Psychology of Offender Behaviour: Theories, Factors, and Interventions

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PSYCHOLOGY OF BEHAVIOUR
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................3
LO3..............................................................................................................................................................4
P3.............................................................................................................................................................6
LO4..............................................................................................................................................................8
P4...........................................................................................................................................................10
P5...........................................................................................................................................................12
CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................................15
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INTRODUCTION
There are several psychological perspectives that can help to explain the behaviour of the offender. The
main aim of this report is to learn the perspective of psychology that can be applied in public services on
a team as well as on the individual. Various rehabilitation and resettlements centres have been made to
prevent crime rate and to diminish the chances of reoffending. These programs work on the principle
that every criminal is not bad inherently, however, there are some trigger zones that activate them to
cause criminal activity.
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LO3
Various theories have been proposed that explain what causes an individual to begin to commit, desist
from committing crimes and continue to commit. Some of the theories explained that crime is due to
personality traits that can cause to commit a crime while others explained that it is genetic factors that
could cause criminal activity (Roberts, 2012). Some of the theories that explained criminal behaviour of
the offender are
RATIONAL CHOICE THEORY
The rational choice theory was originally established by the Jeremy Bentham and Cesare Beccaria in the
18th century (Cornish and Clarke, 2014). This theory is much broader and general and includes informal
and formal sanctions. This theory explained that crime is purposive behaviour designed to meet the
criminal commonplace needs such as excitement, sex, status, and money. This theory explained that
criminal think about them about how to achieve their goals. This theory explained that individual choice
the behaviour, both deviant and confirming which is based on their rational factor (Cornish and Clarke,
2014)s. Choice of the person can be control through understanding and perception of the punishment
and potential pain.
SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
Social learning theory was proposed by B.F. Skinner in 1940 (Akers and Jennings, 2015). Skinner
explained that social behaviour and learning process developed new behaviour in the individual and that
can learn through duplicating and spotting others behaviour. He explained that emergent and
maintenance of unpredictable or rude behavior due to aggressive factors. Offender learns criminal
behaviour through interaction with other people by communication (Akers and Jennings, 2015). Criminal
behaviour is an expression of values and needs. Criminal behavior can be acquired both in social
interaction and nonsocial interaction. The learning of criminal activity includes avoidance procedure,
attitudes and specific techniques. The probability of exposure to certain criminal activity and nature of
fortification depend on norms and standard of group.
BOWLBY AND MATERNAL DEPRIVATION
John Bowlby was explained by Bowlby and maternal deprivation theory (Akers, 2017). This theory
explained that behaviour of the individual in inborn and it could be aggravated due to the variety of
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reasons such as fear, separation and insecurity. He explained a mother-child relationship to derive
criminal behaviour. Warn and intimate relationship between mother and child is as necessary for
psychological development as vitamin and mineral are important for the growth and development of
the child (Akers, 2017). Sometimes due to fear or insecurity can aggravate the person to get involved in
the criminal activity.
EYSENCK’S THEORY OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR
Hanks Eysenck has been proposed Eysenck’s theory of criminal behavior in 1964 (White et al., 2017). He
explained that the personality of the individuals is based biologically and that personality traits include
neuroticism and extraversion aspect and it can be evaluated through personality questionnaire.
Extraversion refers to the natural requirement of the people and it can be recognized through the
provocation level of the individuals CNS and ANS (White et al., 2017). Neuroticism refers to the
personality stability of the people. The individual with high personality trait was usually more active and
volatile.
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P3
Several causative factors that are associated with criminal activity or can influence people to involve in
criminal activities (Palmer, 2013). Some of the factors listed below.
SUBSTANCE MISUSE
People who use more often drugs and alcohol are more likely to associate with criminal activities
because in drunk people usually not in the state of mind and often do a crime. Teenagers are often
involved in drug misuse (Farrington et al., 2012). The criminal activities that are mostly associated with
drug or alcohol misuse are rape, murder, stealing things, kidnapping and assault.
SOCIAL LEVEL OF MORALITY
Social morality adversely affects criminal activity. Most of the families or society encourages or tolerated
divergent or unpredictable behaviour of the individual (Farrington et al., 2012). While on the other
hand, some family did not tolerate this kind of behaviour and they are often involved in correcting
divergent behaviour. Social surrounding great influence the behaviour of the individual. It could have
positive as well as negative impact of the psychological development of the children.
EDUCATION
Various evidence suggests that people with low education and knowledge are usually getting involved n
criminal activity. It may be due to unawareness among the people (Farrington et al., 2012). They are
usually not aware of various benefits and rules and laws that have been proposed by the government.
People with high-income status and education level usually not involved in the crime rate. It can be
concluded that increase education and knowledge among the population can decrease criminal
activities.
POVERTY
Poverty is one of the prime factors that could induce criminal behaviour among the people (Jones,
2013). the individual usually involves in the crime due to desire or need of something and to fulfil such
desire, they often do stealing or kidnapping. However, poverty itself is not being associated with
criminal activity, there are various factors that could lead to poverty such as joblessness, lack of
opportunities, lack of access to school, etc.
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AGE
Various research revealed that teenagers are more often to get engage in criminal activities as
compared to seniors or adult (Pakes and Pakes 2012). This is because teenagers are commonly involve in
substance or drug misuse. Criminal activity can be decreased through spreading awareness among
teenagers and how it can be prevented from drug or substance misuse.
ECONOMY
Economic condition greatly influences the criminal activity. It has been seen that people with low
socioeconomic status are often involved in crime rate because of the needs and desire to get things
(Pakes and Pakes 2012). Low economic status usually due to unemployment, homelessness, poverty,
and lack of assessing of education. In order to achieve home, employment and education people often
get involved in criminal activity.
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LO4
Perspective or theories of psychology can be used on an individual to explain the basic character of the
person (Boduszek et al., 2013). The focus of the perspective of psychology is to analyses or evaluate the
issues and problems that individual is facing in their daily life. This perspective can be fused with the
individual and public and every participant can be defined as a volunteer so that the intervention could
get higher success (Wikstrom and Butterworth, 2013). The perspective of psychology can be approach to
the person are communication style, Kolb honey and Mumford learning style, kearsely learning.
COMMUNICATION STYLE
Every person possesses a unique style of communication in which they get interact with others to
express their desire and needs. It is important to understand different communication style to know the
psychology of the person (Wikstrom and Butterworth, 2013). There are basically four different types of
communication such as
Passive
Passive communicators fail to express their needs and feeling to others and expect others to express
themselves. Passive communication often leads to misinterpretation and miscommunication among the
people (Wikstrom and Butterworth, 2013).
Aggressive
Aggressive communication often speaks loud with intense eye contact and demanding voice usually
controlling and domination other people. This type of people generally ask question rudely, issue
command and fail to listen to another voice (Men, 2015).
Passive-aggressive
In this, people usually communicate with body language such as spreading rumours behind people back,
giving someone salient treatment and sabotaging other efforts.
Assertive
Assertive is one of the most effective communications. Communicators are able to express their feeling,
idea, desires and needs and also considering other needs (Men, 2015).
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KOLB HONEY AND MUMFORD LEARNING STYLE
Four learning styles that are pragmatist, activist, theorist and reflector have been proposed by Peter
Honey and Alan Mumford. Reflector people learn by thinking and understanding the events while
pragmatist learns by putting their abilities into the practice (Manolis et al., 2013). Theorist people want
to recognize the concept or phenomenon behind the action. Activist people learn something new by
performing or doing it.
ADULT LEARNING STYLE
Adult learning style has been proposed by Malcolm Knowles. According to him, andragogy refers to the
science and art of adult learning (Taylor and Hamdy, 2013). He gave five adult learner characteristics
Self-concept: as an individual mature his self-concept move from one step to other steps.
Experience: as an individual mature his experience become increase resource of learning.
Readiness to learn: as an individual mature, his thinking of readiness to learning become task oriented.
Orientation to learning: as an individual mature his perspective changes and now more focuses on task
and goals (Taylor and Hamdy, 2013).
Motivation to learn: as an individual mature, he is more motivated towards his goals and objective.
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P4
The various perspective of psychology can be approach in the public services on a team or group
through the psychodynamic theory of group tension, studies of out group and in group and group
psychodynamic
IN-GROUP AND OUT GROUP
The individual frequently identifies themselves in the group and usually disparage other people who are
not fit in the group, this mechanism is called as in the group (Kurzban and Neuberg, 2015). It has been
seen that people who can share their opinion, desire, feelings can be classified as in-group while those
people who are unable to show their opinion and feeling purposely or not has been considered an
outgroup. Grouping of the people can be recognized in terms of inherent factors that include gender,
caste, age, or sex. An individual can easily influence by the in-group people. In some of the cases, where
the groups are not being so active or striking psychologically, the people tend to shift their thought and
emotion towards social norms and customs (Kurzban and Neuberg, 2015). The identification of group is
very necessary to promote the senses of belongings and identity. PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORY OF
GROUP TENSION
Psychodynamic theory of group tension is constructed to form a connection or interaction with the
individual, team, or leader as well as the reaction towards a goal and task ( Rutan, Stone and Shay, 2014).
Peoples are usually entered into a group to mobilize various needs and treating the personality
boundary. The individual needs can be fulfilled through defining various roles and responsibilities and
develop a common connection or to define a connection among the team members. Usually, dominant
member in a group has a feeling of independence (Rutan, Stone and Shay, 2014). In the case where the
group has no any group leader, the character difference and status consensus motivate or encourage
group member to take the foremost role in a group in various sectors so that the task could be
completed successfully. Aggression and authority are the two universal problems that every member
has been suffered from this and it can be identified by the group process. However, it has been seen
that the performance of the team and its presence has been depending on in what way the participant
can be able to survive with the situation or conditions (Rutan, Stone and Shay, 2014). The positive
impacts of group dynamic are universality, group cohesion, education altruism, corrective emotional
experience and feeling of belonging to a group. Group dynamic basically includes three phases. The first
phase of dynamic group is incapacitating the enslavement battle. Members are task oriented or self-
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oriented are trying to fulfil their needs. The second phase is the phase of consistency and the last phase
is the phase of separation. However to succeed in a task, every new participant in a group has to go
through this phase (Rutan, Stone and Shay, 2014).
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P5
Several perspectives of psychology can be approach to a team or group by the public services to prevent
crime rate and to diminish the chances of reoffending. Various rehabilitation and resettlement centre
have been proposed by the government to stop illicit activity and to diminish reoffending among the
prisoners. These hubs are playing great role to alter the psychology of the offender and encourage
positive behaviour among them. These hubs are providing training and education and spread awareness
among the public.
REHABILITATION CENTER
Various criminal rehabilitation centres are working across the world to change the psychology of the
offender and change the pathway of reoffenders (Fondacaro et al., 2014). This program is based on the
fact that every criminal is not bad inherently. There are some of the factors that could influence criminal
activities. Rehabilitation centres induce positive behaviour among criminals. Psychologist helps the
offender to change criminal behaviour. In this centre, generally, 6 to the 1-year program has been
conducted to change the perception of the offender (Fondacaro et al., 2014).
OFFENDING BEHAVIOR PROGRAMS AND INTERVENTIONS
Criminal behaviour intervention and program has been running currently in the UK. The main focus of
this intervention is to alter the behaviour, thinking and attitude of people that can increase chances of
reoffending (Fondacaro et al., 2014). Various intervention and program has been performed in a team or
group however some program consists of one to one services. The strategy can help people to
encourage or motivate criminals towards positive goals and help them to learn new abilities and
techniques to reduce reoffending and criminal activity. This intervention can help the criminal in self-
management, problem-solving, managing relationship, anger and how to cope in a difficult situation
(Weisburd et al., 2016). The psychologist uses cognitive behavioural therapy. Various studies have
shown that this therapy is one of the most common and effective therapy to stop recidivism and
criminal rate. Additionally, this program is providing services to the community as well to spread
awareness and to prevent the side effects of a substance or drug misuse.
OFFENDER MANAGEMENT SERVICES
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