Specific Psychological Principles Implemented Across Different Crime Control Policies

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Three broad models of criminal behaviors are the following: psychological, sociological and biological models. There are some specific psychological principles which can be implemented across different crime control policies.

Psychological approaches to crime

The nature-versus-nurture debate is a psychological argument that is related to whether the environment or heredity impacts the psychological development of individuals (Messner & Rosenfield, 2007). With respect to the nature side, research on the prison population has consistently shown that inmates typically score low on IQ tests (Schmalleger, 2008). In the early decades of the 20th century, researchers administered IQ tests to delinquent male children. The results indicated that close to 40% had below-average intelligence (Siegal, 2008). On the basis of these data and other studies, some scholars argue that the role of nature is prevalent.

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With respect to nurture theory, advocates ground themselves on the premise that intelligence is not inherited. There is some recognition of the role of heredity; however, emphasis is placed on the role of society (i.e., environment). To demonstrate, parents are a major influence on their children’s behavior.

Here are several fundamental assumptions, that are common to all the psychological approaches to criminal behavior. These are the following:

  • The individual is the primary unit of analysis. (Individual human being is considered to be responsible for acts he/she conducts)
  • Personality drives behavior within individuals, because it is the major motivational factor.
  • Crimes can result from abnormal, dysfunctional or inappropriate mental processes inside the individual’s personality.
  • An individual may have purpose of criminal behavior if it addresses certain felt needs.
  • Normality is generally determined by social consensus, that is, what is viewed as “distinctive,” “normal,” or “acceptable” by the majority of people in a certain social group.
  • Defective or abnormal, mental processes may be done by a mixture of agents such as diseased mind, inappropriate learning or improper conditioning, the emulation of inappropriate role models, and adjustment to inner conflicts.

In short, crime control policy based on psychological principles, targets individuals and attempts to prevent criminal behavior from this spot. Any policy aimed at preventing crime by targeting persons such as grooming, education, promotion of self-awareness, rehabilitation, resocialization or identification risks of criminal behavior is psychological in nature. In addition, psychologists have long realized that the best forecaster of future behavior is past behavior of the individual (Mischel, W. 1968).

Intelligence and crime

The nature-versus-nurture debate is a psychological argument that is related to whether the environment or heredity impacts the psychological development of individuals (Messner & Rosenfield, 2007). With regard to the nature side, research on the prison population has consistently indicated that inmates typically score low on IQ tests (Schmalleger, 2008). In the early decades of the 20th century, researchers administered IQ tests to delinquent male children. The answers suggested that close to 40% had below-average intelligence (Siegal, 2008). On the base of these data and other studies, some students contend that the role of nature is dominant.

With regard to nurture theory, advocates ground themselves on the premise that intelligence is not inherited. At that place is some acknowledgment of the function of heredity; however, stress is put on the role of society (i.e., Surroundings). To exhibit, parents are a major influence on their children’s conduct.

Behavioral and crime

This hypothesis holds that human conduct is acquired through learning experiences. The hallmark of behavioral theory is the impression that people alter or shift their behavior according to the reactions this behavior elicits in other people (Bandura, 1978). In an idealistic situation, behavior is supported by rewards and extinguished by negative responses or punishments. Behaviorists view crimes as learned responses to life’s situations. Social learning theory, which is a branch of behavior theory, is the most relevant to criminology. The most prominent social learning theorist is Albert Bandura (1978). Bandura maintains that individuals are not born with an innate ability to act violently. He indicated that, in contrast, violence and aggression are learned through a process of behavior modeling (Bandura, 1977). In other words, children learn violence through the reflection of others. Aggressive acts are modeled after three primary sources: (1) family interaction, (2) environmental experiences, and (3) the mass media. Research on family interaction demonstrates that kids who are aggressive are more probable to have been taken up by parents or caretakers who are aggressive (Jacoby, 2004).

Cognition and crime

In late years, important gains have been made in explaining criminal behavior within the cognitive theory framework. Here, psychologists focus on the mental processes of individuals. More important, cognitive theorists attempt to see how criminal offenders perceive and mentally represent the universe round them (Knepper, 2001). People use information to understand their surroundings. When an individual makes a decision, he or she engages in a chronological succession of cognitive thought processes. To illustrate, individuals receive an issue and encode or store the relevant data then it can be recovered and read at a later date (Conklin, 2007). Second, these individuals search for the appropriate response, and then they find out the appropriate action. Last, they must act on their decisions. At that place are some vital findings regarding this procedure. First, individuals who use information properly are more likely to avoid delinquent or criminal behavior (Shelden, 2006). Second, those who are qualified to make reasoned judgments when faced with emotional issues are more likely to avoid antisocial behavioral decisions (Siegal, 2008). Interestingly, an explanation of flawed reasoning is that the person may be relying on a faulty cognitive process; specifically, he or she may be pursuing a mental script that was determined in childhood (Jacoby, 2004). A second reason that may account for flawed reasoning is extended exposure to violence. A third possibility of incorrect reasoning is oversensitivity or rejection by parents or peers. Studying the consequences of long-lasting rejection or dismissal is likely to produce harm to an individual’s self-esteem. Research has shown that people who utilize violence as a coping mechanism are substantially more potential to exhibit other problems, such as alcohol and drug dependency (Piquero & Mazarolle, 2001).

Psychodynamics and crime

Psychodynamic therapy was originated by Sigmund Freud in the late 1800’s and has then become a significant theory in the history of criminality (Siegel, 2005). Freud thought, that every individual carries “residue of the most significant emotional attachments of our childhood, which then directs our future interpersonal relationships” (Siegel, 2005) The theory is a three-part structure consisting of the id, the ego and the superego. The id is considered the underdeveloped or primitive function of our constitution. It controls our need for food, sleep and other basic instinct. This section is purely focused on instant gratification. The ego holds the id by setting up boundaries. The superego is the change of judging the situation through morality (Siegel, 2005)

Psychodynamic theorists believe that the personality of offenders is id-dominated. Which means, that when they lose control of the ego, their id takes over. Other problems causing lost control of the ego are poor social skills, excessive dependence on others, immaturity, and so on

Psychologists and criminal proceedings

In 1981, one of the fathers of UK’s criminal psychology – Professor Lionel Haward described four ways, that psychologist may do upon being professionally taken in criminal transactions. These are the following types:

  1. Clinical: In this situation the psychologist is involved in assessment of individual in order to provide a clinical assessment. The psychologist can use assessment tools, interview or psychometric tool in order to assist in his/her judgment. These appraisals can assist police or other competitive organs determine how to treat the individual in question. For example help finding out whether he/she is able to stand trial or whether the person possesses a mental sickness which means, that he/she is unable to see the transactions.
  2. Experimental: In this case the task of the psychologist is to perform a research in order to inform a case. This can involve executing experimental tests for the purposes of illustrating a period or providing further information to the tribunals. This may involve false memory, eyewitness credibility experiments and such. For exemplar, this way questions similar to “how likely would a witness see an object in 100 meters?” will be answered.
  3. Actuarial: This role calls for usage of statistics in order to inform a case. For instance, a psychologist may be taken to provide probability of an outcome happening. Thus, the courts may ask how likely a person will reoffend if a sentence is passed up.
  4. Advisory: Here a psychologist may advice police about how to go forward with the investigation. For instance, which is the best room to interview the individual, how best cross-examine a vulnerable or another expert witness, how an offender will act after committing the crime.

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