Psychology and Crime, 2nd Edition

Chapter Summary

The World Health Organisation describes three types of violence: (1) self-directed violence, (2) interpersonal violence and (3) collective violence, with several subtypes within each of the three.
Criminological Psychology is principally concerned with criminal acts of interpersonal violence of which two types can be distinguished: violence with injury, which includes acts such as wounding, and violence without injury such as robberies that do not result in physical injury.
Homicide is the most serious form of interpersonal violence and can be committed for various reasons including revenge and sexual motivation.
Violence can occur in a wide range of settings including the family where violence may be between adult partners or directed by parents at their children. Whether hitting children as a means of discipline should be allowed raises strong opinion.
There are several psychological models of violent behaviour: it is important to include the social context in which the violence takes place as well as the psychological characteristics of the aggressor.

Reading List

Berkowitz, L. (1993). Aggression: Its causes, consequences and control. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Craig, I. W., & Halton, K. E. (2009). Genetics of human aggressive behaviour. Human Genetics, 126, 101–113.

Felson, R. B. (2002). Violence and gender reexamined. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Ferguson, C. (Ed.). Violent crime: Clinical and social implications. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Gannon, T. A., Ward, T., Beech, A. R., & Fisher, D. (Eds.). (2007). Aggressive offenders’ cognition: Theory, research and practice. Chichester, Sussex: John Wiley & Sons.

Krug, E. G., Dahlberg, L. L., Mercy, J. A., Zwi, A. B., & Lozano, R. (Eds.). (2002). World report on violence and health. Geneva: World Health Organization.

LeBlanc, S. A., & Register, K. E. (2003). Constant battles: Why we fight. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin.

McMurran, M., & Howard, R. (Eds.). (2009). Personality, personality disorder and violence. Chichester, Sussex: John Wiley & Sons.

Moffitt, T. E., Caspi, A., Rutter, M., & Silva, P. A. (2001). Sex differences in antisocial behaviour: Conduct disorder, delinquency, and violence in the Dunedin Longitudinal Study. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Pinals, D. A. (2007). Stalking: Psychiatric perspectives and practical problems. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Putallaz, M., & Bierman, K. L. (Eds.). (2004). Aggression, antisocial behavior, and violence among girls. New York: The Guildford Press.

Quinsey, V. L., Harris, G. T., Rice, M. E., & Cormier, C. A. (2006). Violent offenders: Appraising and managing risk (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Webster, C. D., & Hucker, S. J. (2007). Violence risk: Assessment and management. Chichester, Sussex: John Wiley & Sons.