Introduction
Crime is a very complicated phenomenon that cannot be adequately explained by a single theory or theoretical framework. It is an unlawful act that is punishable by law. Theft, robbery, sexual assault, and manslaughter are examples of crimes done against humanity. When describing the reasons for each of these crimes, different theories are offered to determine what leads offenders to commit these acts. This essay intends to discuss the sociological, biological, and psychological theories of crime causation concerning human behavior and action.
Biological Theories of Crime
Biological theories of crime hold that people commit crimes due to genetic predispositions or neurological defects that favor criminal conduct. As per Barlow and Kauzlarich, (2010), another assumption of these theories is that an individual’s physical qualities and traits lead to criminal behavior. The main theoretical framework that underpins these beliefs is predicated on the concept that specific genetic material is handed down from parent to kid, increasing the child’s likelihood of committing crimes.
Such frameworks were regarded as the traditional theories of crime, which primarily relied on genetics and the biological composition of a person. Classical theorists, however, were unable to provide a link that would indicate if inherited features contributed to crime by focusing on the physical composition of human beings (Marsh, 2006). Modern criminal researchers such as Mednick, on the other hand, have adopted a novel approach to establishing how a person’s biological makeup leads to criminal conduct. In this case, genetic vulnerabilities, neurotransmitters, physiological variances, personality and temperament variations, the central nervous system, and biological anomalies are used to explain criminal-causing conduct in humans.
Modern biological theories such as Genetic-Focused theories that are currently utilized to explain criminal behavior include an examination of social issues as well as an emphasis on the biological aspects that contribute to crime in humans. For example, the use of neuropsychological abnormalities in evaluating whether people have criminal conduct examines the number of electroencephalograms (EEG) in people who may be either sociable or anti-social (Marsh, 2006). Low levels of EEG abnormalities suggest that a person has neurological deficiencies, which can lead to poor impulse control and impaired judgment, increasing the probability of criminal activity. The types of biological theories used to explain crime in human beings include biosocial arousal theories, autonomic nervous system theories, atavism, and concordance theories.
Psychological Theories of Crime
Psychological theories of crime, on the other hand, are founded on the premise that criminal conduct is caused by mental defects and conflicts that may lead to an individual engaging in criminal activity. Psychoanalytic theories, personality theories, and cognitive development theories are among the different types of psychological theories used to explain criminal conduct in humans (Walklate, 2007). These theories concentrate on the causes of crime at the individual level rather than connecting crime to factors such as mental abnormalities, mental disease, and low intelligence quotient levels.
These theories suggest that personality or biological differences in character drive certain people to conduct criminal activities. Another assumption utilized by psychological theories to explain criminal-causing conduct is that persons who have been improperly socialized into society may be in danger of doing criminal activities in the course of their lives (Marsh, 2006). According to Barlow and Kauzlarich (2010), inadequate socialization makes it difficult for such people to form positive relationships with other members of society, and such bad interactions may encourage deviant conduct in these people. Individual socialization, according to psychological theories, is a contributing factor to aberrant conduct in society. For example, a person’s personality indicates their propensity for offending behaviors.
Sociological Theories of Crime
Sociological theories of crime attempt to explain observable criminal conduct by examining the social context in which it occurs. Strain, social learning, and control theories are the three most significant sociological theories. According to the strain theory, people get involved in crime, because they are under stress, they become agitated and feel negativity around them, and they occasionally get involved with some crime as a result (Marsh, 2006). As stated by Walklate (2007), those disenfranchised by racism are more likely to experience strain since they have the same goals as their fellow Americans but find their possibilities limited in a culture riddled with systematic disparities. These individuals, may, therefore, be more likely to turn to unsanctioned methods to achieve economic success, through the plenty of the so-called white caller crime routinely taking place in the United States. This form of crime refers to the misdeeds of the economically privileged such as corporate executives committing fraud.
The social learning theory posits that people commit crimes because they learn to do so from their peers and others. They discover that they are attracted to crime and are exposed to criminal models. According to this hypothesis, juveniles learn to engage in criminal activity in the same manner that adults do. Primary groups such as family, friends, and peer groups have a significant influence on what children learn (Walklate, 2007). For example, as per Barlow and Kauzlarich (2010), a child brought up in an environment in which theft of private property and other serious crimes are encouraged perceives aggression and deviance as the norm and imitates adults who lead such lifestyles. The majority of social learning theory focuses on the three methods via which every individual learns to engage in criminal behavior: differential reinforcement, modeling, and beliefs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, sociological, biological, and psychological theories of crime causation explain human behavior from different viewpoints. The biological theory explains human behavior based on heredity, that is, genetic materials are passed from parents to children. Sociological theory, on the other hand, is based societal conditions to explain crime and human behavior while psychological theory focuses on mental deficiencies and conditions.
References
Barlow, H. D., & Kauzlarich, D. (2010). Explaining Crime: A Primer in Criminological Theory. Rowman & Littlefield.
Marsh, I. (2006). Theories of Crime. Routledge.
Walklate, S. (2007). Understanding Criminology (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill Education (UK).