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Biological & Psychological Trait Theories: Exploring Crime Typologies

Delve into the impact of biological factors on criminal behavior, focusing on neurotransmitters, genetic traits, and environmental influences. Explore crime typologies, from violent offenses to property crimes, and understand offender profiles. Gain insights into the complexities of criminal behavior and the challenges of predicting typologies accurately.

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Biological & Psychological Trait Theories: Exploring Crime Typologies

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  1. 118 week 3 Biological & Psychological Trait Theories & Crime Typologies

  2. Early Biological Theories • Recall Positivism • Scientific method etc. • Phrenology • Crainometry • Physiognomy

  3. 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?)

  4. 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?

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. Other Reading… • Eysenck – extraverts have chronic cortical underarousal • Buikhuisen – children are especially vulnerable when they have biological AND social deficits • Moffitt – developmental perspective

  8. 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?

  9. 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…..

  10. 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?

  11. Violent Crime Typologies • Homicide • Multiple murders • Serial murder • Mass murder • What about single murderers? Why no typology for them?

  12. 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

  13. 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?

  14. Types of Rape • Stranger rape • Gang rape • Serial rape • Acquaintance rape • Date rape • Marital/spousal rape

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. Property Crime Typologies • 18th Century Thieves: • Skilled thieves • Smugglers • Poachers • Modern Thieves: • Occasional Criminals • Professional Criminals • Shoplifters • Boosters, Heels, Snitches

  18. Property Crime Typologies • Motor Vehicle Theft: • Joyriding • Short-term transportation • Long-term transportation • Profit • Commission of another crime • Carjacking

  19. Property Crime Typologies • Burglary: • Young novice • Novice • Journeyman stage • Professional burglars

  20. 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)

  21. Terrorism???

  22. Next Class • Prepare for debate/hypothetical • Exam on February 20th in class

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