Low Self-control And Hate Crime
- Category Criminology
- Subcategory Crime
- Topic Hate Crime
- Words 1458
- Pages 3
Problem Statement
In order to be able to identify how to predict those who are at heightened risk of committing hate related crimes, one must first be able to determine the psychological and physiological aspects of low self-control within an individual.
Abstract
Upon analysis of published literature, it is evident that there are two main factors associated with the heightened risk of an individual committing a hate-related crime: psychological and physiological aspects of an individual’s low self-control (Tibbetts & Hemmens, 2018). Based on a report by Statistics Canada, hate crimes are on the rise, with 2,073 criminal incidents reported by police that were motivated by hate; an increase of 47% than reported the previous year (Statistics Canada, 2019). In order to understand the importance of being able to predict the heightened risk factors related to an individual committing a hate crime, it is important to first understand what a hate crime is. According to Perry (2015), “a hate crime involves acts of violence and intimidation, usually directed toward already stigmatized and marginalized groups. As such, it is a mechanism of power, intended to reaffirm the precarious hierarchies that characterize a given social order” (Perry, 2015, para. 4). The victim of a hate crime is not only the individual who is targeted, but rather the harm and/or message is directed towards the community that the particular victim is, or appears to be a member. (Perry, 2015). Furthermore, a hate crime may be considered as a “message crime”, as it sends a message to members of the victim’s group that they are unwelcome and unsafe in the community (Noelle, 2002). This paper aims to explain how an individual’s psychological aspect of low self-control, specifically a person’s emotional disposition, and their physiological aspect of low self-control, relating to their greater arousal toward danger and risk-taking versus the possibility of punishment, dramatically increases their risk of committing hate-related crimes(Tibbetts & Hemmens, 2018).
Literature Review
Hirschi & Gottfredson’s theory of low self-control, which is generally referred to as the general theory of crime, lead to a significant amount of debate and research which prompted further inquiry about the control an individual possesses when committing a particular action(Tibbetts & Hemmens, 2018). Hirshi & Gottfredson’s theory assumes that an individual is born with a predisposition towards selfish, self-centered activities, and that only effective support in terms of physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of a child, from infancy to adulthood, can successfully help to control these predispositions (Tibbetts & Hemmens, 2018). Furthermore, Hirshi & Gottfredson’s theory emphasizes the idea that an individual’s ability to control themself, while considering the formation of controls to the socialization process, will determine the actions that they committ (Tibbetts & Hemmens, 2018, p. 360). However, those with low self-control may actually implicate a series of personality traits and behaviour, including risk taking, impulsiveness, and the inability to delay gratification (Tibbetts & Hemmens, 2018, p. 360). These personality traits may put an individual at a higher risk to commit a hate-related crime versus an individual who does not possess these traits.
According to Tibbets & Hemmens (2018), a person’s low self-control is a direct consequence of a their emotional disposition (Tibbetts & Hemmens, 2018, p. 361). A study conducted by Van Gelder and De Vries (2013), regarding the emotional disposition of participants surounding intentions of participating in illegal downloading and innsurance fraud and their choice of action, revealed that an individual’s feelings of fear and worry evoked by a criminal prospect, and perceived risk of sanction were found to mediate the relations between both dispositions and criminal choice (van Gelder & de Vries, 2013). More specifically, this study determined that when feelings such as shame or worry are less than feelings of instant gratification or pleasure, an individual is at higher risk of committing the crime at hand. To further this point, a study conducted by Piquero & Tibbets (1993), found that the effects of low self-control on intentions to commit drunk driving and shoplifting were tied to an individual’s perception of pleasure and pain (Piquero & Tibbets, 1993). The results of this study showed that individuals who had low self-control, had significantly lower levels of anticipated shame but significantly higher levels of perceived levels pleasure in committing both drunk driving and shoplifting (Tibbetts & Hemmens, 2018, p. 361). These studies prove that a person’s low self-control may be due to their emotional disposition of an action, therefore, putting them at a higher risk of criminal activity, all while confirming that individuals with low self-control will be oriented towards gratification and taking advantage of accessible resources, while avoiding negative emotional reactions such as shame or fear of sanction (Tibbetts & Hemmens, 2018, p. 360, 361).
According to a study conducted by McDevitt, Levin & Bennett (2002), the analysis of the hate crime case files indicates that the most common type of hate crime was an attack committed for the thrill or excitement of the act. (McDevitt, Levin, & Bennett, 2002). This study further strenghtens Hirschi & Gottfredson’s physiological aspect of low-self control, which states that individuals are encouraged to commit risky behaviour due to physiological mechanisms that reward their risk-taking activities by releasing chemicals in their brains (Tibbetts & Hemmens, 2018, p. 361). Furthermore, Franklin (1998), further strengthens the idea by stating that those who engage in hate-related criminal activity do so becuase the thrill-seeking behavior involves a desire to have fun, seek excitement, and experience pleasure (Franklin, 1998, Chapter 1). As stated by Tibbets & Hemmens, those with low self-control may implicate a series of personality traits that are different to those who possess a high sense of self-control and therefore are less likely to engage in criminal activity (Tibbetts & Hemmens, 2018). This point is strengthened by Edens’ (2009) study, which found that those with more extensive criminal histories in both groups had more dominant interpersonal styles than those with less extensive criminal histories (Edens, 2009, p. 90).
Analysis
Although the findings in this paper are not an exhaustive list of the available literature on this topic, it is evident that the empirical data supports the idea that those with low self-control, including the psychological and physiological aspects of the subject, combined with certain personality traits, are valid predictors of one’s heightened risk of committing a hate-related crime. It is important to note that there is no single psychological or physiological predictor of crime and these factors must be examined as part of a whole theory. Further research is needed on the social determinants of hate-related crime offenders and identifying the events that they experience which lead them to develop these factors and personalities. Doing so will allow researchers and policy makers to better discover a way to develop rehabilitating programs, for these offenders. If these factors and traits are caught early enough, before a hate related crime is even committed, this may prevent a person from committing a hate related crime at all and entering the criminal justice system to begin with.
Conclusion
In order to prove Hirschi & Gottfredson’s low self-control theory and its positive relation to an individual’s heightened risk of committing a hate-related crime, an examination of literature was required. Upon examination of such literature, it was proven that those who are at a higher risk of engaging in hate-related crimes possess low self-control, experience both psychological and physiological aspects of low self-control, and possess certain risk-taking, impulsive personality traits and who are thrill seeking. This low self-control was linked to the emotional disposition of offenders, while when the perception of negative feelings is lower than the perceptions of pleasure or instant gratification an individual is at higher risk of committing the crime at hand.
References
- Edens, J. (2009). Interpersonal Characteristics of Male Criminal Offenders: Personality, Psychopathological, and Behavioral Correlates. American Psychological Association, 21, 89-98. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1037/a0014856
- Franklin, K. (1998). Stigma and Sexual Orientation: Understanding Prejudice against Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals. http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781452243818.n1
- McDevitt, J., Levin, J., & Bennett, S. (2002). Hate Crime Offenders: An Expanded Typology. Journal of Social Issues, 58, 305. Retrieved from https://web-b-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.humber.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=b74bb4b0-a88a-43d9-9f1f-5420d530a848%40pdc-v-sessmgr03
- Noelle, M. (2002, September 1). The Ripple Effect of the Matthew Shepard Murder: Impact on the Assumptive Worlds of Members of the Targeted Group. American Behavioral Scientist, 46(1). Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0002764202046001004
- Perry, B. (2015, June 1). Disrupting the Mantra of Multiculturalism: Hate Crime in Canada. American Behavioral Scientist. http://dx.doi.org/10.177
- Piquero, A., & Tibbets, S. (1993, August 19). Specifying the direct and indirect effects of low self-control and situational factors in offenders’ decision making: Toward a more complete model of rational offending. Justice Quarterly, 13(3). http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07418829600093061
- Statistics Canada. (2019). Police-reported hate crime in Canada, 2017. Retrieved from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2019001/article/00008-eng.htm
- Tibbetts, S. G., & Hemmens, G. (2018). Criminological Theory (3rd ed.). California: Sage Productions.
- van Gelder, J., & de Vries, R. E. (2013, January 13). Rational Misbehavior? Evaluating an Integrated Dual-Process Model of Criminal Decision Making. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 30(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10940-012-9192-8