Understanding of Offending Behavior - Essay Example

the painful stimulus needs to associate the same to the criminal behavior. The consistent application also develops the intense connection towards preventing drastic behaviors. The individuals need not learn about the intrinsic rewards elements of a given disposition being greater and more consistent than punishment (Wortley 39). In a psychological setting, the available opportunities towards preferred behavioral modes need to be availed. There are aspects of legal loopholes, low clearance rates, inconsistently applied dispositions, trial delays, and learning of inappropriate punishment and reward contingencies as well as lack of proper legitimate opportunities. The society and criminal justice system face a challenge in meeting the criteria presented for elements of prevention and deterrence.

Further, an experience of painful outcomes associated with certain behaviors has an ideal code in the human memory. When human beings calculate the outcomes for the performance in which the behavior has in the future, they are deterred for the sake of possible negative responses. On a similar note, the impetus for the change in behavior resides in the human being’s nervous system (Farrington 19). They feel anxiety in times of threats and negative repercussions because of associations across aspects of behavior as well as the possible consequences. The subjective anxiety feelings come due to automatic responses from the nervous system, whereas there is a nervous system portion regulating the functions beyond conscious control. This includes hormone release, blood pressure, and increased heart rates.

On the other hand, the brain proceeds to initiate hormonal release that goes ahead to stimulate subjective feelings each time people contemplate behaviors that they are conditioned to avoid. All individuals who have a nervous system with proper functioning have an effective condition of avoiding stressful situations in relation to the learned contingencies (Wortley 21). Most people, for instance, experience physical and psychological discomfort while thinking of picking pockets and robbing convenience stores. Therefore, people make rational choices with respect to the calculation of costs against benefits. In this case, there is a high likelihood of achieving deterrence.

In addition, policies on criminal justice need a basis of founded theories as well as findings surviving scientific scrutiny. Their application to the various criminal justice programs in which there is ideal recognition and acceptance has extensive value as compared to trial and error techniques for the prevention or minimization of the criminal behavior on set. Even though the biological and psychological techniques within the human behavior assessment remain under focus, definitive answers are yet to emerge. The overriding biological foundation's description of behavior avails extensive evidence for their value and applicability.

The biological study drives the explanation of the development of various social structures as well as control mechanisms (Farrington 82). The biological perspectives enhance the understanding of various control techniques engaged across the criminal justice system. The focus shifts towards corrections while operating well into criminal activities like prisons, crowding, and dehumanization. The application of such information across courts and for policymaking is contested.