Categorizing the Criminal Activities - Research Paper Example

?Psychological theories of crime Introduction Crime is a relative term referring to a variety of actions that cause harm to both individuals to the society. This implies that societies have different definitions of crime often categorizing the criminal activities by their extent and implications in the society. Legally, governments label specific actions as criminal activities thus crime deepening on the harm they cause to the society. Such acts as murder, theft and rape are considered crimes all over the world (Marshall, 1998). The acts cause harm to the society and derail the appraisal of the morality in the society. Most governments in the contemporary societies are secular in nature; however, they uphold the dictates of religions that also consider such acts unethical thus referring to them as sins. Various psychologies provide varied explanations on criminal behaviors thus their prevalence as explained in the essay below. Governments provide elaborate definitions of crime with the view of upholding the liberties enjoyed by the population. In order to uphold, the liberties, the government spells out the actions that constitute a criminal activity and enforces adherence to such guidelines. Acting in a manner contrary to the existing laws earns an individual a prison term with effective punishment and compensation to the offended arties. However, in doing so the government must uphold ethical standards and maintain a level of credibility. Most governments in democratic societies treat offenders as innocent until proven guilty after which the law provides for appropriate punishments. The existence of such legislations coupled with the effective and efficient enforcement mechanisms thus make the prevalence of violent activities attitudinal. As psychological products, several psychologists analyze the prevalence of crime in an attempt of analyzing the origin of the defiant attitude that compels one to beak all the laws and moral dictates to commit a crime (Grimm, Pianta & Konold, 2009). Key among the theorists is Sigmund Freud. Often considered the father of modern day psychology, Freud has postulated various theories all of which strive to explain the nature and prevalence of crime (Rosenberg & Turner, 1990). The personality psychologist seeks to explain the nature and prevalent of crimes in his psychodynamic perspective which he asserts explains the changes in a people feelings and psychological perspective. In his theory of psychoanalysis, Freud explains that all human behaviors are products of the unconscious mind. This he explains includes aggressive and violent behaviors. Feud explains that several forces in an individual’s unconscious mind the result of which are the varied human behaviors. Additionally, he explains that childhood experiences are also equally important influencers of an individual’s behavior in adulthood. According to Freud’s explanation, development of a multi staged process with each stage having unique requirements. The successful growth of an individual from one stage to another creates a uniform growth pattern and a peaceful succession into adulthood. However, such cases are rare with most people failing to overcome the challenges presented by every stage. This results in the recurrent of the stage challenges in progressive stages thus creating a growth crisis. Freud thus believed that the conflicts that people face in their different psychosexual stages of life influence their behaviors in adulthood. With such elaborate explanations, understanding waves of violence and criminal activities become easier (Grisso & Steinberg, 2005). Such are products of the forces in the unconscious state of mind. A normal human being with effective understanding to the social and moral standards with a basic knowledge of the operations of the government especially concerning violence and crime should therefore overcome acts of aggression thus containing them within themselves. However, the failure by the unconscious mind to contain the competing forces results in the leak of some of the energy thus compelling an individual to commit spontaneous acts of violence. The theory explains the nature and prevalent of crimes. Before commit a crime there is a likelihood of an individual reasoning within himself on the choices and the repercussions of such actions. Arguably, all criminals have the knowledge of the gravity of their crimes. They understand that their actions are wring both in the eyes of the law and in the social order. The compulsion to commit a crime therefore becomes a well-informed process that one undertakes in abject disregard to the laws applicable in the society. Additionally, criminals disregard the ethical standards applicable in a society. As Freud explains in his stage theory, every stage of development if consequential in the determination of a personality, childhood presents various challenge and obligations to both the child and the society. In order to overcome such, the society must provide a child with a conducive environment in order to facilitate the growth and development. The family that constitutes the immediate society must provide for the child and ensure that the child grows up effectively. In adolescence, an individual faces several other challenges. Overcoming the challenges at this stage relies on the success one had in childhood. As adolescents turn into adults, the success of the two previous stages determines their personalities in adulthood. Some people become adolescents with the consequences of the failure to pass the previous stages successfully. Such include school dropouts and early pregnancies or even children. Such failures pile pressure on the individuals thus compelling them into crime and violence. Without effective education but with a child or two to account for, it becomes difficult to enjoy adulthood. The pressure from such factors thus compels people to engage in crime. Their engagement in crime becomes a ways of getting even with the society that they feel denied them their lives. People rob violently and do not always feel guilty about it since they have permitted the internal forces in the brain to overcome their conscious owing to their poor childhood or adolescence. With the belief that the society owes them, they readily kill and maim in order to unease the piling social pressure from their different growth stages. Serial killers are evident portrayal of the “leak out” concept that Freud explains (Flaherty, 2008). In his explanation, Freud explains that everyone has a potential for violence in them. The frequency with which different people exhibit such behaviors in public rely on their ability to contain the internal violent forces within their brain thus preventing them from leaking out. Serial killers are psychological cases. They are people who live in their unconscious minds without understanding of the factual society. Serial killers carry out their expeditions with the belief that they are achieving their own illusionary goals. Such are vivid portrayal of the inability of an individual to contain the internal pressures often arising from either poor childhood or poor adolescence. Their engagement in such acts is a complete disregard to both the existing secular laws and the morality standards required in the society. Another equally remarkable psychological theory that explains the prevalence of criminal activities is the behavior theory. The theory posits that all human behaviors are products of human interactions. The theory explains that interactions are important in the development of an individual. People acquire behaviors from their peers and those in their inner circles. Everyone has an inner circle, a group of friends whom they consider very reliable and therefore influences their behaviors. Additionally, everyone has another group of individuals they control easily owing to the immense influence they enjoy over such. The basic fact of the theory is that people are not born with the violent disposition. The quality is a product of successive interactions in the society. The theory explains that with groups of friends, people learn and acquire behaviors that compel them into violence. The behaviors result from particular beliefs in the groups and the circle of friends one keeps. Interaction as explained earlier is a fundamental aspect of growth, which influences behavior. As people change their societies thus friends, it is likely that they will experience a change in their behavior patterns. Among the motivators to violence especially in groups includes the belief that the society will reward the violent behavior. People rob others with the view of obtaining their resources. To the groups, such constitute the rewards they seek in crime. Additionally, crime that often results from the appraisal of violence is an acquired value; people learn to appreciate such after observing the trend in their peers and close friends. A stressful event is often a motivation to engage in crime, the extent of the stress amounts with the larger size of the group. The higher the number of friends the higher the pressure they pile thus compelling an individual to behave in a particular manner that glorifies disregard to the national laws and moral codes. With the knowledge of social interaction and its effect in the creation of personalities, it becomes easier to device a behavioral pattern for a child thus ensuring an effective growth pattern. While the two theories appear different in various contexts, they postulate similar findings. They have similar definition of both violence and crime. In most cases, criminal activities are results of the brain to internalize and appreciate violence. Any form of violence is always criminal in every society. From domestic violence to violent street robberies, every act of violence cause a form of injury and such is a feature that quantifies them criminal. Additionally, both the Psychodynamic Perspective and the behavioral Theories contend that the society is a major influencer of the prevalence of criminal activities in the society. The psychodynamic perspective provides that the society constitute a fundamental aspect of an individual’s growth pattern. The society sets the challenges one encounters in the various growth stages. Furthermore, the society defines success in overcoming the stages. This implies that the society influences both the violence and crime patterns it exhibits. Behavioral theories also contend that the society is an influential determinant of the crime patterns in the country and the acquisition of violent features. The society influences the type of interactions among people thereby influencing the type of traits they adopt from their peers in the society. References Flaherty, B. P. (2008). Testing the degree of cross-sectional and longitudinal dependence between two discrete dynamic processes. Developmental Psychology, 44(2), 468-480. Grimm, K. J., Pianta, R. C., & Konold, T. (2009). Longitudinal multitrait-multimethod models for developmental research. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 44(2), 233-258. Grisso, T., & Steinberg, L. (2005). Between a rock and a soft place: Developmental research and the child advocacy process. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 34(4), 619-627. Marshall, E. (1998). Mental and behavioral disorders. New York: McGraw Hill Print Rosenberg, M., & Turner, R. H. (1990). Social psychology: Sociological perspectives. New Brunswick, U.S.A: Transaction Publishers. Read More