Ch. 5 Trait Theory - Lecture notes 5 PDF

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Intro to Crime & Criminology Class. Lecture & book notes from Criminology textbook by Siegel, 11th edition...

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Ch. 5 Trait theory 9/21/18 Foundations of Trait Theory ● Trait theories are made up of biosocial (internal biology & external environment together) and psychological theories. ● The primary focus of trait theories is human behavior and the link to antisocial behavior, i.e., aggression, violence, and criminality. ● Links to psychopathy: amygdala is structurally deformed; don’t have normal feelings of guilt ● Trait theory is first time scientists are really focusing on the scientific method to study crime: - Observe - Develop hypothesis - Test hypothesis - Interpret - Conclude “Multiple factor”- the interaction of mental and physical traits with environmental and social factors that either suppress or trigger criminal behavior. ○ If you have trait that is prone to deviant behavior, but are in a positive environment, it may be quelled. Conversely, some people w/ the propensity who are brought up in a neg or abusive environ may have that trait brought to the surface ○ The focus is generally on persistent or chronic offenders. ○ Both biological and psychological traits have been linked to criminal behavior, but not as causal linkages. (If this were the case, all mentally ill would commit crimes) Positivism ○ Rejects free will (as opposed to Classical school of thought which = free will) ○ Crime can only be understood if it is studied by the scientific method ○ Human behavior is a function of internal and external forces, i.e., social, biological, psychological, or economic forces. ○ May be some free will, but must look at all other factors ● Early positivists: ○ Lombroso (1835) - Belief that certain physical characteristics indicate a criminal nature; studied cadavers of criminals & compared to noncriminals, and discovered they looked diff ■ Of course there isn’t really proof to this, but this is early ■ He believed you’re born into crime & don’t have self control or free will ○ Garofalo- Certain physical characteristics and psychological characteristics indicate criminal nature. ■ Saw more ppl w/ tattoos, said they had higher pain tolerance

○ Ferri- Belief in biological, social and organic factors as a cause of crime and delinquency; believed it was beyond criminals’ control ■ Again, dangerous b/c then there’s no reason to offer help ○ Sheldon- Belief in body types which were susceptible to certain types of delinquent behavior. ■ Short & round, tall & thin, and muscular (said muscular types were the most criminal) → All of these have been disproved Biosocial Trait Theories ● Genetic makeup contributes sig to human behavior ● Not all humans born with = potential to learn & achieve 1. Biochemical Perspective (one of least popular): a. Cause: Crime, esp violence, is a function of diet, vitamin intake, hormonal imbalance, and/or food allergies (i.e. women commit more crimes during period) Ex: Twinkie defense in Milk trial b. Strengths: explains irrational violence, shows how environment interacts w/ personal traits to influence behavior c. Weaknesses: Not much empirical evidence; does more sugar really cause this? d. Policy implications: we might tell ppl what to eat, what vitamins to take 2. Neurological Perspective: a. Criminals and delinquents often suffer brain impairment, as measured by the EEG. b. Attention deficit disorder and minimum brain dysfunction are related to antisocial behavior. c. Strengths: Explains irrational violence, shows how the environment interacts with personal traits to influence behavior d. Not one of more popular theories e. Policy: we would mandate brain scans for everyone & if something wrong would treat immediately 3. Genetic Perspective a. Criminal traits and predispositions are inherited. b. We study this w/ twin studies c. The criminality of parents can predict the delinquency of children. d. Strengths: Explains why only a small percentage of youth in a high-crime area become chronic offenders. If it were all about environ, then they would commit crimes constantly e. Traits that may predict crime when interacting w/ environ = aggression, mental health, stability f. Policy: identify ppl from crime lineages & either sterilize, kill off, or treat 4. Evolutionary Perspective (very weak theory) a. Causes: as human race evolved, traits & characteristics have become ingrained b. Some of these make ppl aggressive & predisposed to commit crime c. Weakness: If this were true, we would all commit crime d. Strengths: explains high violence rates & aggregate gender differences in crime rate (men were primed to fight for resources Evaluation of biosocial trait theory: Criticism: if there are biological explanations for street crimes then by implication biological theory says that member of groups are biologically different, flawed or inferior

Response: Rather than suggest that there are born criminals and non-criminals, proponents maintain that some people carry the potential to be violent or antisocial and that environmental conditions can sometimes trigger antisocial responses Hypothetical question: potential to identify a criminal trait, what would we do w/ this info? Psychosocial Trait Theories 1. Psychodynamic a. The development of the unconscious personality early in childhood influence behavior for the rest of a person’s life b. Criminals have weak egos and damaged personalities i.e., anger, sexuality, tendencies c. Created by Sigmund Freud i. Strengths: Explains the onset of crime ii. Explains why crime and drug abuse cut across class lines

2. Behavioral a. People commit crime when they model their behavior after others they see being rewarded for the same acts b. Behavior is reinforced by rewards and extinguished by punishment, i.e., learning processes i. Strengths: Explains the role of significant others in the crime process ii. Shows how family life and media can influence crime and violence 3. Cognitive a. Individual reasoning processes influence behavior. b. Reasoning is influenced by the way people perceive their environment and by their moral and intellectual development, i.e., thinking, memory, ethical values. i. Strengths: Shows why criminal behavior patterns change over time as people mature and develop their moral reasoning ii. May explain aging-out process. Crime & Mental Illness ● Upon release prisoners who had prior histories of hospitalization for mental disorders were less likely to be rearrested than those who had never been hospitalized ● Mentally disordered inmates who do recidivate upon release appear to do so for the same reasons as the mentally sound. ● A great deal of early research efforts found that many offenders who engage in serious, violent crimes suffer from some sort of mental disturbance. However, empirical evidence has contradicted this....