is important because if offers a way to reconcile our personal reality with experiential reality
► Replication lessens the possibility that research will be biased by political or personal bias
► Crime is a social problem that may better be understood through scientific inquiry Quantitative Research
► Typically
at the phenomena in a natural setting and incorporates the examination in the research
► Provides data about the characteristics of the research
► Looks at relationships
► Interviews
► Looks at the subjective links between variables Violence occurs within
Society/Why Should We Study
Why It Happens
► We
all get angry.
► We don’t want to feel helpless.
► There is no single theory for law breaking ► We all have lost control of our emotions at one time or another.
► So
we can understand behavior, not excuse behavior.
► Other reasons?
What makes you feel angry?
► What
are your physical manifestations? ► What
are your emotional manifestations? ► Take a minute and identify your physical and emotional manifestations.
► Why
does this matter?
Macro Level
► Social
interactions are not random.
► Members of family act purposefully to accomplish goals of society.
► Often times traditions and generations of family values shape the accepted roles within a family.
► The larger view of society and the influences that determine behavior is macro. ► Thus Macro looks at the big picture
Micro Level
► Any
act that occurs between individuals is applied to the whole of the society to form a theory.
► Breaks it down into a smaller level
► This is the micro level which looks at psychological and individualistic theories. ► Most domestic violence theories are examined from this prospective.
Sources of Data
► Crimes
Against Society – surveys of persons age 12 and older regarding victimization. 48 questions on the questionnaire ► Law enforcement data – FBI gathers data across the nation and compiles reports ► Court Data – Arrest through final disposition are tracked on a federal level Theories on Family Violence Macro
► The
Foundations of Criminological theory
Classical School
Positive School
Conflict School
►We
will look at the micro explanations within each theory……
Classical School
► Individuals
choose to engage in crime.
► People possess a free will and have the ability to reason
► People are hedonistic (pleasure seeking) ► Written law helps people know that if they break the law, there will be a consequence Classical School
► The
punishment must fit the crime
► The punishment must be administered swiftly ► Minimal force should be used for lesser crimes ► Applying a law to domestic violence brings it to the forefront, and makes it a crime that can be controlled
Classical School/Rational Choice
Theory
► Criminal
Behavior is a Choice
► People calculate the costs and benefits of behavior and choose to commit crimes including domestic crimes
► May not be rational, but draw on previously established beliefs about the crime
Classical School/Deterrence
Theory
► Punishment
must be swift and certain in order to deter the crime
► Mandatory laws for the arrest of domestic violence
► Works better with those who have something to lose
One example is Drug Court
Critique of Classical School
► To
simplistic
► Reactive rather than preventive or proactive ► Doesn’t protect the victim
► No allowing for mitigating circumstances/ “You do the crime, you do the time.”
Positive School Theory
► Important
to identify the cause of the crime through scientific advances.
► Causes of crime are biological, psychological, and sociological.
► Very scientific theory.
