...Biological Theories and Criminal Behavior Biological theories address deviant behavior as a relationship between biological factors, and social norms in respect to crime. The theories address behavior of an individual based upon his or her biological impact. Schmalleger, (2008) points out a connection to social environments and the impact upon human behavior. The connection has validity because of human thoughts and activities are constantly flowing through the brain providing an impact relating to behavior. Researchers base biological theories on flaws relating to heredity, dysfunction of the brain’s neurotransmitters, injuries, trauma, or abnormalities involving the brain affecting behavior (Raine, 2002). Brain development is a biological theory providing information connecting damage of the frontal lobes located in the brain’s cerebrum to criminal behavior. The brain is similar to a computer sending messages to the body and when the messages cannot be delivered it is because of a dysfunction that has occurred in the brain. The frontal lobes and the limbic system are two of the major areas of the brain involving behavior. The frontal lobes are responsible for reasoning, problem solving, and emotions (Allen & Harper, 2010). The limbic system contains electrical circuitry controlling emotions and motivation (Allen & Harper, 2010). The amygdala when stimulated produces behavior related to emotions, memory and fear. When the amygdala is functioning properly it produces the...
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...Criminal Acts and Choices D Brat CJA/204 January 18, 2012 University of Phoenix Criminal Acts and Choices This paper will identify and describe choice theories and how they relate to crime, and will list and describe the common models in how society determines which acts are considered to be criminal and how it impacted by choice theories of crime. It is easy to understand why the entertainment industry and the media are targeted as the cause of criminal violence, many other explanations for crime are also viable, like genetic abnormalities or psychological differences in individuals. Various patterns of early socialization may cause a person to commit a crime (Schmalleger, 2009). Some types of criminology theories are classical and neoclassical, include the Free will theory, rational choice theory and routine activities theory. Crime is caused by exercise of free will. Prevention is possible with punishment that offsets any gains to be had through criminal behavior. The choice theory was developed in the 18th century by an Italian philosopher and politician. His theory explains the offender’s motivation to commit a crime is purposeful, with the intent of some sort of ego boosts or personal gain. The rational cause theory is when the offender makes the choice to commit the crime upon examining the consequences or benefits. The offender would then plan the crime and the location and the target of the crime. The offender would then execute the crime knowing that it is...
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...Abstract Many factors contribute to juvenile delinquency and research has recognized that there is not one single pathway to delinquency. Studies have shown that the more risk factors the juvenile faces the probability of offending increases. The major factors contributing to juvenile delinquency are individual factors, social factors, and community factors. Many people have tried to figure out and understand the factors that lead our youths to commit crimes and what can we do to prevent and rehabilitate them to keep them from committing these crimes again. Juvenile delinquency is one of the most important issues around the world today. Despite the social awareness surrounding the topic, juvenile delinquency is on the rise and needs to be addressed in order to stop our youth from becoming criminals instead of important members of society. There have been many efforts to understand and analyze the reasons that juveniles commit crimes however there is no set reason, but rather several reasons that can lead a youth to commit crimes. Recent research shows that violence among juveniles is rising rapidly and shows that more than 60% of youths will have either been a victim or will have committed a crime sometime during their youth years (Garza, 2011). Research has also stated that the crime rate among juveniles has increases rapidly since the 1980’s and in 2009 youths were responsible for more than 2 million violent crimes in the United States (Garza, 2011). At the same time...
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...Criminal Justice Trends evaluation Marion Wade CJA/394 Criminal Justice Trends evaluation It is important for us to understand past, current, and future trends throughout the criminal justice system. Trends allow us to identify areas that need to be addressed so we may be equipped to handle them better. Society depends of the criminal justice system in many ways to offer them a sense of justice, safety, and peace of mind. Within this paper I will discuss past, current, and future trends and how it affects and changes our criminal justice system. I will also address recent and future trends and contemporary issues that affect the criminal justice system, as well as the values of the criminal justice system in a changing society. Past Trends Even though to most it may not seem like it, the criminal justice system has come a long way in its dealings with the public. In the past the criminal justice system was viewed as a faceless machine that acted independently of the areas it charged to look after. It seemed that it was better to stay detached from the public in order to remain biased in their judgment and to keep their professional appearance. By studying past trends we not only were able to see trends in criminal behavior as well as having the ability to try and create possible projections on why it could lead but, we were also able to view the interaction between the criminal justice system and those it served. Both the criminal justice system and the general public...
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...development of the criminal mind John Sanders AIU Online For many, determining the cause of crime would cease crime. Others believe that there is a genetic disorder which causes criminal behavior. This debate has been raging for centuries and will continue for many more years. Some opinions believe that the environment a person is in plays a part in the decision making, and to some degree that may be true. An example of this idea may be an unemployed parent who is trying to feed the children and out of desperation turns to crime as a way of fulfilling a need. In a majority of cases, criminals are defined by the crimes that they commit. Some crimes are considered to be less offensive than others and some crimes are only crimes because the behavior or activity was made criminal by legislative action which criminalized that behavior. For an example of this we need only to look to the people of the Appalachia region of the eastern United States. Early in the U.S history when the immigrants settled they brought with them their ability to distil whiskey. To those who lived in that region home brewed whiskey was part of their daily lives. U.S. legislated laws prohibiting the making and distributing of their liquor and a new culture emerged in the outlaw bootlegger. This outlaw was responsible for supplying the demand for the now illegal “corn squeeze ins” as well as the creator of a national pastime namely NASCAR. That is one example of what creates a criminal, but what about...
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...full title) Tutor Name: David Bruce Student ID Number: (200937726) Date of Submission: (26th July, 2013) Word count of your essay (1,265) Internet is a fast developing technology and the popularity of video gaming had been growing in recent years as well. Many people or institutions therefore investigate the negative impacts of video gaming. Since video games often include violence or aggressive language, people often think that video games lead to violent crime such as robbing, bullying and so on. However, Video games do not have direct impact on teenagers’ criminal behaviour because it is not proven that it leads to any criminal activities. This essay will examine the relationship between video games and teenagers’ aggressive behaviour and argue that video games do not assist to any criminal activities. Furthermore, video games also influence teenagers in a positive way. In recent years, many researchers found that teenagers tent to be more violent in behaviour after playing video games which might lead to crime for instance. Bösche (2010) states that video games lead to both aggressive behaviours and positive cognitions simultaneously. One of the positive effects of video games is securing players' attention and it can be implemented in education. Ferguson (2010) suggests that the violence and excitement of video games can draw players' attention easily, therefore video games can be used as a medium for spreading positive information. For example, educational tasks can...
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...White Collar Crimes Buckner, Derrick Central Texas College BUSG 2305 Dr. Bob Stephens Welcome to the age of white collar crime. A time when the words thieves and businessmen go hand in hand. White collar criminals don’t get their hands dirty in their work. They use their heads to get what they want instead of using a little muscle. These criminals are just as dangerous as the rapists and murderers. In these times, even the most seemingly respectable people are suspected of white collar crimes. Like every other person in this world, when we hear the word crime; we automatically get an image of a person from a low class in a bad neighborhood and coming from a troubled family. However, who knew that those who are educated and coming from a wealthy family can also pertain to the world of crime and mischief. We as human beings tend to also be judgmental, assuming that only unprivileged men have a drive to commit an offense against the law then a prosperous individual. Nevertheless, it is not our evil doing that we are regularly pushed to foresee this problem this way, especially not when it is the media, the government, and the media are the ones who painting this picture for us. In this universe we are surrounded by none ending crime, crime is broking down into two sections that have categories of their own those are street crime and white collar crime. An in my Research I will speak about the Business Crime which has been Giving the Name White Collar Crime& How Businesses are...
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...the juvenile court puts an emphasis on the whole child instead of the offense, used parens patriae as its foundation, discretion of the juvenile's behaviors, and has the judge be the sole determining factor of the juvenile's faith (Cauffman, 2018). Throughout history, it is evident that the pendulum tends to swing back and forth between rehabilitation and punishment, especially within the past century. In fact, cases such as In re Gault and in re Winship, have...
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...1. Actus reus is the Latin term used to describe a criminal act. Every crime must be considered in two parts-the physical act of the crime (actus reus) and the mental intent to do the crime (mens rea). Преступление — это общественно опасное, противоправное, виновное деяние дееспособного лица, за которое предусмотрено уголовное наказание. Crime - is socially dangerous , illegal , guilty act capable person, which provides criminal penalties. Crimes are defined by criminal law, which refers to a body of federal and state rules that prohibit behavior the government deems harmful to society. If one engages in such behavior, they may be guilty of a crime and prosecuted in criminal court. In today’s society, criminal behavior and criminal trials are highly publicized in the media and commonly the storyline in hit television shows and movies. As a result, people may consider themselves well-informed on the different types of crimes. However, the law can be quite complicated. There are many different types of crimes but, generally, crimes can be divided into four major categories,personal crimes, property crimes, inchoate crimes, and Statutory Crimes: * Personal Crimes – “Offenses against the Person”: These are crimes that result in physical or mental harm to another person. Personal crimes include: * Assault * Battery * False Imprisonment * Kidnapping * Homicide – crimes such as first and second degree, murder, and involuntary...
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...Economics of Crime and Prevention Ja-mel Q. Whitaker ECO 499 Senior Seminar in Economics and Finance Professor Juliet Elu September 4, 2011 I. What is a Crime? Criminal activities produce several social issues in the United States. Criminal activities affect our “general well-being by threatening loss of property and by generating concern for our physical safety” (Grimes, Register, & Sharp, 2010). A large portion of “national output is devoted to crime prevention activities.” Unfortunately, this diversion of outputs leads to the used resources being “unavailable for other, [perhaps more pressing,] production processes,” such as education. This is not to say crime prevention is not important at all. In fact it is a serious pressing issue that needs serious attention, but could be avoided if people do not participate in criminal behavior. According to dictionary.com (2011), crime is “an action or an instance of negligence that is deemed injurious to the public welfare or morals or to the interests of the state and that is legally prohibited.” Criminal acts are any actions that “society (or one of its subdivisions) has decided it is better off without, which it has therefore made illegal through laws, ordinances, and the like” (Grimes, Register, & Sharp, 2010). Not all criminal acts are immoral, which is the issue with the first definition and most definitions of crime for that matter. Speeding is not necessarily immoral, but it is a crime. Cheating...
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...Juvenile Delinquency Mary-Katherine Guzofski Liberty University Abstract An adolescent who engages in delinquent behavior is it a high risk of drug use and addiction, quitting school before graduation, future incarceration, and continued criminal behavior lasting into adulthood. Early intervention and prevention methods can divert juveniles from many of the adverse consequences that result from delinquency. Intervention is best done by parents in the home as they are the closest to the adolescent on a daily basis. Quality time and open communication are essential factures in the intervention and prevention of juvenile delinquency. Prevention stems from activities such as positive and interactive school attendance, and community involvement with a faith based church group. All of these methods are keys to prevent or minimize delinquent behavior. . Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency A large number of inmates in adult facilities have been living a delinquent / criminal lifestyle since they were juveniles, therefore it is safe to say that focusing on prevention will produce an overall reduction in crime. Juvenile delinquency is on the rise and this is cause for concern. More serious crimes are being committed by adolescents, and the younger they start the more likely they are to continue their involvement in crime. Whether a juvenile’s delinquent behavior actually begins in childhood, or is a characteristic that develops later on in the teenaged years, immediate intervention...
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...Organizational Behavior Shane Kloppenborg CJA/444 October 27, 2014 Rochelle Diaz Organizational Behavior One of the biggest hurdles in any organization is affecting change. Changes to policy, procedure, or regulation all come with some predetermined view of disgust, or apprehension. The drivers behind these changes can be social, political, or profit based, but in all instances, with all sizes of organizations, effective change management techniques can help offset the drop in efficiency, or morale. Within criminal justice systems, many factors play a part in policy, procedure, and regulation. Social interaction between members of the system and the community, and within the systems themselves, political pressure, and the overall behavior within an organizations membership can mean the success or failure of the organization. Police agencies for instance, do not have the luxury of failing, and therein would remain active, yet ineffective, hostile, with low results and a negative impact on the community. Organizational systems provide for the established routes of command, control, and production. From the chief administrator, to the patrol officer, these systems allow for an efficient, and effective line of communication and instruction from the top to the bottom of the ranks, and a line of communication to report successes, failures, and suggestions for change from the bottom back to the top ranks. Organizational behavior is relevant in that the manner in which this...
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...Eric Smith Case Study Cortez Jefferies Juvenile Delinquency Gary Dennis July 25, 2012 Juvenile Delinquency is the participation of illegal behavior by a minor who falls under a statutory age limit. A delinquent is a minor who commits a crime or a status offense. A status offense is conduct that is illegal only because the child is under age i.e. smoking cigarettes (Leung, 2009). In August 1993 in Savona, New York 13 year old Eric Smith killed 4 year old Derrick Robie. Smith lured Robie into the woods and strangled, beat with large rocks, and sodomized Robie. When questioned by the police Smith kept changing various details in his story. This made police believe that he knew more about the case than he was telling them. Smith confessed to his parents that he killed Robie. As a young child, Smith displayed anger problems. He would throw tantrums and bang his head on the floor. Smith was a firebug and would kill small animals. He would hit his siblings and would punch things to let out his anger. In school, Smith had a learning disability, speech problems and was left back. Smith often was the target of bullies, affecting his self-esteem. He had extremely low self-esteem. Smith’s mother while pregnant with him took tridione to control her epileptic seizures. Tridione can cause birth defects and may have caused physical and developmental defects in Eric. Smith’s attorney said he suffered from a mental disease called intermittent...
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...The Study of Crime By Juan Andres Alvarez Crime & Society Instructor: Sara Rogers September 19, 2011 The Study of Crime: Throughout recorded history there have been numerous theories that explain why criminal behavior exists. One of those theories is The Classical Theory of Criminology, it states that the combination of free will, hedonistic decision making and the failure of the social contact in producing criminal behavior. I tend to agree that it all come done to free-will and the desire to commit such acts. In order to comprehend the study of crime we must first learn to prevent crime. There are many crime prevention programs that have work others have not. Unlike these theories many of these programs have not yet been evaluated or hold enough creditable scientific evidence to draw positive conclusions. Enough evidence is available, however, to create provisional lists of what might work; what hasn’t, and what’s potential to work in the foreseeable future. In order to formulate a possible list of programs in our neighborhoods we must continue to study of crime and its many possibilities; and to purse and punish those criminals that break the law and bring them to justice. We as society should focus on not just what type of crimes are been committed or to what rate they are been committed but we should focus our attention on the aspect of crime that has not been studied before the learning to find peace amongst ourselves. Before we can learn to find...
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...Beliefs on White Collar Crime Versus Traditional Crime Beliefs on White Collar Crime Versus Traditional Crime Is there a difference in white collar crime (WCC) and traditional crime? While the actual crime may be very different a crime against someone is still a crime. This paper will discuss the differences between WCC and traditional crime while looking at the etiology, theories, justice, and social construct in relation to crime. Sutherland defined white collar as “a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation” (as cited in Croall, 2001, p.3). Traditional crime is more so one that society has developed into a law against and is generally thought to be more punishable. Etiology Traditional crime is one is one in which there is an underlying theme of violence attached to it in some way. There has been a law broken and a person or persons is harmed usually through violence or the threat of violence in some way. These crimes are often face-to-face (like robbing someone at knife or gun point) or done specifically to someone or something (like an assault or automobile theft). Traditional crimes are usually published in the media and the offender is usually punished differently than in WCC. There is an entire different aspect to WCC. It is one in which a person or persons is placed in a position of trust and they breach that trust. It may be a position within a company and they embezzle out of the company or they use...
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