Criminal behaviour

Question 1

What is the definition of criminal behaviour?

Answer 1

Behaviour is only a crime when a law is broken and is therefore a social construct as laws are influenced by time and place.
E.G: racial hate crimes previously not punished by law is now illegal

Question 2

who developed the common characteristics of career criminals?

Answer 2

Chase (2016) = identified 10 common characteristics of career criminals some of which are rationalisation, asocial value system, family dysfunction, cognitive laziness

Question 3

define the common characteristic rationalisation?

Answer 3

tend to rationalises their behaviour by diverting blame and questioning motives of others and don’t evaluate the consequences of their actions

Question 4

define the characteristic asocial value system?

Answer 4

anti-social personality disorder, also known as “criminal thinking”
-rarely show any remorse or empathy for others
-failure to comply to social standards and lack of shelf controls results in confrontation

Question 5

define the characteristic dysfunctional family?

Answer 5

• lack of emotional and financial support from family, predisposition to asocial behaviour
• usually also indulgence of substance abuse in family

Question 6

define the characteristic of cognitive laziness?

Answer 6

-lack of ambition +easily bored= poor and not well thought our decisions
- youth, desire to live outside of rules, these factors are accepted into adulthood

Question 7

What are the characteristics of Type 1 murderers?

Answer 7

• Disorganised asocial offender
• Below average IQ
• Possibly a high school dropout
• Seen as socially inadequate
• Likely unskilled workers/labourers
• Harsh and inconsistent discipline in childhood

Question 8

What are the characteristics of Type 2 murderers?

Answer 8

• Organised non-social offender
• Above average or high IQ
• Socially adequate
• Lives with a partner and Sexually competent
• Harshly disciplined in childhood
• Ability to control mood and emotions , described to have Masculine image
• Motivated by situational causes and Geographically or occupationally mobile

Question 9

What is the nature of terrorism as described?

Answer 9

• Rader spectrum crime, Targets larger groups of victims
• Often non-combatant civilians, Motivated by perceived injustice and wrong
• Sometimes politically or economically triggered
• Rationalisation of motives and perused through violence
• Potential psychological defects (e.g., paranoia, SZ)