The Study of Criminology - Essay Example

The Study of CriminologyIntroductionA crime is an act that is considered harmful to society and is forbidden by law. Criminology is the scientific study of crime, criminals, and the criminal justice system. Criminologists are professionals who try to discover why people become criminals, when and where various types of crimes occur, and how crime can be prevented. (Dow and Gist, p. 493)Crime has been a part of society ever since people began to live together in groups. Where there is involvement of human mind the potential of crime is there as it is rightly said by a British poet W. H. Auden that “Evil is unspectacular and always human and shares our bed and eats at our table”.

However, at different times and in a wide variety of societies, people have had different ideas about crime. Thus an act that is considered a crime in one society or country may be legal in another. For example, in some countries people are free to practice any religion they choose, whereas in some other countries it may be a crime to practice certain religions. Theories of Criminal Behavior The major theories regarding criminal behavior are briefly discussed here:1. Neoclassical TheoriesThese theories view criminal behavior as willful and that peoples involvement in such behaviors is their choice.2. Biological TheoriesThese theories believe that criminal behavior is a result of various influences on an individual’s personality which may be emotional, biological or behavioral traits3.

Sociological/Economic TheoriesThis category comprises a large number of followers. They place reasons of delinquent behavior in economic, cultural and social backgrounds of the criminals. Some of the prominent theories in this context were labeling, Marxist and anomie.4. Psychological TheoriesAccording to these theories criminal behavior exhibits an abnormal and unusual behavior which can only be evaluated through prescribed processes of psychology. Two prominent theories in this connection are social learning theory and psychoanalytic theory.

(Hog and Andrews, p.8-9)The PsychopathsThe psychopaths are ethically decadent persons who have been symbolized as monsters in our social set up. They are characterized as inexorable, relentless and not curable criminals. They commit planned violence and are unemotional and resolute. David T. Lykken, a professor of psychology considers the psychopath as a hero and believes that “The psychopath and the hero are the twigs of same branch.” He thinks so as both are comparatively daring. He believes such behaviors develop as a result of the type of brought up given to a child by his parents.

(Akers and Lanier, p. 397-402)Parents who believe in punishments tend to develop a sociopath but there are children who are not scared of punishments so nothing can obstruct them from negative acts which gradually turn into crimes. Conversely, the parents who believe in love and patience rear up a hero. It means the same child becomes a hero or a psychopath because of his parent’s behavior. This idea is further supported by James Watson’s saying that “We used to think that our fate was in stars.

Now, we know, in large part, that our fate in our genes”. It implies that instead of looking for inaccessible sources to rectify social errors parents may focus to provide a positive brought up to their children which may raise them into law abiding citizens and a peaceful society could come into being. (The Antisocial Personality, p.1)Works Cited Akers, Timothy A., & Lanier, Mark M. "Epidemiological Criminology: Coming Full Circle”, American Journal of Public health, Washington, March, 2009, Volume 99, Issue 3, pp.

397-402Dow, Grove S., & Gist, Noel P. Society and Its Problems: An Introduction to the Principles of Sociology, Thomas Y. Crowell company, 1937, pp. 493Hoge, Robert G., 7 Andrews, Donald A. Assessing the Youthful Offender: Issues and Techniques Springer, 1996, ISBN 030645467X, 9780306454677, pp. 8-9“The Antisocial Personality”, June 9, 2009 fromhttp://www.intropsych.com/ch12_abnormal/antisocial_personality.html