Chapter 3 From Criminology Theories to a Psychological Perspective of Criminal Conduct

Overview

The search for theoretical understanding is a search for general, rational, simple, and empirically accurate explanations of variation in criminal behavior. General explanations are ones that apply to a range of specific observations. For example, a general theory of criminal conduct will account for variation in both violent and nonviolent offenses, and will do so, for men and women of different ages, races, nationalities, and socioeconomic origins.

In this chapter the history of theory within criminology is traced. Early on, criminology ignored and was even hostile to the intrusion of psychology into theoretical explanations of crime. However, the empirical research demanded inclusion of social-psychological constructs for a fuller understanding of criminal behavior. The chapter ends with the theoretical perspective adopted in this text: a General Personality and Cognitive Social Learning (GPCSL) theory of criminal conduct. GPCSL specifies how criminal behavior is learned and the major risk/need factors, referred to as the Central Eight.

Worth Remembering

  1. Historically, sociological criminology has been a dominant force in theories of criminal behavior. Some of the theories placed the individual’s location in the social hierarchy as the cause of crime. However, the evidence shows that social class is a minor correlate of criminal conduct.
  2. Other criminological theories have taken on a more social-psychological approach. Self-control, procriminal associates, and procriminal attitudes were seen as more important than social location.
  3. A General Personality and Cognitive Social Learning (GPCSL) theory postulates eight major risk/need factors called the Central Eight. They are: 1) criminal history, 2) procriminal attitudes, 3) procriminal associates, 4) antisocial personality pattern, 5) family/marital, 6) school/work, 7) substance misuse, and 8) leisure/recreation. The effect size for the Central Eight risk/need factors is larger than for social class and personal distress.
  4. GPCSL assumes that criminal behavior is learned in accordance with the principles of learning and behavior is under antecedent and consequent control.
  5. Variation in criminal behavior is a reflection of the density of signaled rewards and costs for criminal and noncriminal alternative behaviors.
  6. The sources of signaled rewards are personal, interpersonal, and nonmediated. Cognitions play an important role in the control of behavior.
  7. A major feature of the GPCSL is the strength of its implications for the design of prevention and rehabilitation programs.

Videos

Theory, RNR and the LS Instruments: Part 1: The Major Theories of Criminal Behaviour

Part 1: The Major Theories of Criminal Behaviour

In this section, James Bonta gives an overview of the major theories of criminal behaviour, from Lombroso’s atavistic form approach to the General Personality Cognitive Social Learning Perspective (GPCSL).

The full version of this video can be found on the Videos page of this website.

Discussion questions:

  • According to the following theoretical models, what are the causes of crime?
    • Sociological criminology
    • Forensic/psychopathology models of criminology
    • General Personality and Cognitive Social Learning (GPCSL)
  • How do criminology theories impact the real-world application of criminology?

Quiz

Further Reading

Cullen, F. T., & Wilcox, P. (Eds.) (2013). The Oxford handbook of criminological theory. NY: Oxford University Press.

Domjan, M. (2018). The essentials of conditioning and learning (4th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Hollin, C. R. (2017). Learning theory. In Brisman, A., Carrabine, E., & South, N. (Eds), The Routledge companion to criminological theory and concepts (pp 42-45). New York: Routledge.

Chapter 4