Individual Views of Delinquency: Choice and Trait

Choice and Trait

Choice Theory

Free Will

Utilitarians

Classical Criminology

The Rational Delinquent

Rational Choice

Choosing Delinquent Acts

Lifestyle and Delinquency

Gangs and Choice

Routine Activities

Routine Activities Theory

Predatory Crimes

Lack of Capable Guardians

Suitable Targets

Motivated Offenders

Focus on Preventing and Treating Delinquency: Does Delinquency Pay?

Choice Theory and Delinquency Prevention

General Deterrence

Deterrence and Delinquency

Can Delinquency Be Deterred?

Co-offending

What Does This Mean to Me? Does Punishment work?

Specific Deterrence

Situational Crime Prevention

Hot Spots and Crackdowns

Hot Spots

Crackdowns

Do Delinquents Choose Crime?

Checkpoints

Choice theory maintains that delinquency is rational and can be prevented by punishment that is sufficiently severe and certain.

Delinquents who choose crime must evaluate the characteristics of a target to determine its suitability.

Routine activities theory suggests that delinquent acts are a function of motivated offenders, lack of capable guardians, and availability of suitable targets.

General deterrence models are based on the fear of punishment. If punishments are severe, swift, and certain, then would-be delinquents would choose not to risk breaking the law.

Specific deterrence aims at reducing crime through the application of severe punishments. Once offenders experience these punishments they will be unwilling to repeat their delinquent activities.

Situational crime prevention efforts are designed to reduce or redirect crime by making it more difficult to profit from illegal acts.

Trait Theories: Biosocial and Psychological Views

The Origins of Trait Theory

Criminal Atavism

Contemporary Trait Theory

Biosocial Theories of Delinquency

Biochemical Factors

Biosocial Theory

Hormonal Levels

Neurological Dysfunction

Minimal Brain Dysfunction (MBD)

Biosocial Theories of Delinquency

Focus on Preventing and Treating Delinquency: Are You What You Eat?

Learning Disabilities

Arousal Theory

Genetic Influences

Focus on Preventing and Treating Delinquency:Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Genetic Influences

Parental Deviance

Twin Studies

Psychological Theories of Delinquency

Disorders and Delinquency

Bipolar Disorder

Psychodynamic Tradition and Delinquency

Identity Crisis

Is There a Psychodynamic Link to Delinquency?

Behavioral Theory

Behaviorism

Social Learning Theory

Focus on Preventing and Treating Delinquency:The Media and Delinquency

Cognitive Theory

Information Processing

Cognitive Treatment

Personality and Delinquency

Extraversion

Neuroticism

Psychopathic Personality

The Origins of Antisocial Personality Disorder

Intelligence and Delinquency

Nature Theory

Nurture Theory

Rethinking IQ and Delinquency

Critiquing Trait Theory Views

Trait Theory and Delinquency Prevention

Checkpoints

According to psychodynamic theory, unconscious motivations developed early in childhood propel some people into destructive or illegal behavior.

Behaviorists view aggression as a learned behavior.

Some learning is direct and experiential while other types are observational, such as watching TV and movies. A link between media and violence has not been proven.

Cognitive theory stresses knowing and perception. Some adolescents have a warped view of the world.

There is evidence that kids with abnormal or antisocial personalities are delinquency-prone.

Although some experts find a link between intelligence and delinquency, others dispute any linkage between IQ level and law-violating behaviors.