Criminology Essay: Exploring Theories and Australian Criminal Justice

This criminology essay provides a comprehensive overview of the field, examining the major theoretical perspectives including psychological, sociological, political, and biological approaches to understanding crime and deviant behavior. The essay demonstrates knowledge of these perspectives, their strengths, and weaknesses, and analyzes their contemporary relevance to the Australian criminal justice system. It explores key concepts and terms within criminology, such as social, biological, and psychological factors influencing criminal behavior. The essay also delves into the evolution of criminological theories and their application in Australia, discussing the historical context and contemporary initiatives within the field. The conclusion summarizes the importance of criminology in understanding, controlling, and reducing crime within society.

CRIMINOLOGY
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Demonstrate knowledge of the major theoretical perspective within criminology....................3
Explain the contemporary relevance of criminological theories to the Australian criminal
justice system..............................................................................................................................5
Understand and apply key concepts and terms within criminology...........................................6
Identify the strength and weakness of criminology theories.......................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
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INTRODUCTION
According to studies criminology is demonstrated as the study of crime and deviant
behaviour. This is not only the study of crime but also explains the impacts of crime on society,
causes of crime and why group of individuals commit the crime. The most important aim of this
study is to determine what makes individuals to act in a criminal manner. Criminology is defined
as branch of sociology, which most importantly examines the organization, human behaviour,
and interaction. This process also ties in research and other concepts of studies such as
anthropology, philosophy, psychology, biology. Criminologist they examine the wide range of
topics which are related to the crime(King, and et. al., (2018)).
MAIN BODY
Demonstrate knowledge of the major theoretical perspective within criminology
Criminology this is defined as the study of crime from the different four perspective
which includes political, sociological, psychological and legal. In other words criminology
analyse the crime from the legal point of view. This statement means criminal behaviour could
be analysed as it is violation of the law. This further means criminologist would evaluate the
laws themselves whilst on the other hand criminologist they would analysis how criminal laws
are made by criminal activities.
Psychological theories
Psychologists they usually does the task of explaining criminals behaviour and delinquent by
keeping focus on individuals personality. In this process behaviour and restraints on behaviour
are learned. The earlier psychological theories were usually based on the the work of Sigmund
Freud (1856- 1939). Furthermore Freud stated that the nature of human this includes reservoir of
instinctual drives which demands gratification.
Political perspective
Criminology often looks at the crime from the political perspective. Crime is mainly considered
as breaking laws which have been created by the political groups. The criminals breaking laws is
called illegal behaviour. If these point of views are supported this indicates the laws which are
are existed and in addition interest of the politically powerful, Crimes are mainly consisted of
several activities those powerful believe to be threat towards their interests. This is resulted into
the laws are not always related to the what one might thinks naturally about right or wrong. In
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any case an individual would believe that laws have been created for the murder but this is the
fact that they are created by the politically elite. After an individual reviews these facts would
believe that these laws are quite suitable for the specific case of murder(Roche, Fenimore, and
et. al., (2019)).
Sociology perspective
There is another point of view of criminology that is sociology perspective. The sociology
perspective they mainly focuses on political, social, as well as on economic problems which
usually gives rise to the crimes. For example this kind of perspective they consider law breakers
home situation, education level, employment, race, social situation and in addition to assess why
number of offenders committed crime. In the case information has been gathered gathered about
the victims husband, and there is some information that husband have a history of bipolar
disorder or schizophrenia and along with this presently stopped taking his medicaments and also
lost his job this was estranged from the victim. These all factors have been played into the
victims murder.
Psychological perspective
This is the last perspective of criminology which is known as psychological perspective.
According to the psychological point of view, crime is noticed as form of problem behaviour this
shows that offenders do not have ability to live in harmony environment. There are various
criminal behaviour theories are mentioned below;
Social factors
There are large criminologist literature which commonly identifies different wide range
of environmental factors which are causally connected to the criminal behaviour. Furthermore
this includes economics, social and developmental factors for example poverty is describe as
socio-economic condition which is often linked to the crime. The strain, stress frustration these
are experienced by those where lacking of financial resources in order to meet the needs and and
accomplish the desires through the process of legitimate this process inclined to commit the
crime. Poor nutrition this is a huge aspect of poverty. There are number of nutritional
deficiencies which are resulted into exacerbate problems which includes poor impulse control
and learning disabilities(Sarki, Hussein, and et. al.,(2019)). Cognitive dysfunctions they has
been identified as precursors to adult and delinquency criminality.
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Biological factors – There are many psychological and social factors are described which
increase the risk of committing crime or criminal behaviour which are usually mediated by the
biological processes. A healthy diet is quite essential to optimal of brain function. There are
many nutrients which are used converting glucose into energy. The deficiency in any essential
nutrients they usually compromises brain functions by slowing down the available energy.
Malnutrition often compromises with cognitive function and further assist with aggressive and
antisocial behaviours. The diagnosed illness this mainly associated with violent behaviour such
as abuse substance which ranks highest. The disinhibit effects which are related to the alcohol
these are the evident in police reports and in addition they are replete with accounts of
aggravated assault, domestic violence, rape, murder under its influence.
Explain the contemporary relevance of criminological theories to the Australian criminal justice
system
Crime this is broad research subject in the field of social sciences and usually concern in
policy making(King, and et. al., (2018)). Criminology this is gradually appear as a specialised
discipline which commonly builds a theoretical body of its own. The phenomenon of crime they
are highly multi- dimensional and all aspects cannot be cover by single theory of crime. With the
help of analytical investigation all the theories could be represented in detailed typology or in
generic diagram for the criminologist theories according to the placeliness and placelessness in
addition direct or indirect manner.
A Place – oriented typological setting for criminological theories
The history of criminological theory this has been evolved from a significant time period which
further resulted into substantial variation with the complete scheme. The main aim of this study
is , by following basic variations, typology has been researched under the trajectory related to the
sociological theories(Sarki, Hussein, and et. al., (2019)). Perhaps all the theories of
criminological they comply these trajectory. Qualitative research this process refers to the
collecting interpretation, analysis, and the presentation which are related to the narrative
information for the purpose of building theories and establishing concepts. It is clearly defined as
dependent and independent variables. The basic Charles Darwin theory explains the evolution of
natural selection or the idea which could be useful for the organism to survive in its environment.
Darwin had shown that adaptation gradually changes future generations. Furthermore there are
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some traits those have genetics basis, they could easily change overtime. Preposition they refers
to the key statements mentioned below;
 Individuals within species they show several variations and the advantages characteristics
they mostly have larger probability of the survival and the reproduction.
 According to given species there are many individuals those are produced by the
reproduction , then only could be survived with other constraints for example food
supply, and they are usually imposed by the species of environment.
Present criminology theories in Australia
The Australian criminology theories was initiated in the first department of criminology
in Australia at Melbourne, this was the place where proposal was started a journal which
was evolved. Its all the priorities were reflecting research knowledge of the criminal
justice and crime in the terms of antipodes. However the local initiatives they do have
regional Asia pacific along with international geographical. In this statement it has been
explored many ways which detain the establishment of the contempora- neous in the
institute of Australian criminology. Furthermore this also has been discussed the potential
of the regional engagement which was fulfilled in the subsequent years.
Understand and apply key concepts and terms within criminology
The biological theories of crime they are connected between the biological conditions and
along with this increase the tendency of criminal behaviour. In the 1890s there was a huge
controversy which was created by the biological theory of the Cesare lombroso, Italian
criminologist, who was the investigation of facial features and skulls , in addition criminals led
him to the hypothesis which became the persistent and serious criminality. Even though
biological theories they had continued research and improved important findings. Biochemical
research during the 1980s this was attempted to in order to determine particular factors which are
associated and along with this increase the risks of criminal behaviour(Shon, and et. al., (2019)).
There are some example such as neurotransmitter they imbalances the brain and low the levels of
serotonin, on the other side hormonal imbalances such as increasing higher levels of testosterone
and further they slow down the reactions of autonomic nervous system, this process have been
associated with increased in criminality. These factors does not identifies whether a individual
whether an individual commit a crime or not, but the presence of these factors increase the
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possibility that a person would engage in criminal behaviour. These biological factors might be
influenced by the environmental conditions.
Identify the strength and weakness of criminological theories
When group of people commit crime on the regular basis and misuse the makers of legislative
policy and in addition community correction while new initiatives are developed , programs and
sanction, these theories could be applied or misapplied by the community by the correction
officers in the community at the workplace, they generally classify counsel, supervise and
control lawbreakers.
Classically – based criminologists Theories
These theories describes the criminal behaviour of an individual in a consciousness further
which is based on the various benefits of criminal activity and the assessment of the cost.
Biologically based criminologists theory
Biologically theories are demonstrated as assuming of crime that individuals are born as a
criminals thus physiologically are well defined from non- criminals.
Physiological theory
This theory mainly measures the individual factors which probably include negative experience
from the childhood and insufficient socialization and further this is resulted into criminal
thinking patterns.
Strengths –
 Lombroso seen the crimes as as form of illness which are caused by pathological factors.
 The changes in behaviour of peoples could pre-dispose those peoples into committing
crimes(Lynch, and et. al., (2018)).
 They mostly finds out the abnormalities in an individual which shows the difference
between criminal and non- criminal.
 The sources of crime usually lies in the individuals.
Weakness
 Interactionist they says that person is a criminal because that is labelled not because of
his genes.
 Functionalists they say that crime is a feature of the whole society not only the
individuals.
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 According to Marxists they says that capitalist system is the one which causes crime by
following the conflicts.
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CONCLUSION
As per discussed above that criminology is the study of deviant behaviour and crime. In this way
criminology is very essential in order to reduce the crimes, this helps society to control,
understand, reduce the crime.
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REFERENCES
Lynch, and et. al., (2018). Not even our own facts: Criminology in the era of big
data. Criminology, 56(3), 437-454.
Weekers, Zahnow, Mazerolle, and et. al., (2019). Conservation criminology: Modelling
offender target selection for illegal fishing in marine protected areas. The British Journal
of Criminology, 59(6), 1455-1477.
King, and et. al., (2018). Just mercy through cultural and convict criminology. Journal of
criminal psychology.
Roche, Fenimore, and et. al., (2019). Trends in top journals in criminology and criminal
justice. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 30(4), 551-566.
Shon, and et. al., (2019). Negligent criminology: Alfred Adler’s influence on Bernard, Sheldon,
and Eleanor Glueck. European Journal of Criminology, 1477370819874455.
Cook, and et. al., (2020). Book review: Jayne Mooney, The Theoretical Foundations of
Criminology: Place, Time and Context.
Sarki, Hussein, and et. al., (2019). Factors Influencing the Choice of Police as Prospective
Career among Students of Criminology and Security Studies in Nigeria. Journal of
Administrative Science, 16(1), 51-60.
Sarki, Hussein, and et. al.,(2019). Factors Influencing the Choice of Police as Prospective Career
among Students of Criminology and Security Studies in Nigeria. Journal of
Administrative Science, 16(1), 51-60.
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