A Critical Analysis of Sociological and Psychological Criminology

This essay provides a critical analysis of criminology, focusing on the Australian criminal justice system and various theoretical perspectives on crime. It explores sociological theories, including structural and sub-cultural approaches, examining how societal factors and cultural deviance contribute to criminal behavior. The essay also delves into psychological and biological theories, discussing individual differences, neuropsychological reasons, and genetic influences. It critically evaluates these theories, considering their strengths and limitations, and concludes by summarizing the different perspectives on crime and their supporting evidence.

CRIMINOLOGY CRITICAL
ANALYSIS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY.................................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
Criminology is the study about crime, criminal justice system and enforcement of laws. It
studies nature, causes, consequences and prevention of criminal behavior of people. In current
times, as crime is increasing continuously, thus, the field of criminology becomes challenging, in
which, it is important to assess criminal behavior for justice. The aim of the investigation is to
differentiate different sociological and psychological theories of crime and various approaches of
criminology.
MAIN BODY
Australian criminal Justice System includes set of practices and laws that aims to mitigate
crime from the society by sanctioning people who found in breach of laws by rehabilitation
effort and criminal penalties (Fishwick & Marmo, 2018). The principles of criminal law under
criminal justice system include presumption of innocence until the crime proves. Thus, the
system treats a person innocent until, it proven guilt. Second principle is burden of proof that
states that prosecution must need to prove offence committed by defendant that is beyond
reasonable doubt (General Principles in Criminal Law, 2015). Thirdly, right to remain silent
principle demonstrate that an individual does not require to answer the all the inquiries of police.
Lastly, double jeopardy rule state that a person cannot punish twice times for the same offence.
There are number of theoretical perspective for crime including sociological, biological
and psychological. Sociological theories of crime consider crime because of cultural forces
outside the control of individual and social factor that exists before attempting criminal behavior
(Carrabine & et.al., 2009). It includes both the structural and sub-cultural theories, former
theorists demonstrates that certain specified groups do not have equal opportunities to other to
accomplish societal objectives i.e. power and wealth. Like, conflict theory states capitalism
system emphasizes on wealth & power and people compete for such values that make crime
inevitable. Strain theorists state that many people share similar values still do not have equal
ability to obtain such values because of socio-economic classification (Walsh, 2006). Sub-
cultural theories of cultural deviance focus on combination of social disorganization and strain.
The theory helps to analyze the criminal acts of isolated people from middle and upper societal
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classes. In accordance with the theory, frustration, disheartenment in regular lives may
encourage an individual to attempt crime (Richeson & Sommers, 2016).
The field of sociology addressed crime and delinquency at macro level that looks for
societal as well as environmental influence that result in criminal behavior. However,
psychological theories address it at individual level that focuses on differences among individual
tend to cause criminal behavior (Palmer, 2016).
Biological theorists generally believe that neuropsychological reasons, biochemical
abnormalities and genetic influences are the reasons behind crime. Thus, as per the theory,
criminal are bond bad. In this, biochemical conditions include factors like diet, blood sugar,
mineral and hormonal influence that are the reasons for attempting crime (Newbold, 2017).
Moreover, some theorist believed that neurological as well as physical anomalies also motivate
an individual to commit crime. Evidencing it, from the study of Raine, it found that sex and
hormones that influence individual organ is the reason of crime. Science supports the theory
because it were based on experiment evidences applying positivism research (Raine, 2002). The
research results stated that men with low level of testosterone often have low aggression as well
as sex desire, contrary to it, men with high testosterone attempt crime due to their passion.
However, on the critical note, Moore argued that not all the crimes are committed due to
presence of biological factors, most importantly, serious crimes like murder and rape. The study
discovered that external factors have a significant impact on individual behavior. In current
times, changing lifestyle is one of the reason why people commit crime. Moreover, various crime
shows also encourage individual to attempt criminal act to fulfill their desires (Moore 2011).
Here, self control plays an important role because if a person has full control on themselves due
to moral principles and values, then they will not commit crime. Human behavior regulates by
cognitive system rather than their hormones, thus, the theory of biological theorists cannot apply
(Carrington & Hogg, 2012).
Unlike this, rationale choice theory of crime state that criminal behavior is not driven by
environmental condition as it is based on rationale decisions after undertaking an analysis of both
the risks as well as benefit of attempting a criminal act. However, the theory which weights pros
and cons can be only apply in economics with limited application in property crime or other
instrumental gains. Moreover, when it is tested in research work, then experimental design can
only take into account formal sanction variable and fails to consider other variables like utility.
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Psychological theories infer that individual personality, own traits are the reason that
cause crime. In such regards, psychodynamic theory state people with superego and weak egos
have no control on themselves with antisocial tendencies; as a result, it ends up with crime
(Cunneen & Porter, 2017). Cognitive theory, on the other side, works on the presumption that
people perceive world around them differently due to mental process. Personality trait theory
looks at individual personality developed in the childhood including factors like ego, superego
and pattern of coping. As per this, painful internal conflict between ego and id leads to cause
problematic defense mechanism lead to delinquency (Raine, 2002).
On the contrary side, study of Debowska, A. & et.al., investigation test dimensionality,
validity of functional variance of psychopathy construct among prisoners and the results of the
study reported that SRP-SF measure cannot used in the same manner for foreign and non-
forensic samples due to criminal or antisocial traits that is an integral part of psychopathy
(Debowska & et.al., 2018).
CONCLUSION
The research investigation concluded that each theory of crime have different perspective
or believe as sociological theories emphasizes on cultural forces, biological on
neuropsychological reasons, biochemical abnormalities and genetic influences and psychological
focuses on individual personality and own traits. Biological theories are supported by scientific
theory while other theories are not heavily supported by science.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Carrabine, E. and et.al. (2009). Criminology: A sociological introduction. Routledge.
Carrington, K., & Hogg, R. (2012). History of critical criminology in Australia. Routledge
handbook of critical criminology. pp. 46-60.
Cunneen, C., & Porter, A. (2017). Indigenous Peoples and Criminal Justice in Australia. In The
Palgrave Handbook of Australian and New Zealand Criminology, Crime and Justice
Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. pp. 667-682.
Debowska, A. & et.al. (2018). Can we use Hare’s psychopathy model within forensic and non-forensic
populations? An empirical investigation. Deviant Behavior. 39(2). pp.224-242.
Fishwick, E., & Marmo, M. (2018). Criminology in Australia. The Handbook of the History and
Philosophy of Criminology. pp. 321-333.
Newbold, G. (2017). Convict criminology. In The Palgrave Handbook of Australian and New
Zealand Criminology, Crime and Justice. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. pp. 603-615.
Palmer, D. (2016). Criminology in Australia: past, present and future. Crime and Justice: A
guide to criminology. pp.639-656.
Raine, A. (2002). The biological basis of crime. Crime: Public policies for crime control. 43, pp.74.
Richeson, J. A., & Sommers, S. R. (2016). Toward a social psychology of race and race relations
for the twenty-first century. Annual review of psychology. 67. 439-463.
Walsh, A. (2006). Evolutionary psychology and criminal behavior. Missing the revolution:
Darwinism for social scientists. 225-268.
Online
General Principles in Criminal Law. 2015. [Online]. Available through: <
https://www.lawhandbook.sa.gov.au/ch12s02.php>.
Moore M., (2011). Psychological theories of crime and delinquency. [PDF]. Available through:
<https://is.muni.cz/el/1423/jaro2015/SPP209/um/2_Moore_2011_Psychological_Theorie
s_of_Crime.pdf>
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Raine A., (2002). The biological basis of crime. [PDF]. Available through:
<http://www.antoniocasella.eu/nume/Raine_2002.pdf>
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