08/02/2023

CRIM2:
Theories of Crime Causation

Week 1
COURSE ORIENTATION:
● Faculty Profile
● Syllabus Dissemination
● Course Introduction
● PCCR Vision, Mission, and Objective

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Hello!
I’m Ms. Jhasmin Marie Borces-Mendoza
You can call me Ms. Jhaz or ma’am Mendoza;
I’m from Cavite, Philippines
• Magna cum Laude, BS Criminology UDM;
• Registered Criminologist; Licensed Professional Teacher
• Certified Criminalistics Specialist in Polygraphy
• Master of Science in Criminal Justice with Specialization in
Criminology
• Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice (candidate)
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Course Introduction:
COURSE TITLE: Criminology 2:THEORIES OF CRIME CAUSATION

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course captures the theoretical perspective of crime
causation committed by individuals and institutions. It provides a
wide array of theories from all dimensions and aspects of the
person, the society, and the institutions, such as political,
economic, environmental, social, psychological, biological,
women offenders, biopsychosocial, and life course.

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Program Learning Outcomes

A graduate of BS Criminology shall be able to:

1. Conduct criminological research on crimes, crime causation, victims, and

offenders to include deviant behavior;
2. Internalize the concepts of human rights and victim welfare;
3. Demonstrate competence and broad understanding of law enforcement
administration, public safety, and criminal justice;
4. Utilize criminalistics or forensic science in the investigation and detection of
crime;
5. Apply the principles and jurisprudence of criminal law, evidence, and criminal
procedure; and
6. Ensure offenders’ welfare and development for reintegration into the community.

Week 1
• Definition of Terms;
• Definition of Theory;
• Elements of Theory;
• Empirical Bases for Criminology Theories; &
• Supernatural Explanations

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“ The only constant is change.

Criminologists study not only the nature of harmful

behavior but also its causes and the systemic
practices that produce patterns of harm in various
social contexts.
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Learning Outcomes:

• Explain the elements of theory and Empirical

Bases for Criminology theories; &
• Understand the Supernatural Theory

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A. Theory Defined
• Theory is derived from the Greek word ”Theoria,” which means
”contemplation or speculation.”
• Theory is a supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain
something, especially one based on general principles
independent of the thing to be explained.
• Theory serves as a model or framework for understanding
human behavior and the forces that form it. Moore(1991) stated
that theory is a related set of concepts and principles about
phenomena.

B. Elements of Theory
1. Theory is logically composed of concepts, definitions,
assumptions, and generalizations.
2. The primary function of theory is to describe and explain.

The components of the theory are concepts (ideally well

defined) and principles. A concept is a symbolic representation of
an actual thing (tree, chair, table, computer, distance, etc.)
Construct is the word for concepts with no physical referent
(democracy, learning, freedom, etc.) Language enables
conceptualization.
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Theory
Theory in criminology refers to efforts to
explain or understand crime causation. It
is often viewed as an attempt to justify
and excuse crime or as being wholly
inadequate in guiding practical, existing
social policy.

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C. Empirical Bases for Criminology Theories

1. CLASSICAL/ CHOICE PERSPECTIVES(SITUATIONAL FORCES)
Crime is a function of free will and personal choice. Punishment is a
crime deterrent.
2. BIOLOGICAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE (INTERNAL FORCES)
Crime functions as chemical, neurological, genetic, personality,
intelligence, or mental traits.
3. STRUCTURAL PERSPECTIVE (ECOLOGICAL FORCES)
Crime rates are a function of neighborhood conditions, cultural
forces, and norm conflict.
4. PROCESS PERSPECTIVE (SOCIALIZATION FORCES)
Crime is a function of upbringing, learning, and control. Peers,
parents, and teachers influence behavior.
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C. Empirical Bases for Criminology Theories Cont.

5. CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE (ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL)
Crime is a function of competition for limited resources and power.
Class conflict produces crime.
6. DEVELOPMENTAL PERSPECTIVE (MULTIPLE FORCES)
Biological, Social-psychological, economic, and political forces may
combine to produce crime.

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1. Early and Classical Criminological Theories:

1. Demonological Theory 5. Ecological Theory
• Using Crime Statistics: Andre M. Guerry and
2. Classical Theory Adolphe Quetelet
• Crime in relation to Punishment: Cesare • Critique of Ecological Theory
Beccaria • Other Geographical Theories Marx
3. Hedonism and Crime: Jeremy Bentham 6. Economic Theory
• Critique of Classical Theory • Class, Crime, and Capitalism: Karl Marx
• Criminal Law and Class: Willem Bonger
4. Neoclassical Theory
• Rational Choice Theory
• Deterrence Theory

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2. Biological and Psychological Theories

1. Positivist Theory
• Precursors of Positivism 4. Psychological Theories
• Freudian Theory
2. Biological Theories • Psychometry
• Biological Positivism: Cesare Lombroso • Extroverts Versus Introverts: Hans Eysenck
• Feeblemindedness: Charles Goring • Conditioning: B. F. Skinner
• Heredity: The Jukes and Kallikaks
• Physical Inferiority: Earnest Hooton 5. Crime Profiling
• Body Types • Social Learning Theory: Albert Bandura
• Critique of Early Biological Theories • The Criminal Personality: Samuel Yochelson
and Stanton Samenow
3. More Recent Biological Theories • Intelligence and Crime
• Brain Disorders
• Twin Studies
• Adoption Studies
• Problems With Twin and Adoption Studies
• XYY Syndrome
• Other Biological Factors
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• Critique of Neobiological Theories

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3. Sociological Mainstream Theories

1. Anomie Theories 4. Social Control Theories
• Anomie: Émile Durkheim • Reckless’s Containment Theory
• Merton’s Theory of Anomie • Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory
• Robert Agnew’s General Strain Theory (GST) • Gottfredson and Hirschi’s General Theory of
• Subcultural Theories Crime
• Cohen’s Lower-Class Reaction Theory • John Hagan’s Power-Control Theory
• Cloward and Ohlin’s Differential Opportunity
Theory
5. Developmental and Life Course (DLC)
Theories
2. Social Process Theories • Farrington’s Antisocial Potential (AP) Theory
• The Chicago School • Sampson and Laub’s Life Course Criminality
• Shaw and McKay’s Social Disorganization Theory
• Sutherland’s Theory of Differential Association 6. The Theory–Policy Connection

3. Designing Out Crime 7. Crime & the Media

• Miller’s Focal Concerns Theory • Sociological Mainstream Theories
• Matza’s Delinquency and Drift Theory
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4. Sociological Critical Theories and Integrated Theories

1. Mainstream Versus Critical Criminology 6. New Critical Criminology
2. Labeling Theory • Left Realism
• Lemert’s Secondary Deviance • Peacemaking
• A Critique of Labeling Theory
• John Braithwaite’s Shaming Theory 7. Postmodernism

3. Conflict Criminology 8. Incorporating Restorative and Community

• The Political Nature of Criminal Law: Austin Turk Justice into American Sentencing and Corrections
• Conflict Theory: William Chambliss and Richard
Quinney 9. Radical Marxist Criminology
• Radical Criminology: Richard Quinney
4. Conflict Criminology and Race: W. E. B. Du • Capitalism and Crime: William Chambliss
Bois • Conflict Versus Marxist Criminology
• Conflict Criminology and Social Class: Jeffrey • Critiques of Radical Criminology
Reiman
10. Integrated Theories of Crime
5. Feminist Criminology • Delbert Elliott’s Integrative Theory
• Terence Thornberry’s Interactional Theory 18

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Supernatural
Explanations
"People commit crimes under
demonic or evil influences."
The development of criminology theory started
with demonology around 5500 BC. According to
some theorists, the first school of criminology
was the demonological school of criminology.
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D. Supernatural Explanations
Demonology is an ancient discipline that developed itself out of
theology. The existence of demons (evil beings) only confirms that God
exists.

Demonology is, unfortunately, a borderline science. This essentially

means that modern science will never accept any explanation that involves
non-material or spiritual forms of evidence. Officially, any crime that involves
demonic possessions may be qualified as insanity. Psychiatrists are those
who, at the request of the Court, make a diagnosis and prognosis about a
person’s sanity or insanity. Modern science tends to rationally and
materially explains connections between crime and demonic possessions.
The main reasons are that lawmaker request a legal form of evidence.
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D. Supernatural Explanations Cont.

Demonological or supernatural explanations of criminality dominated
thinking from the early to the eighteenth century and still have modern
remnants. In a system of knowledge in which theological explanations of reality
were predominant, the criminal was viewed as a sinner possessed by demons
who are damned by otherworldly forces. Mankind was at the mercy of the
supernatural: Fates, ghosts, furies, and spirits. Mankind was viewed as a
manifestation of basically evil human nature, reflecting either the price of
darkness or an expression of divine wrath.

The Salem Witch Trials in Puritan England and the Spanish Inquisition serve
as an example of the torture, burning at stake, and other grim executions
awaiting heretics, witches, and criminals.
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D. Supernatural Explanations Cont.

A belief in the supernatural also affected the punishments applied to
offenders. From this paradigm, appropriate outcomes might include efforts to
save the sinner, appease the gods, or exorcise the demons.

If a person was viewed as beyond salvation, exile or execution might be

acceptable options for casting the “evil” individual from society.

Other punitive responses were guided by religious principles, as with

the concept of “an eye for an eye.”

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Assessment in Week 1:
Read each question below. In three paragraphs, answer each of the following
in not more than 250 words:
1. In your own words, discuss the quotation by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:
Crime is common. Logic is rare. Therefore it is upon the logic rather than upon
the crime that you should dwell.

2. Discuss what Demonological Theory is.

3. Discuss why demonology is associated with mental illness in modern times.

Class, don't forget to cite references in APA 7th Edition. Click here to be
guided for in-text citations and reference citations accordingly.
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Any
questions?

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