The Crime Theories
Sherrie Davis
Professor Blaine Easterwood
CIS170
September 8, 2014
Psychological Theories
Psychological theories have been attached to criminal actions being that its what makes us react in certain ways. Personality disorders have certain effects on crime from your thought process to overall sanity. A moral development theory gives you the ability view the differences that occurs within the criminals mind state at the time of the crime committed.
Considering the lack of guidance nature and nurture play in the determination of criminal behavior is important. There has been some studies that have shown importance of genetic factors and consideration the importance of the upbringing of the person. Most research clearly shows that environment plays a major part in criminal behavior which results in social and environmental factors such as poverty, low family income, single family homes, large family size and poor child-rearing techniques as contributors to these issues. Not having the proper role models within your life can definitely change how one’s life can turn out.
It’s a criminal’s behavior that is the outcome of a complex interaction between both nature and nurture and the large numbers of different crimes make it unlikely that one explanation fits all crimes. The current viewpoint would appear to be that psychology has identified a number of genetic factors such as physiological, neurophysiological, personality disorders, and many others which appear to play a role to the likelihood of someone committing a criminal act, its been shown that all of these factors come from within one’s own life experiences. Many criminals suffer from all forms of mental illnesses but personality disorders are the most prevalent, and to understand why someone commits a crime is of great importance to understand the personality disorders that impact the criminals’ behavior. While what actually causes these disorders is still unknown, finding a cause I still being worked on. Many mental health care professionals believe personality disorders can come from a multitude of genetic and environmental factors.
Offenders whose family history consists of mental illnesses have a greater chance of developing personality disorders, and those whose childhood included abuse, neglect, or trauma are also at risk of developing multiple personality disorders or other psychological disorders. Leading people to conclude that these disorder effect how they think and perceive the world around them.
How is this relevant to digital crime? Psychological theories can travel far beyond being just physical but can transfer in to the digital realm. Digital crime will usually have a trigger or a breaking point which will then create a reaction for the stressor usually leading to a psychological problem or breakdown. Being irresponsible, manipulative, and cold hearted all are symptoms of someone with this disorder would portray.
The law gives distinct category for what are seen as being serious crimes by legal definition. While most serious crime carries a felony charge, in which penalties can lead to imprisonment at a state or federal prison. Crimes which are reckless include malice, or negligence is thought to include psychological theories associated with why they are committed.
Homicide charges are categorized as a serious crime as well due to the circumstances of the
