Psychological Explanations of Sexual Offending

Critically Contrast
Psychological
Explanations of
Sexual Offending

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
REFERNCES...................................................................................................................................3

INTRODUCTION
Theories related to criminal behaviour generally provides the reasons and factors which
influence the criminals towards the crime. The theories helps to understand the reasons leading
to criminal behaviour. Further it helps to effectively understand the criminal behaviour
accompanied by researches devised by psychologists. It also provides the individual knowledge
in respect of good and ethical practices at work, rehabilitation, programmes and others (Izuma.
and Murayama, 2019). The essay examines the psychological explanations for a particular type
of crime accompanied by theories related to criminal behaviour.
MAIN BODY
Cognitive Theories
Cognitive means an individual’s ability to learn, understand, think and process the
information attained. In simple words it means ability in processing the information received.
This is the reason that the cognitive theories of crime fall under this category of psychological
theories of criminal behaviour. The cognitive covers the crime in which the criminal lack the
moral thinking and processing power, unable to process its thought and not mentally developed.
The cognitive is found effective with juvenile and adult offenders. It is found in research
that cognitive behavioural approaches are effective in reducing criminal behaviour as compared
to other interventions. The approaches includes therapy, counselling, skill building and other
services which led a great impact on the criminal behaviour. The cognitive approach is also be
used as a police strategy (Thomson, 2019). As cognitive skill programs will help to change the
criminal minds of the offenders. Further these programmes are effective for juvenile. There are
many literature in respect of growing criminal behaviour. These help to learn the trend in the
criminal behaviour. Psychologists pay attention on the understanding behaviour i.e. the cognitive
skills in order to underline the criminal behaviour. Several researchers have made contributions
to this theory. They adhere the example of behaviourists in respect of methods for investigating
behaviour. The cognitive test are used to change the thoughts of the offenders. The majority
treatment programs in United Kingdom uses this approach to teach the offenders to change their
behavioural pattern in order to commit crime in future. It was also reviewed that factors such as
anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem can trigger the wave of sexual problems.