Cmy 3701 - Study guides, Class notes & Summaries

Theories of crime Summary 1. Classical and positivist theories 2. Radical criminology 3. Labelling theory 4. Constitutional theories 5. Genetic Explanations 6. Environmental explanations Classical and positivist theories The classical theorists believe in the concept of free will when explaining crime. If the rewards for being a criminal are greater than the retribution it would bring then criminal behaviour seems more likely. This theory would predict that extreme punishments such as...

1. INTRODUCTION • Labelling theory is the theory of how the self-identity and behaviour of individuals may be determined or influenced by the terms used to describe or classify them. It is associated with the concepts of self-fulfilling prophecy and stereotyping. Labelling theory holds that deviance is not inherent to an act, but instead focuses on the tendency of majorities to negatively label minorities or those seen as deviant from standard cultural norms. The theory was prominent du...

CMY 3701: EXPLANATION OF CRIME Theme 1: Rational Actor Model: Assumptions of the classical school of thought: Human nature:  People are self-interested.  People are rational creatures.  People have free will.  People are able to make and act in accordance with personal choices, and are able to weight up the advantages and disadvantages of competing courses of action.  Prison is seen as a facility that facilitates reform by developing their rational thought processes. C...