THE CRIMINAL MIND UNVEILED:

CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR THEORIES

Unveiling the
Criminal Mind
There are many factors
that are evident to place
the individual at risk of
becoming a criminal.
▪ Additionally classical, neo-classical
theories, economic theory and
geographical theory are there. All theories
infer different methods of control. It is quite
difficult to isolate these 3 categories from
each other completely as all three of factors
perform a role in the expression of behavior.
Classical and Neo-Classical
Theory
▪ In the late 18th century, descriptions of crime and punishment emerged
in response to unjust legal systems and harsh punishments.
▪ Enlightened thinkers and reformers aimed to establish a legal system
that would protect the rights and freedoms of individuals accused of
crimes.
▪ They advocated for a system that would safeguard the interests of
criminals and ensure fair treatment.
▪ Influenced by Rousseau's 'contract theory,' they believed in a social
contract where free individuals voluntarily agreed to be bound by laws
for the common good.
▪ According to Rousseau's doctrine, individuals were inherently free and
independent but chose to limit some freedoms through a social contract
to preserve the benefits of living in a community.
▪ This concept emphasized individuals coming together to form a society
based on mutual agreement and cooperation.
Classical Theory
Beccaria, influenced by scholars like John Howard, proposed
classicist explanations in his work "Essays on Crime and
Punishment" in 1764.
- Beccaria's key beliefs included:
- Human nature is rational, free, and driven by self-interest.
- Social order is based on consensus and a social contract.
- Crime is a violation of the legal code, not social norms.
- Crime is limited and should be determined through due process.
- Criminal behavior is motivated by rational decisions.
- Crimes should be judged by a jury of peers, rational and equal
individuals.
- Judges should follow a clear legal code systematically.
- The principle of restraint should guide penalties, limiting
imprisonment to agreed-upon penalties.
Principles of the classical
school of criminology:
▪ - Ensuring the rights and freedoms of
individuals.
▪ - Uniform punishment for the same crime.
▪ - Assigning a specific penalty to each crime
consistently.
▪ - Punishment should align with social needs
to deter others from committing similar
crimes.
▪ In 1810 and 1819, revision of the classical theory was
attempted done by the British neo-classicist
criminologists and they stated that:
▪ (a) objective circumstances provide for judicial
discretion,
▪ (b) the concept of minimum and maximum penalty
was introduced,
▪ (c) the principle of extenuating circumstances got
recognized, and
▪ (d) it shows that the concept of equal justice is not
realistic, and thus recommended giving significance
to age, mental condition and situations in giving
sentence to criminals.
Biological Factors

▪ Biological theories focus on factors such as

the physical body, genetics, evolutionary
influences, hormones, and brain structures to
explain criminal behavior.
▪ Factors contributing to physical flaws linked
to criminal behavior include:
1. Heredity
2. Neurotransmitter dysfunction
3. Brain abnormalities from developmental
issues or trauma
▪ Hereditary factors play a role in human behavior passed
down through generations, influencing the interplay
between biology, heredity, and the social environment.
▪ Psychosurgery, like lobotomies, was historically used to
treat various conditions but is now obsolete due to ethical
concerns.
▪ Chemical methods, like castration for sex offenders and
pharmacological interventions for addicts, have been used
to control crime with varying success.
▪ Biological theorists have explored diet changes, family
relationships, genetic factors like the XYY combination,
and the potential use of deep brain stimulation for
disorders like Parkinson's, but not yet for criminal behavior.
▪ Weather has been linked to crime, with temperature
showing a positive correlation with violent crimes,
influenced by factors like time of day, day of the week,
and season.
▪ Temperature has been associated with crimes such as
assault, property offenses, domestic violence, and
disorderly conduct, acting as a precursor to criminal
behavior influenced by environmental and chemical
factors.
Physiological Factors
▪ Lombroso's theory of the "born criminal" posits that there are physical
differences between criminals and non-criminals. He identified a range
of physical features that he believed were indicative of criminal behavior,
including:Long arms
▪ Large teeth
▪ Ears lacking lobes
▪ Excessive body hair
▪ Lombroso also believed that the "born criminal" type was insensitive to
pain and could inflict pain on others without remorse. He based his
findings on studying the bodies of executed and deceased criminals, as
well as examining living inmates.In contrast, William Sheldon developed
a theory that linked body type to personality. He proposed that there are
three basic body types: ectomorph, endomorph, and mesomorph, which
correspond to different personality traits. Sheldon's work was based on
body measurements and a correlational study of convicts, which
suggested that mesomorphs were less likely to be ectomorphs and were
more likely to be involved in criminal behavior.
Psychological Theories
▪ - Psychological theories of criminal behavior focus on individual
personality, social factors, cognition, and developmental factors.
▪ - These theories encompass a range of models from early
Freudian notions to later cognitive and social psychological
models.
▪ - Key suppositions from psychological theories of criminality
include:
▪ - Individuals are the primary focus of study.
▪ - Personality is the main motivational element driving behavior.
▪ - Normality is defined by social consensus.
▪ - Criminal acts stem from abnormal mental development.
▪ - Criminal behavior may be intentional to fulfill specific needs.
▪ - Defective mental processes can result from various causes like
a diseased mind or improper learning.
▪ - Psychological theories suggest diverse reasons underlie criminal
behavior, with effective crime control principles aimed at individuals.
▪ - A subset of individuals within the psychological criminal type are
sociopaths or psychopaths, now termed antisocial personality disorder,
exhibiting early deviant behavior and lacking empathy.
▪ - Cognitive behavioral psychological principles advocate for
rehabilitation, relearning, and educational programs for offenders,
focusing on alternative functional responses over punishment.
▪ - Rehabilitation programs, less common in prisons, have shown success
in reducing criminal behavior, especially for drug and alcohol offenders.
▪ - Efforts to identify individuals at risk for deviant behavior based on
personality and social variables aim to prevent criminal actions through
early intervention and treatment of psychological issues like learning
disabilities and depression.
▪ - Psychological crime control policies stress the importance of
diagnosing and addressing underlying psychological problems to reduce
the likelihood of criminal behavior.
▪ Psychodynamic Theory
▪ Here are the key points summarizing the psychodynamic theory and its
application to criminal behavior:

▪ - **Psychodynamic Theory**: This theory, developed by Sigmund

Freud, posits that early childhood experiences significantly influence an
individual's likelihood of committing crimes in the future.
▪ - **Key Components**: The theory consists of three fundamental
elements: the **Id**, **Ego**, and **Super Ego**.
▪ - **Id**: The primitive, instinctual part of the individual's mental
makeup, present from birth, driven by the **pleasure principle**,
seeking immediate gratification of needs, desires, and wishes.
▪ - **Ego**: Developed in early childhood, the Ego functions on the
**reality principle**, balancing the needs of the Id with the demands of
the environment and societal norms.
▪ - **Super Ego**: The moral component of the personality, shaped by
parental and societal influences, embodying the concept of right and
wrong, and influencing the individual's sense of guilt and conscience.
▪ - **Role in Criminal Behavior**: According to psychodynamic theory, a
dominant **Id** is responsible for criminal behavior. The Id's focus on
immediate gratification, disregard for others, and lack of concern for
societal norms and laws contribute to criminal actions.
▪ - **Childhood Factors**: Psychodynamic theorists suggest that
childhood experiences such as neglect, unhappiness, lack of love and
nurturing, and a weak Super Ego can contribute to the development of a
dominant Id and ultimately lead to criminal behavior.
▪ - **Weak Ego and Super Ego**: A weak Ego and Super Ego can also
contribute to criminal behavior by allowing the Id to dominate and
leading to immaturity and dependency on others.
▪ Cognitive Theory
▪ Behavioural Theory
▪ Personality Theory
Sociological Theories

▪ There are numerous hypotheses as to why people

commit crimes. Some may think that committing a
crime is rational, with the offender considering the
benefits and drawbacks of doing so before the
criminal activity. Others may hold the opinion that
criminals are inherently different from law-abiding
people in terms of biology or psychology.
▪ However, the one thing these two theories have in
common is that they both emphasize the role of the
criminal. In other words, they view crime as an
individual issue rather than one that affects the
entire community.
▪ Sociological theories of crime try to interpret
crime through societal conditions and explain
deviant or criminal behaviour through
the circumstances in which they occur.
Sociologists suggest that societal conditions
trigger individuals to commit crime, thus
proposing that criminal behaviour is not
natural. It is not innate to humans but rather
circumstantial.
▪ Functionalist theories on crime
Functionalists believe that society needs a certain
level of crime, as this is inevitable, and it also
performs significant positive functions.
Therefore, all crime should not/cannot be
prevented.
Two influential functionalist sociologists
are Émile Durkheim (1964) and Robert
Merton (1949).
▪ Durkheim’s perspective on crime

Durkheim stresses that not all members of

society can commit to shared norms, values
and beliefs and that exposure to different
experiences or circumstances is what makes
them different to one another. As a result,
some end up breaking the law.
1. Regulation: when a person is apprehended for a
crime, everyone else in society becomes aware
of which actions are socially acceptable and
unacceptable. Mass media, e.g. newspapers, the
courts and other institutions in contemporary
society broadcast the boundaries of admissible
behaviour.
2. Integration: when the whole community unites
against a crime, protests and expresses their
outrage together, a sense of belonging to a
particular community is strengthened.
3. Change: the law clearly states what is or isn’t
permissible in society, but it isn't fixed.
People notice when the laws don’t line up
with the shared values and beliefs of the
majority. Offenders constantly test the
boundaries of permitted action, and if their
"crimes" reflect the wishes or changing
attitudes of the population, this can lead to
legal reform. Eventually, this can spur social
change.
▪ Émile Durkheim proposed that crime is a
consequence of anomie, a feeling of a lack of social
norms and disconnection from society. Criminality
results from the failure to properly socialize
individuals and unequal opportunities among groups

▪ Sociologists believe that harsher penalties for serious

crimes like rape and murder are more effective
measures for controlling crime, as crime is a social
phenomenon that will not disappear no matter how
many interventions are enacted
▪ In the United States, sociologists note that only 1 in
100 felonies committed results in a prison sentence,
as many cases go unreported or do not go to trial. A
well-functioning justice system requires an effective
law enforcement and judicial system to bring justice
against serious offenders

▪ The purposes of imprisonment include punishment,

rehabilitation, deterrence, and selective confinement,
with the specific purpose depending on the individual
case, gravity of the crime, and damage caused
Merton’s Strain Theory of
Crime
▪ Strain theory suggests that crime occurs
when there are insufficient legitimate
means or opportunities available to achieve
the goals set by society e.g. financial success.
This can happen to people from low-income
backgrounds, those who were not well-
educated, those who lacked social networks
and career opportunities, and so on.
▪ People become frustrated that they cannot
succeed in life conventionally, such as by
obtaining a good job or working hard.
Consequently, a ‘strain’ or tension develops
between the goals and the means of achieving
them, producing ‘anomie’ - a social condition
characterised by the dismantling or destruction
of the moral principles, guidelines, or standards
that people generally aspire to. Without these
moral standards, people turn to crime to achieve
their goals.
Social Control Theory of crime

▪ Social control theory sees crime as an outcome of social

institutions, such as family or the local community, losing
control over individuals. This would also include a
breakdown of trust in the government and the police.
▪ Hirschi (1969) suggests that criminal activity occurs when
the strength of attachment between the individual and
society - social bonds - weaken. There are essentially four
types of social bonds:
1. Attachment
2. Commitment
3. Involvement
4. Belief
▪ According to social control theory, the
‘typical delinquent’ can usually be assumed
to be a young, single and unemployed
individual instead of a married and employed
individual. This is because the theory
suggests that those who have well-
established bonds of attachment and are
employed and involved members of social
institutions are unlikely to go astray.
Sub cultural Theory of
crime
▪ Status frustration, a concept created by A.
Cohen (1955), describes the feelings of
individuals who desire social status but who lack
the opportunities or means to succeed, which
causes a feeling of inadequacy and personal
failure.
▪ This perspective explains crime and deviance as
an aspect of certain subcultures and mainly
focuses on crimes specific to the working class. It
argues that deviance is the outcome of
individuals who experience status frustration.
▪ As a result, these people, who feel excluded from
mainstream culture, end up joining subcultures,
which have their own rules and ways of attaining
high status (often related to deviant acts). They
are subsequently rewarded for being deviant and
are given the recognition they never received
from wider society.
▪ Sub cultural theorists, in contrast to social
control theorists, highlight the peer group that
encourages individuals to commit crimes. The
theory also explains non-utilitarian crimes such
as vandalism as a response to marginalisation.
▪ Marxists generally agree on the fact that
most crime can be prevented by dismantling
capitalist structures but disagree on the
origins of crime. Let's look at the
perspectives of traditional Marxists and neo-
Marxists.
▪ Traditional Marxism on crime-
Marxists believe that capitalism is ‘criminogenic’,
i.e. that it creates crime, and that although all
social classes break the law, the criminal activities
of the elite are what cause the most harm.
▪ They emphasise the class structure in
explaining crime – the ruling class are the
lawmakers and benefit from the laws, as they
are less likely to get caught or punished for
the crimes they commit. Conversely, the
working classes commit crimes due to the
‘dog-eat-dog’ values of the capitalist
structure, such as greed, selfishness and
materialism. They are punished and
portrayed as criminals.
▪ Traditional Marxists also argue that law
enforcement works in favour of the ruling class
in society by performing ideological functions. It
reflects bourgeois ideology, such as protecting
wealth and property over workers' rights.
Snider (1993) argues that agencies of
the criminal justice system, such as the police
and court systems, control the masses by
keeping them in a state of false consciousness -
establishing ineffectual labour laws to obscure
the reality of exploitation and preventing revolt.
Neo-Marxist Theories
▪ Unlike classical Marxists, Neo-Marxists believe that crime
is an after-effect of capitalism, not caused by capitalism.
Theorists such as Taylor, Walton and
Young (1973) believe that not all working-class criminals
are forced to break the law; rather, some of them actively
choose to do so.
▪ However, they argue that moral panics over comparatively
minor crimes committed by the working class make the
audiences side with the ruling class against the
marginalised. This helps in maintaining the capitalist social
order. Neo-Marxists also argue that crime can sometimes
be positive, particularly if committed by the working class
or marginalised groups as a way to rebel against their
conditions.