CRIM 2: Theories of Crime Causation Theories of Crime

TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS: Refers to efforts to explain or understand the

crime causation.
2.1. Explain the trait theories of crime such as:
The Evolution of School of Thought in
2.1.1 criminal anthropology
Criminology
2.1.2 somatotyping
• Scool of thought is a term that refers to
2.1.3 IQ and crime a group of beliefs or ideas that support
specific theory.
2.1.4 family studies
• Theory is a set of statements devised to
2.1.5 neurotransmitters and explain behaviour, events or
hormones phenomenon, especially one that has
2.2. Relate the following theories of crime been repeatedly tasted and widely
causations to law enforcement activities, accepted. Is a statement that explain
the relationship between abstract
2.2.1 Rational Choice concepts in a meaningful way.
2.2.2 Broken Windows • Ex. If scientists observe that criminality
2.2.3 Crime Prevention Through rates are usually high in neighborhoods
Environmental Design (CPTED) with high unemployment rates, they
might theorize that environmental
2.2.4 Routine Activities Theory conditions influence criminal behavior
2.2.5 Crime Pattern Theory The following is the list of School of Thought in
Criminology:
2.3. Determine the various risk factors
associated with crime, including but not limited 1. Pre-Classical School of Criminology
to poverty, unemployment, peer pressure,
religious influences, • During the period of the seventeenth
century Europe was characterized by a
2.4. social responsibility, drug involvement, and dominance of religion in state activities.
family dynamics Illustrate the importance of • At this stage, scientific knowledge was
discerning crime patterns within the yet unknown. The concept of crime was
frameworks of Social learning theories, social vague and obscure. Society was at the
disorganization, strain theories, and labeling time largely unable to explain criminal
theory in the context of law enforcement and behavior.
crime prevention.
• An explanation of criminal conduct was
therefore sought through spirits,
demons, and other unknown powers.

2. Naturalistic School of Criminology

• The proponents of this school argued

that crime must be explained through
the use of ideas and interpretations of
 objects and events and their • physician who founded the Positivist
interrelation with the existing world. School of Criminology in the nineteenth
century.
• Thus, there is no place for other worldly
powers or spirits. No matter how • Lombroso came up with the “Criminal
unsatisfactory, the explanation must Man,” which outlined what he studied
rest on what is known or assumed to be and deemed to be the traits of a
true of the physical and material world. criminal.
This approach is ancient as well as
• This school presumes that man’s
modern.
behavior is determined by factors
3. Classical School of Criminology outside his control. These factors are
either biological or cultural.
• Enlightenment is a place where the
Classical School set it roots and alleged • The real cause of crime lay in the
that humans are rational beings and anthropological features of the criminal.
that crime is the result of free will in a Some proponents of this theory tried to
risk versus reward position. demonstrate the organic functioning of
the brain and established a co-
• Cesare Beccaria the pioneer of modern
relationship between criminality and
criminology expounded his naturalistic
the structure and functioning of brain.
theory of criminality by rejecting the
theory propounded by the pre-classical • The main proponents of this theory are
school. three Italian criminologists:

4. Neo-Classical School of Criminology 1. Cesare Lombroso

• The “free-will” theory of the classical 2. Raffaele Garofolo

school did not survive for long. The
3. Enrico Ferri
neo-classists asserted that certain
categories of offenders such as minors, 6. The Ecological School of
idiots, insane or incompetent persons Criminology/Chicago School of Criminology
had to be treated leniently irrespective
of the similarity of their criminal acts • The ecological school examines factors
with those of other offenders including the environment and other
social factors that may lead to criminal
5. Positivist School of Criminology / The behavior.
Anthropological School / The Italian School of
Criminology • The Chicago school (sometimes known
as the ecological school) refers to
• In the late 1800s, the Classical School of an iconoclastic group of sociologists
Criminology came under attack, thus from the University of Chicago whose
leaving room for a new wave of thought work would influence the development
to come about. (Cullen & Agnew, 2003). of a new science to the discipline
of sociology in the early 20th century.
• Cesare Lombroso was born in 1835 and
died seventy-four years later in 1909.
(Seiter, 2011) Lombroso was an Italian
7. The Cartographic School of Criminology crime opportunity require that elements
converge in time and place including:
• Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quételet (a
Belgium mathematician) and Andre- Motivated Offender
Michel Guerre (a French statistician) in
Suitable Target or victim
Europe during the 1830s and 1840s
were the first to do detailed statistical Lack of capable guardian
studies of crime. Quételet found strong
correlations between rates of crime and -Routine activity theory was expanded by John
such factors as illiteracy, poverty, and Eck, Who added the 4 th element Place Manager
similar variables. such as rental property managers who can take
nuisance abatement.

THE CLASSICAL THEORIES OF CRIME

CAUSATION 3. Lifestyle Theory

1. Rational Choice Theory - People may become crime victims because

their lifestyle increases their exposure to
-It views man as a reasoning actor who weights criminal offenders. (Siegel et. al., 2007)
means and ends, cost and benefits, and makes a
rational choice. - Individual's lifestyle choices and social
interactions can influence their likelihood of
- Implies that criminals are rational in their becoming a victim of crime. It posits that certain
decision-making, and despite the consequences, lifestyles expose people to greater risks, based
that the benefits of committing a crime on factors like daily routines, social networks,
outweigh the punishment. and environments they frequent.
- Offender choose crime after both personal and
situational factors.
4.General Deterrence, Specific Deterrence and
- Before deciding to commit a crime the Incapacitation Theory
reasoning criminal evaluates the risk of:
1. General Deterrence – people will
1. Apprehension commit crime if they perceive that the
benefits outweigh the risk. Crime is a
2. Seriousness of expected punishment
function of the severity, certainty, and
3. Potential value of the criminal enterprise speed of punishment.

4. His/her ability to succeed 2. Specific Deterrence – if punishment is

severe enough, criminal will not repeat
5. The need of criminal gain
their illegal act.

3. Incapacitation – keeping known

2. Routine Activity Theory criminals out of circulation will reduce
crime rate.
- Develop by marcus felson and Lawrence
cohen, explained crimes in terms of crime
opportunities that occurs in everyday lives. A
5. Victim Precipitation Theory Gabriel Tarde

- Viewed that some people may actually initiate -introduced the theory of imitation which
the confrontation that eventually leads to their proposes the process by which people become
injury or death. criminals.

o Active Precipitation – occurs when -according to this theory, individuals imitate the
victim acts provocatively, use threats or behavior of other individuals based on the
fighting words, or first attacks the degree of their association with other
offender. individuals and it is inferior or weak who tend to
imitate the superior and strong.
o Passive Precipitation – occurs when the
victim exhibits some personal A. Social Structure Theories
characteristics that unknowingly either
-refers not only to the physical features of the
threatens or encourages the attacker.
communities but also to the way society is
organized.

THE SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF CRIME -include such things as level of poverty and
CAUSATION unemployment and the amount of crowded
housing which are believed to affect behavior
-sociological factors refer to things, places and and attitudes of individuals which in turn
people with whom we come in contact with and contribute to their commission of crimes.
which play a part in determining our actions and
conduct. These causes may bring about the -also called social environment
development of criminal behavior.
- includes social disorganization theory, strain
theory and cultural deviance theory.

Emile Durkheim

-he stated that crime is a normal part of the 1. Social Disorganization Theory
society just like birth and death.
- popularized by Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay.
- proposed the concept of “anomie”
- according to this theory, crimes in urban areas
- From the Greek word “nomos” which means are more prevalent because residents have
without norms. impersonal relationships with each other.

- It is characterized by disorder due to lack of - increase in the number of broken families and
common values shared by individuals, lack of single parenthood are also very common in
respect for authority and lack of appreciation disorganized communities.
for what is acceptable and not acceptable in a
- another feature of disorganized community is
society.
poverty as evidenced by poor living conditions
such as rundown houses, unsanitary and
unsightly streets and high unemployment rates.
2. Strain Theory

- strain refers the individual’s frustration, anger

and resentment.

- holds that crime is a function of the conflict

between the goals people have and the means
they can use to legally obtain them. This also
argues that the ability to obtain these goals is
class dependent; members of the lower class
are unable to achieve these goals which come
easily to those belonging to the upper class.
Consequently, they feel anger, frustration and
resentment, referred to as STRAIN.

3. General Strain Theory

Criminality is the direct result of negative 2. Disjunction of expectations and

affective states (anger, frustration, depression, achievements
disappointment and other adverse that derive
from strain). 3. Removal of positively valued stimuli

Strain is caused by: 4. Presentation of negative stimuli

1. Failure to achieve positively valued

goals.
4. Culture Deviance Theory 1. Social Learning Theory

- gives emphasis on the concept of culture and -These theories assume that people are born
sub-culture. with no tendency to commit crimes but that
they learn to be aggressive through their life
- according to this theory, because people in the
experiences.
lower class feel isolated due to extreme
deprivation or poverty, they tend to create a According to Albert Bandura, Social Learning
sub-culture with its own set of rules and values. Theory suggest that people learn from one
This is characterized by deviant behavior which another, via observation, imitation, and
results in criminal behavior among its members. modeling.

Types of Social Learning Theory

5. Differential Opportunity Theory a. Differential Association Theory

- Combination of strain and disorganization - formulated by Edwin Sutherland

principles into a portrayal of a gang-sustaining
- this theory states that criminal behavior is
criminal subculture.
learned through socialization.
- People in all strata (social status) of society
- criminal behavior is learned in interaction with
same the same success goals but those in the
other persons in a process of communication.
lower-class have limited means of achieving
them. b. Differential Reinforcement Theory

- according to this theory, individual’s behavior

depends on how people around him react
6. Delinquent Subculture Theory
towards his behavior.
- Delinquent behavior of lower class youth is
- an act that is rewarded is repeated; an act that
actually a protest against the norms and values
is punished will be avoided.
of middle-class U.S. culture. Because the social
conditions make them incapable of achieving c. Neutralization Theory
success legitimately.
- introduced by David Matza and Gresham
Sykes.
B. Social Process Theory - sometimes referred to as “drift theory”
- refers to a group of theories which point to the - according to this theory, people know when
individual’s socialization process as the cause they are doing something wrong, however, they
for the commission of crimes. These theories rationalize and justify their actions. This
cite interaction with people and experiences rationalizing is what we called “neutralization”.
and exposure to different element in the
environment as primary factors to criminality.

- under this theory is the social learning theory C. Social Reaction Theory
which in turn has three (3) sub-theories: - more commonly called labeling theory.
differential association theory, differential
reinforcement theory and neutralization theory.
- it states that people become criminals when - according to this theory, there are four (4)
significant members of society label them as elements of social bonds: attachment,
such and they accept those labels as a personal commitment, involvement and belief.
identity.
a. Attachment- describes the strength of the
bonds and relationships that exist with an
individual’s social environment
D. Social Control Theory
b. Commitment - describes the level of
- maintain that everyone has the potential to
dedication invested in conventional standards
become criminal but most people are controlled
and goals.
by their bonds to society.
c. Involvement -means that someone who is
- social control refers to the agencies of social
intensively involved in conventional activities
control such as family, school, religion or church,
has less time and opportunity to engage in
government and laws and other identified
deviant behavior
authorities in society.
d. Belief- This refers to the belief in and validity
- there are two (2) sub-theories: containment
of the values and norms of the mainstream
theory and social bond theory.
society.

1. Containment Theory

-proposed by Walter Reckless

THE BIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF CRIME
- he stated that inner and outer containments CAUSATION
help prevent juvenile offending.
-This refers to the set of theories that point to
- containment means the forces within and physical, physiological and other natural factors
outside the individual that has the power to as the causes for the commission of crimes of
influence his actions. certain individuals.

a. inner containments include positive self- -This explanation for the existence of criminal
concept, tolerance for frustration and an ability traits associates an individual’s evil disposition
to set realistic goals. to physical disfigurement or impairment.

b. outer containments include family. 1. Biosocial Theory

- This theory viewed that both thought and

behavior have biological and social bases.
2. Social Bond Theory
- It believes that it is the interaction between
- propagated by Travis Hirschi predisposition and environment that produces
- this theory views crime as a result of criminality.
individuals with weakened bonds to social Three Distinct Areas of Biosocial Theory
institutions.
1.Biochemical Factors
- Relationship between anti-social behavior and their biological parents despite the social and
biochemical makeup/body chemistry can govern environmental conditions found in their
behavior and personality. adoptive homes.

1.1. Hormonal Levels 2. Evolutionary Theory

- Antisocial behavior allegedly peaks in the -Explains the existence of aggression and violent
teenage years because hormonal activity is as behavior as positive adoptive behaviors in
its highest level during this period human evolution. These traits allowed their
bearers to reproduce disproportionately, which
- Research also suggest that increased levels of
has had an effect on human gene pool.
the male androgen testosterone are responsible
for excessive levels of violence among teenage -Example: A child witnessed that his father
boys. beats his mother, then the child will do the
same as he grows.
2. Neurological Dysfunction

Focused on the neurological, or brain and

nervous system, structure of offenders. 4.Arousal Theory

Imbalance in the nervous system’s chemical and -Environmental factors influence the brain’s
hormonal activity has been linked to anti-social level of arousal. It explains that aggression is a
behavior and drug abuse. (Siegel et.al., 2007). function of the level of individual’s needs for
stimulation.
2.1. Minimal Brain Dysfunction
-Thrill is a motivator of crime.
Damage to the brain itself that causes anti-
social behavior injurious to the individual’s - Example: when arousal level is extremely low
lifestyle and social adjustment. and feels bored, person engages in activities
that will increase his arousal level.
3. Genetic Influences

Individuals who share genes are alike in

personality regardless of how they are reared, 5.Physiognomy
whereas rearing environment induces little or
- the study of facial features / characteristics
no personality resemblance.
and their relation to human behavior.
Cesare Lombroso believed that antisocial
GIAMBIATISTA DELA PORTA - Founder of human
behavior have genetic basis.
physiognomy. According to him criminal
3.1. Parental-Child Similarities- Criminal fathers behavior may be predicted based on facial
produce delinquents sons who grow up to have features of the person.
delinquent children themselves.
JOHANN KASPAR LAVATER - A Swiss theologian,
3.2. Siblings and Twin Similarities - The regarded the lack of beard in man, the swirly
behavior of twins and non-twin siblings found eye or angry eye and weak chin serve as clues to
out that the twins who share more genetic unfavorable personality or characteristic traits
material are also more similar in their behavior. of an individual.

3.3. Adoption Studies - Adoptees share many of -supported the belief of dela Porta
the behavioral and intellectual characteristics of
- he believed that a person’s character is
revealed through his facial characteristics.

6. Phrenology/Craniology or Cranioscopy

- the study of the external formation of the skull

in relation to the person’s personality and
tendencies toward criminal behavior.

FRANZ JOSEPH GALL - he developed

“cranioscopy” which was later renamed as
phrenology.

JOHANN KASPAR SPURZHEIM - An assistant of

Gall in the study of phrenology; He was the man
most responsible for popularizing and spreading
phrenology to a wide audience

7. Physiology or Somatology

-refers to the study of body build of a person in

relation to his temperament and personality EARNEST HOOTON
and the type of offense he is most prone to
commit. -“Tall thin men tend to commit forgery and
fraud,
ERNST KRETSCHMER
-Undersized men are thieves and burglars,
- he distinguished three (3) principal
types of physiques: asthenic, athletic, -Short heavy person commit assault, rape and
pyknik and dysplastic. other sex crimes;

ASTHENIC – characterized as thin, small and - Whereas mediocre (average) physique

weak. flounder around among other crimes.” He also
contended that criminals are originally inferior;
ATHLETIC – muscular and strong. and that crime is the result of the impact of
PYKNIC – stout, round and fat. environment.

DYSPLASTIC – combination of two body types 8. Atavism

Cesare Lombroso

WILLIAM HERBERT SHELDON -He claimed that criminals are distinguishable

from non-criminals due to the presence of
 formulated his own group of atavistic stigmata and crimes committed by
somatotype: ectomorph, those who are born with certain recognizable
mesomorph and endomorph heredity traits.
-According to his theory (Atavism), criminals are that low intelligence, as demonstrated by low
usually in possession of huge jaws and strong I.Q., is linked to criminal behavior.
canine teeth, the arm span of criminals is often
greater than their height, just like that of apes

Richard Louis Dugdale

-conducted a study of the Jukes family by

researching their family tree as far back 200
years. He discovered that most of the
ascendants of the Jukes were criminals.

- He discovered that from among the

descendants of Margaret Ada Jukes, there were
280 paupers, 60 thieves, 7 murderers, 40 other
criminals, 40 persons with venereal diseases
and 50 prostitutes

HENRY HERBERT GODDARD

-He traced the descendants of the Martin

who use their forearms to push themselves Kallikak from each of his two wives and found a
along the ground. distinct difference in terms of quality of lives of
descendants.
Lombroso’s Three (3) classes of criminals
- MARTIN KALLIKAK’s relationship with a
a.born criminals – individuals with at least five feebleminded lady, there were 143 feeble-
(5) atavistic stigmata minded and only 46 normal, 36 were
b. insane criminals – those who became illegitimate, 3 epileptics, 3 criminals, 8 kept
criminals because of some brain defect which brothels and 82 died of infancy.
affected their ability to understand and - His marriage with a woman from a good
differentiate what is right from what is wrong. family produced almost all normal descendants,
c. criminaloids - those with makeup of an only 2 were alcoholics, 1 was convicted of
ambiguous group that includes habitual religious offense, 15 died at infancy and no one
criminals, criminals by passion and other diverse became criminal or epileptic.
types He coined the term “moron”.
* Heredity- the transmission of traits from Mental retardation- individual has low
parents to offspring. intelligence quotient, usually below 70 on a
9. Nature Theory traditional intelligence test.

- it argues that intelligence is largely determines 1. Mild retardation-able to take care of

genetically, that ancestry determines I.Q., and themselves, finish basic education, and hold
semi-skilled jobs.(IQ 50-70)
2. Moderate Retardation- need to train to care heritable characteristics. Developed largely as a
for themselves, hold menial jobs, and have method of improving the human race.
difficulty in social relations.( IQ 35-49)

3. Severe Retardation -learn sedimentary

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES OF CRIME
language and unable to take care of themselves.
CAUSATION
(IQ 20-34)
 Refers to the theories that attribute
4. Profound Retardation- institutions provide
criminal behavior of individuals to
special care and not capable of interaction (IQ
psychological factors, such as emotion
BELOW 20)
and mental problems. Sometimes called
as psychogenic approaches.

MENTAL DEFICIENCY- condition of incomplete CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY

condition of the mind exists before the age 18
 The science of behavior and mental
years
processes of the criminal. It is focused
1. Idiots. —mental development never exceeds on the individual criminal behavior, how
that or a normal child of about two years. it is acquired, evoked, maintained, and
modified. Both the environmental and
2. Imbeciles. —higher than that of an idiot, but
personality influences are considered,
whose intelligence does not exceed that of a
along with the mental processes that
normal child of about seven years.
mediate the behavior.
3. Morons. —mental development is above that
1. Criminal Psycho-dynamics
of an imbecile, but does not exceed that of a
normal child of about twelve years. -The study of mental processes of criminals in
action, the study of the genes, development
4. Feebleminded- mental development not
and motivation of human behavior that conflicts
amounting to imbecility yet require care and
with accepted norms and standards of society;
supervision.
- This study concentrates on the study of
individuals as opposed to general studies of
CHARLES GORING mass populations with respect to their general
criminal behavior.
-he believed that criminal traits can be passed
from parents to offspring through the genes. Sigmund Freud

-he proposed that individuals who possess  Father of Psychoanalysis

criminal characteristics should be prohibited
- known for his psychoanalytic theory
from having children.
-according to him, criminality is caused by the
imbalance of the three (3) components of
FRANCIS GALTON personality: the id, the ego, and the superego.

-he developed “EUGENICS” or the science of -according to him there are three parts of
improving a human population by controlled personality:
breeding to increase the occurrence of desirable
ID – this stands for instinctual drives; it is
governed by the “pleasure principle”; the id
impulses are not social and must be repressed
or adapted so that they may become socially
acceptable
2. Moral Development Theory
EGO –this is considered to be the sensible and
responsible part of an individual’s personality -People travel through stages of moral
and is governed by the “reality principle”; it is development and that is possible that serious
developed early in life and compensates for the offenders have a moral orientation that differs
demands of the id by helping the individual from those law-abiding citizens.
guide his actions to remain within the -Criminals were found to be lower in their moral
boundaries of accepted social behavior; it is the judgment development than non-criminals of
objective, rational part of the personality the same social background.
SUPEREGO – serves as the moral conscience of
an individual; it is structured by what values
were taught by the parents, the school and the 3.Intergenerational Transmission Theory
community, as well as belief in God; it is largely -Refers to the socialization and social learning
responsible for making a person follow the that helps to explain the ways in which children
moral codes of society growing up in a violent family learn violent roles
and, subsequently, may play out the roles of
victim or victimizer in their own adult families.

- Criminal and antisocial parents tend to have

delinquent and anti-social children.

4. Eysenck's Conditioning Theory

- It claims that all human personality may be

seen in three dimensions such as psychoticism,
extroversion, and neuroticism.

- It also claims that criminals become

conditioned slowly and appear to care little
whether their asocial actions bring disapproval.

DEVELOPMENTAL THEORIES OF CRIME

a. OEDIPUS COMPLEX - a stage of development CAUSATION
when male begin to have sexual feelings for
their mother.

b. ELECTRA COMPLEX - a stage of development 1.Life Course Theory

when girls begin to have sexual feelings for their
fathers.
- views criminality as a dynamic process, - hold that human development is controlled by
influenced by a multitude of individual a stable propensity or “master trait,” present at
characteristics, traits, and social experiences. birth or soon after.

- As people travel through the life course, they Latent trait theories hold that some underlying
are constantly bombarded by changing condition present at birth or soon after controls
perceptions and experiences, and as a result - behavior. Suspect traits include low IQ,
their behavior will change directions, impulsivity, and personality structure. This
sometimes for the better and sometimes for the underlying trait explains the continuity of
worse. offending because, once present, it remains
with a person throughout his or her life.
2. Life Course Theory
-Latent trait theory claims that people do not
- Age of Onset/ Continuity of Crime
change, criminal opportunities change;
- Most life course theories assume that the maturities brings fewer opportunities, early
seeds of a criminal career are planted early in social control like proper parenting can reduce
life and that early onset of deviance strongly criminal propensity.
predicts later and more serious criminality.
4. Age-Graded Theory

- Robert J Sampson and John H Laub in their

3.Life Course Theory work (1993), “Crime in the Making” identify the
turning points in a criminal career.
- Continuity and Desistance Research shows
that poor parental discipline and monitoring - They found out that the stability of delinquent
seem to be a key to the early onset of behavior can be affected by the events that
criminality and that these influences may follow occur in later life, even after a chronic
kids into their adulthood. delinquent career has been undertaken.

- The psychic scars of childhood are hard to - Ex. A person who is a professional robber and
erase started doing illegal job at the age of 15 by the
age of 75 may stop from committing robbery
The Five (5) Life Domains because of the fact that he could not jump over
1. Self. Irritability and/or low self-control. the fence and or could not run anymore. This is
what we called aging-out process
2. Family. Poor parenting and no marriage
or a bad marriage. - Aging-out process – it is also known as
desistance or spontaneous remission. The
3. School. Negative school experiences tendency for youths to reduce the frequency of
and limited education. their offending behavior as they aged.
4. Peers. Delinquent friends. 5. Social Development Model
5. Work. Unemployment or having a bad - It focus on different factors affecting child’s
job. social development over the life course.

- Holds that commitment and attachment to

3.Latent Trait Theories conventional institutions, activities and beliefs
insulate youths from delinquency-producing - Terrie Moffitt’s developmental taxonomy
influence in their environment. posited that there were two discreet types of
delinquents:
- Therefore, using this model, the role of parents
is very important since they are the first 1. Adolescence-limited offenders- as their
teachers. name implies, this offender engage in
delinquency for a brief period during
6. Differential Coercion Theory
their teen years
- Perception of coercion can begin in early life
2. Life-course persistent offenders - have
when children experience punitive form of
receive much more empirical attention
discipline including both physical attacks
because they are the most threatening
including negative commands.
to society.
- Interpersonal Coercion – is direct, involving the
use or threat of force and intimidation from
parents, peers, and law enforcement officer. OTHERS THEORIES RELATED

- Impersonal Coercion – involves pressures 1. Crime Prevention Through Environmental

beyond individual control, such as economic, Design (CPTED) Rutgers
and social pressures caused by unemployment,
The theory is based on one simple idea—that
poverty.
crime results partly from the opportunities
presented in the physical environment. This
being the case, it should be possible to alter the
ECONOMIC THEORIES OF CRIME CAUSATION
physical environment so crime is likely to occur.
-Social Scientists argued that crime is closely
2. Routine Activity Theory: Suggests that crime
related to work, education and poverty and
occurs when three elements converge: a
youth unemployment, and crime are by-
motivated offender, a suitable target, and a lack
products or even measures of social exclusion.
of capable guardianship.
-Blue-collar criminals often have limited
3. Crime Pattern Theory
education and possess. The economic model of
crime is a standard model of decision making - is the way people commit crimes in certain
where individuals choose between criminal areas. Crime is not random, it is either planned
activity and legal activity on the basis of the or opportunistic. According to this theory, crime
expected utility from those acts. happens when the activity space of a victim or
target intersects with the activity space of an
offender.
1.Karl Marx’s Theory
- Focuses on how people's daily activities and
- Viewed crime as a product of law enforcement routines shape the geographical distribution of
polices and to a labeling process theory. crime.

- He saw connection between criminality and 4. Broken Windows Theory- (Wilson and
the inequities found in the capitalist system. Kelling) It suggests that visible signs of disorder
and neglect in a community—like broken
2. Moffitt’s Developmental Taxonomy
windows, graffiti, or litter—can lead to studies. Most youngsters destroy their careers
increased crime and anti-social behavior. when they engage in criminal activities very
early on in their lives.

3. Peer Pressure
WHAT ARE VARIOUS RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED
WITH CRIMES? This is a new form of concern in the modern
world. Many young people commit crimes
because they see a lot of their peers engaging in
1. Poverty such acts. It is common for high school students
and college going students to engage in drugs,
This is perhaps one of the board. You will be weed, marijuana and a lot more. Young age is
show why people commit crimes. Economic very critical since one isn't filled with wisdom
deprivation is seen as a major instigator in this and experience which is why a lot of people
regard. In a country where economic make the mistake of becoming criminals for no
deprivation is rampant, it is common for people reason at all. Most youths who don't have a
to engage in criminal acts. The hunger and poor strong will to neglect or confront minor criminal
economic conditions are what leads many acts often end up getting involved in big
people to invest themselves in criminal cases. troubles. Unfortunately many young people in
Furthermore, when people are unable to earn this world don't realize that they're doing
for the longest time, they often start getting multiple criminal acts by being a part of things
frustrated. The truth be told, by the latest they aren't supposed to be. Therefore peer
research, the digital medium and television play pressure is another notorious reason for why
a very important role in telling people about young people are compelled into joining the
how several criminal acts can be bought to life. bandwagon.
We live in a time where the rich are getting
richer, and the poor are getting poorer every
single day. 4.Religion

Religion is another controversial part of this

world. No one can escape from the fact,
2. Unemployment that people still light on racial divides and
This skyrocketing factor in many countries is sectarian issues in society this world. No
often the main reason why so many people one's own religion is a basic human, and
commit crimes. You will be shocked to know many uneducated and literate people are
more than 30% of people in this world are taught.
unemployed. It is quite frustrating after one fails 5.The Society
to get a job post studying for years in high
school and university. Unemployment is not just Societal norms and standards have always
an issue relevant to the developing countries been topical We live in a day and age where
but equally common in developed countries. money is valued more than relationships
Unfortunately people spend a lot of money on and a normal standard of life in the drive to
their education, but seldom come across a good succeed many people fail to create a
job immediately post the completion of their demarcation between their needs and
 wants in a society where even universities family needs. In most cases, when people are
are teaching children to earn money instead asked, they claim they need to provide for the
of realizing its value, one can never say family because of which they end up getting
crimes won't be committed. Some parents stuck behind bars. There are many things which
have a bizarre habit of comparing their go on within the family, compelling a person to
children with other kids which is why their get involved in criminal activities. Many young
kids often indulge in criminal activities to people engage in criminal activities for they
make a lot of money. When people flaunt believe it is their responsibility to take care of
their wealth in society it is common for less family, even if it means to commit a felony In
privileged people to feel compelled to earn many murder cases, young people are often
more. Therefore if you're flaunting your caught who then
wealth in front of the poor and needy or
anyone from a middle-class background,
you're contributing to the crime stats of the 7. Politics
society in some way.
This issue is often brushed under the carpet but
is important to bring it in the spotlight. The
drive to get that seat is what swings many
5. Drugs
politicians to equip the youths with weapons
Drugs have always been highly criticized by and perform criminal activities. In this day and
critics. A person who is addicted to drugs will at age it is common for politicians to hire mobs
one point in and rent people at lower prices to break into a
building or start a war-like situation within the
time do something he/she isn't supposed to do.
country. Politics have always been the subject of
Drug addicts are often unable to get rid of
severe media scrutiny, and the truth be told, it is
addiction as a result of their life starts getting
often the mother of all the problems lwhich
filled with bad habits. A poor lifestyle compels a
haven't stabilized. In developing countries it is
person to adopt habits which
common for politicians to kill people and to be
he/she should distance themselves from After found guilty of murder. There have been several
research, when the most violent criminals were cases in Asian countries where politicians were
asked about their crimes, they blamed drugs as found guilty of having killed their people in
the main reason. Drug addiction is another masses.
rampantly growing disease which has slowly
encapsulated many parts of the world. As many
as 0.7 million people die from drug addiction in
US alone
8. Deprivation

This is another major reason for crime rates

6. Family Conditions increasing every day, In countries where there is
economic deprivation of even the basic rights, it
Family is also a weak point of any person who is
is common toon for people to end transition
about to commit a crime. If you're not being
into doing notorious activities. Furthermore in
able to provide for the entire family as a poor
small communities it is common for people to
person, at one point in time you will think of
engage in fights over land, property activities
walking the negative path to get what your
etc. Therefore to get their voices heard, many
people commit crimes for the world to see what
they have done Especially during election
campaigns, it is common people to destroy
cars, houses and properties to tell the
government

10. Unfair Judicial System

People who are not served justice become

hostile and often engage in crimes. Though
most of the courts of law try to do their best in
the light of available evidence and all, but
sometimes the innocent are proven guilty in the
court which compels them to show the ugly side
of their personality to the world. As many a
thousands of people blame the judicial system
as unfair and commit crimes. Many often kill the
members of the winning party when justice is
not served to them. In many developing
countries, it is common for people in small
communities to kill each other based on simple
issues. If you're from US and want to meet a
suitable criminal lawyer on account of a relative
or friend you must search Los Angeles criminal
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