Criminal Psychology
Crime definition
Unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority
Anti-social behaviour definition
Wide range of unacceptable activity that causes harm to an individual to their community/to environment such as being a nuisance/rowdy/inconsiderate
Aggression definition
Feelings of anger which may result in hostile/violent behaviour/readiness to attack/confront
Violence definition
Intentional use of physical force/power against self or another person/community which either results in injury
Recidivism definition
Rate at which convicted criminal reoffends
Brain injury theory - Frontal Lobe AO1
Affects problem solving abilities, decision making and behavioural outbursts so leads to eg domestic abuse and poor control
Brain injury theory - Limbic System AO1
Helps to explain high recidivism rates as eg killing sprees
Brain injury theory - Hippocampus AO1
Affects accuracy of memory being stored so likely to be repeated eg theft as not recalling consequences from stealing from a shop
Brain injury theory - Hypothalamus AO1
Damage affect rage control and pleasure person experiences which explains victim torture as processes information innapropriately
Brain Injury theory - S AO3
Sweet (1969) - reported Charles Whitman case, killing spree by spraying gunfire in Texas University killing 17 and injuring 30, found limbic area tumour in autopsy
Brain Injury theory - C AO3
Eysenck et al (77) - criminals scored higher on E,N,P scales than non criminals therefore personality has a role not brain injury
Brain Injury theory - O AO3
XYY syndrome explains that criminality is a result of genetic mutations affecting development of male criminal so not full explanation of criminality
Brain Injury theory - D AO3
Scientific as can use brain scans to assess brain injuries. It allows brain injury to be consistently measured using same techniques to find cause of criminality
Brain Injury theory - A AO3
High in usefulness as can predict who is more likely to commit crime based on people who have brain injuries. However, not all individuals with brain injuries become a criminal.
Amygdala and aggression theory - Amygdala 1 AO1
Determines our emotional response so if damaged if may be excessive causing an outburst of aggression. This idea can explain reasons for why an individual may commit crimes such as domestic abuse or ABH
Amygdala and aggression theory - Amygdala 2 AO1
Responsible for moral reasoning whch affects on how a person responds to fear, aggression and social interaction. Damage to the amygdala leads the individual to think irrationally therefore could lead to the individual committing crimes lke sexual assault.
Amygdala and aggression theory - Right Amygdala AO1
Damage leads to difficulty in decision making and appropriate social behaviour in men. Includes lack of control of impulsive behaviour therefore explains for anti-social behaviour like stalking
Amygdala and aggression theory - Small Amygdala AO1
Common to activate fight or flight response as causes individuals to have the inability to correct social judgements about fear response. Therefore, predicts smaller amygdala leads to predictions of future violence like beating someone up in the pub
Amygdala and aggression theory - S AO3
Glenn et al (2009) - fMRI scans found less activity in amygdala during moral reasoning tasks which supports that psychopaths worry less about committing crime and harming others.
Amygdala and aggression theory - C AO3
Eysenck et al (77) - criminals scored higher on E,N,P scales than non criminals therefore personality has a role not brain injury
Amygdala and aggression theory - O AO3
XYY syndrome explains that criminality is a result of genetic mutations affecting development of male criminal so not full explanation of criminality
Amygdala and aggression theory - D AO3
Scientific as brain scanning techniques used to assess amygdala activity and any damage. Allows amygdala to be consistently assessed using standardised techniques to assess how the amygdala can affect criminality.
Amygdala and aggression theory - A AO3
High in usefulness as can predict who is more likely to commit crime based on people who have for instance a small amygdala or damage to right amygdala. However, this could lead to social control as people can label who is a criminal based on damages of their amygdalas where they may not become a criminal.
XYY theory - Mutation AO1
Occurs in 1:1000 male births, not inherited. Males with XYY syndrome will have an extra chromosome due to error in fertilisation cell division.
XYY theory - Link to criminality AO1
XYY males are more likely to get into trouble with the police compared to XY males.
XYY theory - Physical differences AO1
Often taller, grow faster than the average male, delayed speech, language problems and sensitivity to ADHD
XYY theory - Personality differences AO1
Impairment to social interaction, often easily distracted, more likely to act impulsive, physically more active than other males, normal intelligence but lower IQ (10-15 points lower than average)
XYY theory - S AO3
Jacob (1965) - XYY males are overrepresented in prisons as 15in 1000 rather than 1 in 1000 fond in general populaton so XYY may have role in crime for some males
XYY theory - C AO3
Raine et al (1997) - lower levels of glucose metabolism in prefrontal cortex in NGRI compared to control group so due to brain malfuctions rather than mutations.
XYY theory - O AO3
The brain injury theory explains that damage to specific areas to the brain eg hypothalamus can cause criminality as for instance damage to hypothalamus can impact of control over an individuals rage so not full explanation.
XYY theory - D AO3
Scientific as XYY explains males have an extra Y chromosome due to error when cells divide during fertilisation. Therefore, by detecting those who have XYY syndrome can allow us to predict who may be a potential criminal.
XYY theory - A AO3
High in usefulness as can predict who is more likely to commit crime based on males that have that extra Y chromosome. However, this could lead to social control as people can label who is a criminal based on stereotypes including being taller than the average male.
Personality theory - EPI AO1
EPI test aims to measure people's temperament. Those that score high E, N and P are more likely to commit crime.
Personality theory - Extraversion AO1
Lively, impulsive, optimistic, lose temper easily. Extra stimulaion means more likely to be criminal. RAS inhibits incoming sensations resulting in need to seek stimulation hence engage in criminal activity which brings excitement eg joyriding
Personality theory - Neuroticism AO1
Nervous, difficult to cope with stress, tend to overreact. Controlled by autonomic nervous system, releases hormones eg adrenaline so likely to lash out in fear eg murder
Personality theory - Psychoticism AO1
Egocentric, impulsive, socially withdrawn, troublesome. Linked to testosterone so explains why males commit more crime as copared to females eg rape
Personality theory - S AO3
Eysenck et al (77) - criminals scored higher on E,N,P scales than non criminals therefore personality has a role not brain injury
Personality theory - C AO3
Raine et al (1997) - lower levels of glucose metabolism in prefrontal cortex in NGRI compared to control group so due to brain malfuctions rather than personality
Personality theory - O AO3
The brain injury theory explains that damage to specific areas to the brain eg hypothalamus can cause criminality as for instance damage to hypothalamus can impact of control over an individuals rage so not full explanation.
Perrsonality theory - D AO3
Scientific as personality explains eg how males commit more crime than women due to higher testosterone levels and psychoticism. Therefore, by detecting those who have high P in the EPI test can allow us to predict who may be a potential criminal.
Personality theory - A AO3
High in usefulness as can predict who is more likely to commit crime based on who his high E,N and P in the EPI test. However, this could lead to social control as people can label who is a criminal based on stereotypes like losing their temper or being socially withdrawn
Self fulfilling prophecy theory - Consequence AO1
Prophecy made before committing crime so has consequence for future offending behaviour
Self fulfilling prophecy theory - Information AO1
Person will reoffend due to living up to society's expectations. Uses current information about offenders behaviour to predict future potential behaviour
Self fulfilling prophecy theory - Society AO1
Once crime has been committed, society treats offender differently
Self fulfilling prophecy theory - Internalise AO1
Leads the person to adopt criminal characteristics which affects self-image so identity is internalised which makes the person produce expected behaviour that will fulfill the prophecy
Self fulflling prophecy theory - S AO3
Jahoda (54) - Ashanti people make prophecy about crime and day of birth. Shows that boys born on wednesday are most arrests (aggressive) and monday are least arrests (placid).
Self fulfilling prophecy theory - C AO3
Raine et al (1997) - lower levels of glucose metabolism in prefrontal cortex in NGRI compared to control group so due to brain malfuctions rather than mutations.
Self fulfilling prophecy theory - O AO3
Social learning theory explains that criminal behaviour is learnt through observation and imitation of criminal role models rather than society making prophecies before committing crimes. Therefore limited explanation of criminality
Self fulfilling prophecy theory - D AO3
Simplifies down to living up to self fulfilling propheces of bring a criminal. Can use the theory to predict future criminal behaviour based on society's expectations
Self fulfilling prophecy theory - A AO3
High in usefulness as can predict who is more likely to commit crime based on prophecies made by society. However, this could lead to social control as people can label who is a criminal based on past events and current information