UNIT 9 CRIMINOLOGY THEORIES Criminological Theories
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UNIT 9 CRIMINOLOGY THEORIES Criminological Theories Structure 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Objectives 9.3 The Study of Criminology 9.4 What is Criminology? 9.5 Brief History of Criminology 9.6 Classical School of Criminology 9.6.1 Pre Classical School 9.6.2 Classical School of Criminology 9.6.3 Neo Classical School 9.7 Positive School of Criminology 9.8 Ecological School of Criminology 9.9 Theories Related to Physical Appearance 9.9.1 Phsiognomy and Phrenology 9.9.2 Criminal Anthropology: Lombroso to Goring 9.9.3 Body Type Theories: Sheldon to Cortes 9.10 Biological Factors and Criminal Behaviour 9.10.1 Chromosomes and Crime 9.10.2 Family Studies 9.10.3 Twin and Adoption Studies 9.10.4 Neurotransmitters 9.10.5 Hormones 9.10.6 The Autonomic Nervous System 9.11 Psychoanalytical Theories of Crime 9.11.1 Psychanalytic Explanations of Criminal Behaviour 9.12 Sociological Theories of Criminal Behaviour 9.12.1 Durkhiem, Anomie and Modernisation 9.12.2 Merton’s Strain Theory 9.12.3 Sutherland’s Differential Association Theory 9.13 Critical Criminology 9.13.1 Marxim and Marxist Criminology 9.14 Control Theories 9.14.1 Drift and Neutralisation 9.14.2 Hirschi’s Social Control 9.14.3 Containment Theory 9.14.4 Labeling Theory 9.15 Conflict Theories 9.15.1 Sellin’s Culture Conflict Theory 9.15.2 Vold’s Group Conflict Theory 9.15.3 Quinney’s Theory of the Social Reality of Crime 9.15.4 Turk’s Theory of Criminalisation 9.15.5 Chambliss and Seidman’s Analysis of the Criminal Justice System 5 Theories and Perspectives 9.16 Summary in Criminal Justice 9.17 Terminal Questions 9.18 Answers and Hints 9.19 References and Suggested Readings 9.1 INTRODUCTION Criminology is the scientific approach towards studying criminal behaviour. It is an interdisciplinary science which includes sociology, psychology, biology political science etc. There are different school of criminology like classical school, positive school, ecological school etc. One of the oldest scientific approaches in criminology theory emphasizes physical and biological abnormality as the prominent mark of the criminal. Sigmund Freud coined the term psycholoanalysis in 1896 and based an entire theory of human behaviour on it. Later Ernest Jones delineated seven major principles of Freud’s approach within the psychoanalytic perspective criminal and delinquent behaviours are attributed to disturbances or malfuctions in the ego or superego. Then there was sociological theory of criminology whose main propounde was Durkheim. Apart from these, there is Control Theories and Conflict Theories of Criminology. 9.2 OBJECTIVES After reading this unit, you should be able to: • understand the crime and criminology; • known various theoretical explanations of criminality; and • discuss the dynamic interrelatedness in the formation and manifestation of criminal and delinquent behaviour and various socio-cultural factors and processes. 9.3 THE STUDY OF CRIMINOLOGY Concern about crime and the need to develop effective measures to control criminal behaviour have spurred the development of Criminology as an academic discipline. This discipline is devoted to developing valid and reliable information that addresses the causes of crime as well as crime patterns and trends and control of crime. Criminologists use scientific methods to study the nature, extent, cause, and control of criminal behaviour. Unlike media commentators, whose opinions about crime can be coloured by personal experiences, biases, and values, criminologists remain objective as they study crime and its consequences. The field of criminology has gained prominence as an academic area of study due to the constant threat of crime and the social problems it represents. 9.4 WHAT IS CRIMINOLOGY? Paul Topinard, a French Anthropologist is said to have coined the termed ‘criminology’ in 1889 to differentiate the study of criminal body types within the field of anthropology from other biometric pursuits. The word crime comes from the Latin, meaning “accusation”, “charge” or “guilt” and logy means “ the study of something”. Hence the term Criminology literally means “the study of crime”. 6 Criminology is the scientific approach to studying criminal behaviour. Sutherland Criminological Theories and Cressey state “Criminology is the body of knowledge regarding crime as a social phenomenon. It includes within its scope the process of making laws, of breaking laws, and of reacting toward the breaking of laws…” The objective of criminology is the development of a body of general and verified principles and of other types of knowledge regarding this process of law, crime and treatment. Sutherland suggested that criminology consists of three “principal divisions” 1) The sociology of law 2) Scientific analysis of the causes of crime, and 3) Crime control Criminology is an interdisciplinary science which includes sociology, psychology, psychiatry, biology, political science, social work, law, economics etc. Self Assessment Question 1) What do you understand by the term criminology? ................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................ 9.5 BRIEF HISTORY OF CRIMINOLOGY During the middle ages (1200-1600), superstition and fear of satanic possession dominated thinking. People who violated social norms or religious practices were believed to be witches or possessed by demons. The witch doctor or medicine man or shaman became the interpreter of supernatural happenings. The prescribed method for dealing with the possessed was burning at the stake, Cruel torture to extract confessions was in use and those convicted of violent or theft crimes suffered extremely harsh penalties, including whipping, branding, maiming, and execution, putting mask and dancing around the deviant victim, concoct a nauseous potion made up of saliva, fingernails, feces, pimple pus, urine, nose picking, hair and other obnoxious items and make the patent eat it, thereby making his or he body intolerable for the demons. On occasions “a sacrifice to the gods was made of a baby, a young virgin, a son or other persons in order to keep the tribe on good terms with god and spirits”. This practice survived till 17th Century. This was the spiritual explanation of crime and punishment. The early Phoenicians and Greeks developed naturalistic explanations of crime far back. Hippocrates provided a physiological explanation of thinking by arguing that the brain is the organ of the mind. Plato said that the individual’s soul has three elements i.e. reasons, desire and spirit. The spirit being the agent used by reasons to overcome passion/desire. The lower part of irrational soul was located in the body below the diaphragm and rational soul which is a better part located in the heart and in mental faculties. Aristotle said that body and soul are different. Man is good by nature but when he fails to follow the reasons, sin results. 7 Theories and Perspectives Thomas Hobbes concluded that all phenomenons were subjected to scientific in Criminal Justice laws including human behaviour. According to Rene Descartes “natural laws governed not only events external to man but event occurring within him, so free will becomes more important than divine law in crime causation”. 9.6 CLASSICAL SCHOOL OF CRIMINOLOGY 9.6.1 Pre Classical School The formalising of this concept into “crime” probably had its early beginnings in the formalisation of court procedure at the Assize of Clarendon called by Henry II in 1166 A.D. when the jury system was structured essentially as it remains today. The construction of jails was approved, and the beginnings of classification of crimes as felonies and misdemeanors appeared. In 1215, King John under compulsion from his barons issued the Magna Carta as a symbol of a general movement toward civil and constitutional rights. 9.6.2 Classical School of Criminology Reasons behind the emergence of classical school of criminology:- 1) Just as Greek, Latin were first to communicate adequately in modern abstract thinking, similarly, this school of thought was the first relative adequate form or system of thinking in the area of criminology. 2) There may be many inconsistencies in the existing practices at that time. 3) Judges could introduce personal biases. 4) That’s why harsh punishments rather than equitable justice. Criminology emerged in 1764 in “Essay on Crime and Punishments” “Dei delitti e delle pene” by Beccaria. The motto was “Let the punishment fit from crime”. Man is hedonistic- seeking pleasure and avoids pain and had sufficient free will to choose between good and evil, when he knew what the consequences might be. Focus of the classical school was on crime and adopted legal approach. Self Assessment Question 2) Explain the reasons behind the emergence of classical school of criminology. ................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................ ...............................................................................................................