Biological & Psychological Trait Theories: Exploring Crime Typologies
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Presentation Transcript
118 week 3 Biological & Psychological Trait Theories & Crime Typologies
Early Biological Theories • Recall Positivism • Scientific method etc. • Phrenology • Crainometry • Physiognomy
Early Psychological Theories • Psychodynamic/psychoanalytic perspective • Freud – personality has 3 components: • Id – pleasure principle • Ego – reality principle • Superego – ethics principle • Personality and Crime (MMPI etc) • Intelligence and Crime (research?)
Rowe • Genetic factors affect individual traits because they impact our central, sympathetic & parasympathetic nervous systems • Focus on neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) • Serotonin and testosterone • When would these lead to crime? Why?
Caspi et al • Biological factors in combination with the environment • Specific traits linked to crime: • Impulsiveness, thrill-seeking, irritability, low concern for the welfare of others • Three “super traits” • Constraint • Negative Emotionality • Positive Emotionality
Caspi et al (cont’d) • Constraint: • Traditionalism, Harm Avoidance, Control • Negative Emotionality: • Aggression, Alienation, Stress Reduction • Positive Emotionality: • Achievement, Social Potency, Well-Being, Social Closeness
Other Reading… • Eysenck – extraverts have chronic cortical underarousal • Buikhuisen – children are especially vulnerable when they have biological AND social deficits • Moffitt – developmental perspective
Other Reading … • Biological influences do not occur in a vacuum • Impact of environmental factors? • Prevention strategies • Prenatal healthcare, nutritional education, alcohol and drug counseling, home visits • What next? Steps for further research?
Crime Typologies • Wouldn’t it be appealing and convenient if crime typologies and offender profiles were error-proof?? • They’re not… and there are problems with their application… but here’s the best we’ve got so far…..
Types of Violence • Instrumental violence • Improve financial or social position (of some benefit to the offender) – sex, money, drugs, other goods (burglary • Expressive violence • Vent anger or frustration, has an emotional component • Which is more common? More likely? Easier to predict?
Violent Crime Typologies • Homicide • Multiple murders • Serial murder • Mass murder • What about single murderers? Why no typology for them?
Serial Murder • several victims in three or more separate events over a period of weeks, months or years with periods of inactivity between killings • 3 typologies for Serial Murder • Holms & DeBurger: • Visionary; Comfort; Hedonistic; Power-seeker • Fox & Levine: • Thrill-motivated; Mission-oriented; Expedience-directed • Keller & Keller (Female serial killers): • Black widow; Angel of death
Mass Murder • Three or more individuals killed at a single time within minutes of each other and in the same place • Fox and Levine’s Typology: • Revenge; Love; Profit; Terror • School Shootings? What do we know?
Types of Rape • Stranger rape • Gang rape • Serial rape • Acquaintance rape • Date rape • Marital/spousal rape
Rape Typologies: Groth • Anger Rapists • Uses more force than necessary for compliance, engages in sexual acts that are particularly degrading or humiliating • Power Rapists • Seeks to establish power and control over his victim (force depends on the victim’s submission) • Sadistic Rapists • Aggression is eroticized – includes sexual and aggressive components
Rape Typologies: Knight • Opportunistic, High social competence • Opportunistic, Low social competence • Pervasively Angry • Vindictive, Low social competence • Vindictive, Moderate social competence • Sexual, Overt Sadistic • Sexual, Muted Sadistic • Sexual, Non-sadistic, high social competence • Sexual, Non-sadistic, low social competence
Property Crime Typologies • 18th Century Thieves: • Skilled thieves • Smugglers • Poachers • Modern Thieves: • Occasional Criminals • Professional Criminals • Shoplifters • Boosters, Heels, Snitches
Property Crime Typologies • Motor Vehicle Theft: • Joyriding • Short-term transportation • Long-term transportation • Profit • Commission of another crime • Carjacking
Property Crime Typologies • Burglary: • Young novice • Novice • Journeyman stage • Professional burglars
Property Crime Typologies • Arson: • Excitement motivated • Revenge, spite or jealousy • Vandalism or malicious mischief • Crime concealment • Profit, insurance fraud • Intimidation, extortion, terrorism, sabotage • Pyromania (psychological motivation)
Next Class • Prepare for debate/hypothetical • Exam on February 20th in class