dr ann henry lecture 1: tuesday 29th october 2013 forensic & applied cognitive psychology

CRITICAL APPROACHES

TO THEORIES OF CRIME

Dr Ann Henry

Lecture 1: Tuesday 29th October 2013

Forensic & Applied Cognitive Psychology

OVERVIEW OF 6 LECTURES Lecture 1 (29/10): Critical Approaches to

Theories of Crime Lecture 2 (5/11): Sexual Offending

(Rape) Lecture 3 (12/11): Sexual Offending

(Paedophilia & Child Molesters) Lecture 4 (19/11): Critical Approaches to

Mental Illness, Personality & Crime (part 1)

Lecture 5 (26/11): Critical Approaches to Mental Illness, Personality & Crime (part 2)

Lecture 6 (3/12): Critical Approaches to Offender Profiling (FBI & Statistical)

LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR LECTURE 1 By the end of the lecture you should be

able to:

Briefly define Forensic & Criminal Psychology.

Describe & explain different types of theories of crime e.g. Macro-level or Societal; Community or locality; Group & socialisation influence; Individual/ Psychological: Social Constructionism.

Consider the strengths & limitations of each of these theories.

WHAT IS FORENSIC & CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY? Forensic psychology is concerned with

the psychological aspects of legal processes in courts. The term is also often used to refer to investigative and criminological psychology: applying psychological theory to criminal investigation, understanding psychological problems associated with criminal behaviour and the treatment of those who have committed offences.

http://careers.bps.org.uk/area/forensic (2013)

http://careers.bps.org.uk/area/forensic

http://careers.bps.org.uk/area/forensic

WHERE DO THEY WORK?

The largest single employer of forensic psychologists in the UK is the HM Prison Service.

Forensic psychologists are also be employed rehabilitation units, secure hospitals, the social services and in university departments. Some practitioners also go into private consultancy.

http://www.justice.gov.uk/about/hmps

TASKS OF FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGISTS

The daily key tasks for forensic psychologists may include:

piloting and implementing treatment programmes, modifying offender behaviour, responding to the changing needs of staff and prisoners as well as reducing stress for staff and prisoners.

TASKS OF FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGISTS

Forensic psychologists also provide: hard research evidence to support

practice, including undertaking statistical analysis for prisoner profiling, giving evidence in court plus advising parole boards and mental health tribunals.

ASPECTS OF FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY Social context of crime; Fear of crime Victims of crime. Theories of crime; Violent offenders; Sexual offending. Police psychology; Terrorism; Eyewitness

Testimony. Offender profiling; lie detecting; false

confessions. Mental Disorders & Crime; Juries & Decision

making. Psychological treatments for prisoners; Risk assessment, dangerousness & recidivism.

Howitt (2006) outlines a broad range of theories.

Macro-level or Societal Community or locality Group & socialisation influence Individual/ Psychological

THEORIES OF CRIME

Marxist Conflict theory

Merton’s Strain Theory

Feminist Theory

MACRO-LEVEL OR SOCIETAL

Marxist conflict theory

Society has evolved in a state of conflict between competing groups in society over material resources & institutionalised power.

Dominant class uses laws to control other groups & maintain its command or hegemony (political leadership)


Merton’s Strain Theory

Recognises that society’s goals (prosperity, achievement etc.) are only available to a limited few. The rest can only achieve goals through deviant means.

Others adapt to the strain by retreating into alcoholism, drug addiction, suicide, vagrancy.


Feminist Theory

Holds that criminality is associated with males. Males seek to maintain power in the gendered social system through the deployment of violence against women & children.

Male control is through their access to power over social institutions such as the law.

Powerless men are inclined to the cruder expressions of power which lead to their imprisonment.


Differential Opportunity theory

Explains the patterns of crime likely to be exhibited by individuals in terms of the range of crime opportunities close to home.

Different individuals display different modes of adjustment or adaptation to their particular social strains.

COMMUNITY/ LOCALITY THEORY

Subcultural Delinquency Theories Differential Association Theory Lifestyle & Routine Activities Theory Social Learning Theory Criminogenic factors in childhood

GROUP & SOCIALISATION INFLUENCE THEORIES

Subcultural Delinquency Theories

Youngsters with problems especially to do with the home & school tend to associate with gangs & other groupings in which they can achieve some status.

Through criminal activity, delinquent groups may provide an opportunity to achieve a sense of self-esteem.


Differential Association Theory

Circumstances of upbringing determines their exposure to crime & pressure to commit crime.

Hence, learning to be a criminal applies to different strata of society e.g. middle class might be exposed to fraud, tax evasion etc.


Lifestyle & Routine Activities Theory

Argues that most crime is trivial & impulsive – thus elements of opportunism (Cohen & Felson, 1979)


Social Learning Theory

Bandura (1973, 1983) Vicarious learning through observing other people.

However, doesn’t explain under what circumstances criminal behaviour will or will not be learnt, so has limited explanatory power.


Criminogenic factors in childhood

Glueck & Glueck, 1962, 1968) claim that the following are antecedents of antisocial & criminal behaviour:

Punitive child-rearing practices & attitudes (strict discipline, corporal punishment, authoritarian attitudes)

Lack of love or rejection Laxness (poor monitoring, lack of supervision) Family disruption (separation, divorce, instability,

marital conflict) Deviant parental characteristics (criminality, mental

health problems, substance abuse)


Criminogenic factors in childhood (cont)

Yoshikawa (1995) argued that delinquency is product of interaction of multiplicity of factors:

Neurological & biological factors Low cognitive ability Childhood history of antisocial behaviour Parental substance abuse Violent or socially disorganised

neighbourhoods Media violence


Criminogenic factors in childhood (cont)

Farrington (1996) claims that childhood conduct disorder and adult Antisocial Personality Disorder have the same aetiological precursors:

Low family income Poor housing Large family size Convicted parents Harsh or erratic parental discipline Low intelligence Early school leaving


Protective factors from delinquency Farrington (1998)

Personal Resources – resilient youngsters had better technical/spatial intelligence, flexible temperaments, approach-orientated, more positive self-esteem & active coping styles

Social Resources – resilient youngsters were more satisfied with social support & experienced openness, autonomy & low conflict in their residential institution.


Personality Theories Biological Theories Attachment Theory Isomorphism hypothesis

INDIVIDUAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES

Personality Theories

Eysenck’s biosocial theory emphasises link between biological factors, personality & crime.

High extraversion, high psychoticism & high neuroticism

INDIVIDUAL/ PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES

Biological Theories

Genetics e.g. genetic make-up, brain activity, hormonal imbalances

Evolutionary theory – inherited genes Body shape type: mesomorph,

endomorph & ectomorph

Evidence is contradictory and controversial

INDIVIDUAL/ PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES

Attachment theory Based on John Bowlby’s work in 1950s Bonding & attachment in infancy & early

childhood Internal Working Model Different types of attachment: Secure and Insecure Ainsworth (1970s)- classified insecure into Anxious-Avoidant, Anxious-Ambivalent &

Disorganised


Isomorphism hypothesis

Close relationship between the characteristics of abuse and its effect on the victim.

Widom (1989) explored links between childhood abuse and adult criminality.

Victims of physical abuse have highest rates of violent offences (16% of sample)

Victims of neglect had similar levels of violence (13%) Controls (not abused as children) had 7% risk of violent

offending in adulthood Hence, evidence is inconclusive & other factors need to

be taken into consideration (see previous list re criminogenic factors)


Howitt (2006) summarises that there is little reliable evidence of the link between intelligence level and crime.

Controversial topic as also linked to the debate about race and intelligence.

INTELLIGENCE & CRIME

Constructions of crime

Social Cultural Historical

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM & CRIME

LECTURE SUMMARY

Briefly defined Forensic & Criminal Psychology & the work involved.

Outlined & described different theories of crime:

Macro-level or Societal Community or locality Group & socialisation influence Individual/ Psychological

USEFUL REFERENCES Howitt, D. (2012). Introduction to Forensic

and Criminal Psychology, 4th ed, Harlow, Pearson Education Ltd.

McGuire, M., Morgan, R & Reiner, R. (2007). The Oxford Handbook of Criminology, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Towl, G.J., Farrington., D.P., Crighton, D.A. & Hughes, G. (2008). Dictionary of Forensic Psychology, Devon, Willan Publishing.

Ward. T. & Stewart, C. (2003). The relationship between human needs and criminogenic needs, Psychology, Crime & Law, Vol. 9(3), pp. 219 -224

dr ann henry lecture 1: tuesday 29th october 2013 forensic & applied cognitive psychology

Documents

theories of crime lecture

ukareaforensic slide

psychological theory

forensic psychology

personality crime

forensic criminal psychology

critical approaches

sexual offending rape