent enough to understand and satisfy the needs of the customers. It should define the staff clearly that their role is not only to deal with the customers face to face but also to support and assist the customers with the interface. This requires relationship management which is concerned direct ly to cater customers and be interactive with them regarding ongoing purchases and future benefits available about making certain transaction. The financial market is complicated and risky both, so the new entrants must be communicated about the volatility of the market. DIFFERENTIATION To create value of the product for the customer the marketer must first understand the nature of the financial service themselves. They must always seek for opportunities to create differentiation of the product. These opportunities can be sought by understanding the culture and norms of the individuals. Usually all that a marketer can do is to make a value proposition and then the customer will derive value in use from the offerings....Studying about the functionality of various markets can improve that skill of adaptability. This course of Financial Services Marketing has highlighted many areas and challenges which a business of such nature has to face. Learning about these challenges has helped me in assessing all the businesses and their functionality. CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION Today’s job market has become very competitive. Employees have to undergo through several challenges on every walk of their career. Only those individuals who think outside the box become successful. It was creativity and innovation which made Steve Jobs and Bill gates successful. Wait for the right opportunity and avail it when it comes with the right attitude. Following the above mentioned attitude ensures success. Always be prepared for challenges because only those people who get through these challenges accomplish their goal. ENHANCED ANALYTICAL SKILLS Studying Financial Service Marketing has enhanced my analytical skills to great extent. I am positive that this will help increase my chances of future employability. Thorough learning provided me with the opportunity to analyze a large volume of data. This course has prepared me about how to apply various marketing models to analyze or speculate a business. Now, I can deal with problems more effectively and hope to handle problems before they become a major problem.