lecture four - making a criminal

Question 1

a general theory of crime

Answer 1

crime, deviance and other bad behaviour are all the result of low self-control

claims that low self-control is a constant through life and children with behaviour problems move onto juvenile delinquents and then adult offenders

Question 2

life course perspective

Answer 2

problem behaviours are age-related, caused by certain events that take place in the developmental process

Question 3

general strain theory

Answer 3

Merton argued that financial strain can lead to criminal + deviant behaviour, Agnew argued that Merton;s version was too narrow

Agnew argues that several types of negative experiences can lead to stress

Question 4

three types of strain

Answer 4

1. inability to achieve positively valued goals
2. removal or threat to remove positively valued stimuli
3. actual or anticipated exposure to harmful stimuli

Question 5

rational choice theory

Answer 5

rooted in classical school of criminology

human behaviour, including criminal behaviour, is the result of conscious decision-making
- criminals as rational actors

criticisms: is everyone capable of making a rational decision

Question 6

instrumental crimes

Answer 6

involved some planning and weighting of risks

Question 7

expressive crimes

Answer 7

often impulsive and emotional, people who commit them re not likely to be concerned at the time of commission with the implications of their actions

Question 8

routine activity theory

Answer 8

suggests that changes in crime levels of crime in society are closely associated with changing lifestyles

criticisms: opportunities to commit crime do not necessarily lead to crime even when controls are absent

Question 9

environmental design

Answer 9

crime can be prevented if the buildt environment is properly designed so that opportunities for motivated offenders to commit crime are removed

criticisms: shifts focus to surveillance and protectionism, ‘good citizens’ vs ‘bad offenders’ stereotypes are perpetuated

Question 10

four main ideas of environmental design

Answer 10

1. natural surveillance: objects that maximize natural visibility can deter crime
2. natural access control: deter access to crime target by creating an increased perception
3. territorial reinforcement: use of physical attributes that express ownership
4. maintenance: creating the appearance of diligent ownership

Question 11

governmentality

Answer 11

concepts designed by foucault

central to critical perspective on actuarial/risk theory
- societal power is decentralized and the citizenry plays an active role in their own self-governance

Question 12

social exclusion

Answer 12

social exclusion is multi-dimensional + can include financial exclusion as well as other forms of social and political marginalization

Question 13

youth gangs

Answer 13

youth are initially attracted to gang life because of the protection it provides from an unsafe and intimidating neighbourhood environment