UNIVERSITY OF CAGAYAN VALLEY

Balzain Highway, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan

SCHOOL OF CRIMINOLOGY

MODULE IN THEORIES OF CRIME CAUSATION

COURSE TITLE: Theories of Crime Causation

COURSE UNITS: 3 UNITS

COURSE DESCRPTION: This course describes the role of theory in crime scholarship. It
surveys the major schools of thought related to crime causation( biological,
psychological and sociological) and particular theories in crime and delinquency, places
these theories in its historical context and reviews the primary assumptions of the theories
and conclusions reached from criminology research.
COURSE OUTCOMES: Students to initiate and help in the prevention of crime, Assist the
law enforcers to prevent crime and Reach out the victims and allow them to share their
experience for help/assistance
COURSE CONTENT:
 The four choice theories of crime
 Theories of Victimization
 Three theoretical Explanations of crime causation
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOME:
1. Remember and recall major concepts of the theories of crime causation;
2. Demonstrate understanding of the biological, psychological, sociological and integrated
influences on criminal behavior by distinguishing them from a variety of theoretical
elements.
3. Analyze offender case histories and correctly applies the theories thereto.
4. Articulate and defend a particular theory as best at explaining given offender case history.
5. Articulate the different applications of the theories of crime causation.
6. Discuss the practical applications of the theories of crime in shaping criminal justice
policies and relate the same to the social problems in the community.
7. Formulate solutions to the crime experienced in the community based on the analysis
made using concepts on offender rehabilitation and based on the various theories of crime
causation.
8. Comprehend the role of victims in relation to the applicable theories of crime causation

LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
Understanding the various theories of Victimology that exist today is significant,
each with the aim and purpose of explaining why certain people become victims of
crime, and why others do not. Some people view some of these theories in a negative
light, believing that to conjecture and surmise as to the causes of victimization is
tantamount to blaming the victim for crime, at least partly.
Victimology is the scientific study of victimization including the relationship
between the victims and the offenders, victims and family and the criminal justice
system, and victims and other social groups and institutions, such as media, businesses
and social movements.

DISCUSSIONS: (See attached outlined)

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SCHOOL OF CRIMINOLOGY

FINAL TOPICS
TOPIC 1: THE FOUR CHOICE THEORIES OF CRIME
What causes criminal behavior?
The study and practice of criminology delves into crime causation and factors that
contribute to offender criminality. This means considering four basic theories namely
Rational Choice, Sociological Postivism, Biological Positivism and Psychological
Positivism. The theories rely on logic to explain why a person’s commit a crime and
whether the criminal act is the result of a rational decision, internal predisposition or
external aspects. The law and judicial system is structured around use of these theories,

1. RATIONAL CHOICE THEORY

It is an approach used by social scientist to understand human behavior. This approach has
long been dominant paradigm in economics but in recent decades it has become more widely
used in other disciplines.
It is basically about how incentives and constraints affect behavior. Rational choice
theory is based on several assumptions:
1. One of those individualism; it focuses on individual behavior.
2. That the individuals have to maximize their goals.
3. That the individuals are self-interested

According to Gary Becker rational choice theory is used in both criminal and non-
criminal behavior. It involves intentionally committing some act because the reward gained from
that act will be greater that the risk associated with it.
This theory insists that crime is calculated and deliberate. All criminals are rational
actors who practice conscious decision making that simultaneously works towards gaining the
maximum benefits of their present situation. Another aspect of rational choice theory is the fact
that many offenders make decisions based on Bounded/Limited rationality.

BOUNDED/LIMITED RATIONALITY
 Ideas of limited rationality emphasize the extent to which individuals and groups simplify
a decision because of the difficulties of anticipating or considering all alternatives and all
information Bounded rationality relates of two aspects, one part arising from cognitive
limitations and the other from extremes in emotional arousal sometimes this is at the
moment of a crime can be acute thereof would be offenders find themselves out of
control and rational considerations are far less salient.

 Therefore Rational Choice Theory assumes that all people try to actively maximize their
advantage in any situation and consistently try to minimize their losses. The idea of RAT
is all humans base their decisions on rational calculations, act with rationality when
choosing and aim to increase either pleasure or profit.

CHOICE THEORY
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- The belief that the individuals choose to commit a crime, looking at the opportunities
before them, weighing the benefit versus the punishment and deciding whether to
proceed or not. This cost-benefit analysis primarily focuses on the idea that we all have
choice to proceed with our actions. Because of the punishment involved, we are deterred
committing the crime.
- This theory is the work of William Glasser, MD.
- This theory posits behaviors we choose are central to our existence. Our behaviors
choices are driven by five genetically driven needs, survival, love and belonging,
freedom, fun and power.
1. Survival needs such as:
a. Food
b. Clothing
c. Security
d. Sex shelter
2. Psychological need such as:
a. Belonging/connecting/love
b. Power/significance
c. Freedom
d. Fun/learning
Glassers made up of four components namely:
1. Acting
2. Thinking
3. Feeling
4. Physiology
 These four components remain closely intertwined; the choices we make in our thinking
and acting greatly affect our feeling and physiology.
 As a conclusion of Glasser the source of much personal unhappiness is failing
relationships with people important to us like our spouses, children, friends and
colleagues.
 The symptoms of unhappiness are widely variable and are often seen as mental
illness. Glasser believed that “pleasure” and “happiness” is related but is a far from
synonymous.
 e.g. SEX- this is a “pleasure” but may satisfy a person which is a precondition for
lasting “happiness” in life. That’s why choice theory posits most mental illness is in
fact an expression of unhappiness.

ROUTINE ACTIVITY THEORY

 This theory states that for crime to be committed, three elements must be present:

 An available target
 A Motivated offender
 A lack of guardians
 It is a subfield of crime opportunity theory that focuses on situations of crime.
 It provides a simple and powerful insight into the causes of crime problems. At its heart is the
idea that in the absence of effective control, offenders will prey upon attractive targets.
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 It was developed by Marcus Felson and Lawrence E. Cohen

2. SOCIOLOGICAL POSITIVISM
Sociological Positivism, popularized by statistician Lambert Adolphe Jacques
Quetelet and Andrei-Michele Guerry in the 1800s, examines relationships between
societal influences and crime. Sociological Theory is driven by a study of social
structures within an offender’s environment such as family, peer groups, socio economic
status, education level and subculture that led to his criminality. The theory focuses on
how an offender conforms to his surroundings, becoming a product of his environment
and social learning. This concept proposes that criminality is inevitable under
circumstances such as ongoing exposure to social disorganization in a criminal culture,
stigmatization, strain including poverty, a break-down in family or moral values and
family or community justified crime.

The Rise of the Sociological Perspectives on crimes, criminals and their behavior
is also the shift of the blame to the social and environmental circumstances
This also includes the theories which promotes that people’s behavior
bears some relationship to their biological and psychological constitution
The Societal factor are:
1. Low levels of education
2. Poverty;
3. Negative subculture influence
4. Individual’s environment or surrounding social or cultural structure
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These could predispose that individual cannot connect and dwell into crime.

This ground seeks to associate crime statistics to sociological and profitable

issues, such as population density, ethnographic diversity, distribution of wealth, and
employment. Rejecting the classical notion that crime is a consequence of individual and
predetermined decision making, sociological positivism investigates social influences in
relation to susceptibility for criminal behavior. Within this representation, crime and
deviant activity are seen as normal, adaptive responses to the structural and sociological
organizational and coercive factors of society.
 Social disorganization theory suggests that slum dwellers violate the law because they
live in areas where social control has broken down. The origin of social
disorganization theory can be traced to the work of Shaw and McKay, who concluded
that disorganized areas marked by divergent values and transitional populations
produce criminality.
 Strain theories view crime as resulting from the anger people experience over their
inability to achieve legitimate social and economic success. These theories hold that
most people share common values and beliefs but the ability to achieve them is
differentiated throughout the social structure. The best known strain theory is
Merton's, which describes what happens when people have inadequate means to
satisfy their needs.
 Cultural deviance theories hold that a unique value system develops in lower class
areas. Lower-class values approve of behaviors such as being tough, never showing
fear, and defying authority. Cloward and Ohlin argue that crime results from lower-
class people's perceptions that their opportunities for success are limited.
This theory states that the individual is not responsible for their deviance as much
as the community within which they reside. People are influenced by the place,
people, and social structure of the community in which they reside
 Social Structure theory suggests that people's places in the socioeconomic structure
influence their chances of becoming a criminal. Poor people are more likely to
commit crimes because they are unable to achieve monetary or social success in any
other way. Social structure theory has three schools of thought--social
disorganization, strain, and cultural deviance theories.

3. BIOLOGICAL POSITIVISM
Biological positivism, theorized by Italian criminologist Cesare Lombroso in the
late 1800s, is based on anthropology and studies the evolution and physiological
differences between criminals and non-criminals, theorizing that some people are born-
criminals. The belief is that criminals are pre disposed to commit crime as a result of
biological inferiority versus personal choice. This theory takes an objective and scientific
approach to understanding crime by researching an array of physiological factors that
may contribute to criminality such as vitamin deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, diet and
brain function.
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SCHOOL OF CRIMINOLOGY

Biological positivism claims that criminal behavior is the result of some chemical
imbalance within the brain or abnormalities. Traditional biological theories suggest that
criminal behavior is a result of a defect within the individual. It can be shown below how
this theory can be explained
 Biological determinism also called biologism or bio determinism the idea that most
human characteristic, physical and mental, are determine at conception by
hereditary factors pass from parent to off spring. Although all human traits
ultimately as based in a material nature, tha term bilogical determinism has come to
imply a rigid causation largely unaffected by environmental factors.
 Somatotype theory is one of the biological theories of criminology and is considered
to be included in the biological school of criminology. Somatotyping is the
classifying of people into types according to body build. Somatotype theory relates
distinctive body types of personality charteristis and relates criminal behavior to the
body types. Somatotype theory is most commonly associated with theory is most
commonly associated with William Sheldon. Sheldon's somatotype theory established
three basic body types: endomorph, mesomorph, and ectomorph
 Biosocial Theory is a theory of bahavioral and social science that describe
personality disorders and mental illnesses and disabilities as biologically-
determined personality traits environmental stimuli.
 Biochemistry sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical
processes within and relating to living organisms. Biochemical processes give rise
to the complexity of life
 Biochemical Theory
The difference lies in the fact that biochemical explanations involve substances –
or chemical processes – already present in the body while altered state explanations
involves the introduction of outside agents.
In this section we will consider sexual hormones, blood sugar levels, and
adrenaline sensitivity.

1. The relationship between sex hormones and human behavior does appear more
complex even though testosterone has been linked with aggressive crime such as
murder and rape. However, it does seem that in most men testosterone levels do not
significantly affect levels of aggression (Persky, Smith and Basu, 1971;
 Scarmella and Brown, 1978). Studies of violent male prisoners
suggest that testosterone levels have had an effect on aggressive behavior.
2. Blood sugar levels Hypoglycaemia or low blood sugar levels – sometimes related to
diabetes mellitus – may result in irritable, aggressive reactions, and may culminate in
sexual offences, assaults, and motiveless murder (see Shah and Roth, 1974).
 Virkkunen (1987) has linked hypoglycaemia with other activities often defined
as antisocial such as truancy, low verbal IQ, tattooing and stealing from home
during childhood and alcohol abuse. If alcohol is drunk regularly and in large
quantities, the ethanol produced can induce hypoglycaemia and increase
aggression.
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SCHOOL OF CRIMINOLOGY

3. Adrenaline sensitivity the relationship between adrenaline and aggressive behavior is a

similar area of study to that involving testosterone with each involving the relationship
between a hormonal level and aggressive antisocial behavior.

 Neurology is a branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the nervous system.

Neurology deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and
diseas involving the central and peripheral nervous systems, including their
coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue, such as muscle

4. PSYCHOLOGICAL POSITIVISM
Psychological positivism, theorized by French criminologist Alexander
Lacassagne in the 1800’s, proposes that the causation of criminality is rooted in offender
mental illness or personality disorders. Examples include schizophrenia, bi-polar
disorder, psychopathic personality, anti-social personality disorder, depression and
neurotism. Disorders may be the result of sociological or biological factors such as
physical or sexual abuse, parental criminology and intelligence level. Psychological
positivism analyses criminality as the result of an internal and unavoidable cause versus
that of a controlled decision
Psychological positivism proposed that people commit crime because of internal
psychological factors over which they have little or no control. There is a criminal
personality (Burke, 2009) and that there are certain internal factors which motivate and
drive an individual to become a criminal.
Focuses on the psychological aspects of crimes including the associations among
INTELLIGENCE, PERSONALITY, LEARNING and CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR
Psychodynamic Theory
 According to Freud's version of psychodynamic theory, the human mind performs three
seperate functions:
 Conscious Mind - Is the part of the mind that people are most aware of; it contains
sensations and thoughts like hunger, thirst and desire.
 Pre Conscious Mind - Holds elements of experiences that are out of our awareness but
that can be brought back to consciousness at any time through memories and experiences
 Unconscious - Part of the mind contains biological desire and urges that cannot readily
be experienced as thoughts. part of the unconcscious holds feelings about sex hostility,
which people keep below the surface of consciousness by a process called repression.
Psychodynamic thoery also says that the human personality has a three part
structure:
 Id - Is the primitive part of people's mental make up present at birth. It represents
unconscious biological drives for sex, food, and other life sustaining necessities. The
follow the Pleasure Princilple: It requires instant gratification without concern for the
right of others
 Ego - Develops early in life when a child begins to learn tha his/her wishes cannot be
instantly gratified. The ego is thae part of the pesonality that compensates for thr
demandsof the Id by helping the individusl his/her actions remain within the bounderies
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of convention. The Ego is guided by the Reality Priciple it makes to account who is
practical and conventional by society stadars
 Super Ego -Develops as results of incorporating within the personalitythe moral
standards and values of parents community and significant others. It ia the moral aspect
of people's personalities .

Assignment 1
Directions: This is an IDENTIFICATION test. Supply the correct word that will
complete each sentence.

_______________1. This is defined as the breakdown of social order as a result of the

result of social order as result of the loss of standards of values in a society which
develops into a modern, urbanized one, and the intimacy needed to sustain a common set
of norms declines.
_______________2. The basis of this theory explains offender motivation to commit a
crime as a purposeful decision with intent of a personal gain in the form of ego boosting
incentives as such money, power, status or learning.
_______________3. This guides the readiness of finding facts rather than of reaching
goals, and are neutral concerning alternatives among values
_______________4. They view society as fundamentally a patriarchy in which men
dominate and oppress women.
_______________5. It is a method of socio economic analysis that view class relations
and social conflict using a materialist interpretation of historical development and takes a
dialectical view of social transformation.
_______________6. This theory describes a person “according to Daniel Glaser,” who
pursues criminal behavior to the extend that he identifies himself with real or imaginary
persons from whose perspective his criminal behavior seems acceptable.
_______________7. A _______ is a reflective and coherent type of mental or
generalizing thinking about a phenomenon, or the results of such imagination.
________________8. This theory is a field of sociology that focuces on competition and
the dynamics of conflicting interest between different social groups as the fundamental
force underpinning culture and politics.
_______________9. This theory assumes that people are law abiding, but under great
pressure they resort to crime.
_______________10. It refers to one of the causes of crime Theorized by Italian
Criminologist Cesare Lombroso in the 1800’s. and is based in anthropology, and studies
the evolution and physiological differences between criminals and non-criminals,
theorizing that some people are born-criminals.
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Assignment 2:
Directions: Properly select the word form COLUMN A that will match with COLUMN
B, USE CAPITAL LETTERS ONLY.
ANSWER COLUMN A COLUMN B
(Letters only)
1. Use of free-will in the A. Psychological Positivism
commission of crime
1. B. Strain Theory
2. A well confirmed type of
explanation of nature of
crime C. Rational Theory
D. Radical Feminist
1.
3. We tend to see what we E. Liberal Feminism
believe
1.
F. Anomie/Normlessness
4. Examines relationships
between societal influences
G. Structural Functionalism
and crime

5. Focuses on women’s H. Control Theory

ability to maintain their
equality through their own I. Overvalued belief
actions and choices.
J. Conflict theory
6. The community
encourages those K. Marxists Feminism
individuals to redefine
themselves in accordance L. Social Learning theory
with the community’s
definition M. Sociological Positivism
7. When a simple society
develops into a modern, N. Differential Association
urbanized one, the
intimacy needed to sustain O. Labeling
a common set of norms
declines. P. Existing phenomena

8. Assumes that people are Q. Criminal Behavior

law-abiding, but under
great pressure they resort R. Theory
to crime
S. Attitude problem
9. Analyzes criminality as a
result of an internal and
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unavoidable cause versus T. Cesare Lombroso

that of controlled decision.

10. View society as

fundamentally patriarchy
in which men dominate
and oppress women

Topic 2: Theories of Victimization

Types of victimology
General victimology. Some scholars refer to general victimology as victimity.
General Victimology includes the study of five specific types of victimization:
1. Criminal Victimization
2. Self-Victimization
3. Social Environmental Victimization
4. Technological Victimization
5. Natural Disaster Victimization

The theory of Victimization shows the vulnerability of every individual.

2
1
Motivated offenders
Lack of capable guardians
 Teenage boys
 Police officers CRIME  UnemploYment
 Homeowners  Addict
 Security system 3 population

Suitable targets

 Costly Jewelry
 Expensive cars
 Easily
transportable
goods

THE FOUR THEORIES OF VICTIMIZATION

1. The victim Precipitation Theory- Victim precipitation refers to the interactions of victims
with those who commit crimes against them.
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The Definition:
Victim victimization is a criminology theory that analyzes how victims interaction with
an offender may contribute to the crime being committed. The theory is most commonly
associated with crimes like homicide, rape, assault and robbery.
The axiom victim precipitation was first interoduced by 20th century criminologist
Marvin Wolfgang, in his article entitled Victim Precipitated Criminal Homicide, in this
Theory, Wolfgang describes the victim as the first in the homicide drama to use physical
force against his subsequent slayer.

The Theory:
Like all criminology theories, victims precipitation relates to how and why crimes
happens. While most theories focus on the acts and intentions of the offender, victim
precipitation seeks to understand the interaction between the victim and the offender,
Aggressor as agitator+provoked victim= crime where “victims provoke criminals” and
that “victims trigger criminal acts by their provocative behavior”
This theory application is known as victim facilitation, and it concerns situation where a
victim’s negligence or carelessness makes them more susceptible to criminal conduct.
The victim is viewed as an active participant in the crime. This happens in two ways;
first, the victim is the participant in the crime who acts first; second, the victim encourages or
provokes the offender to commit crime. These are the primary components of the victim
precipitation theory.
2. The lifestyle theory
Lifestyle
 Style of life
 Some lifestyle favor victimization because they offer more opportunities
 Demographic variables determine victimization risk through their effect on lifestyle
 Some populations are heightened risk due to their status
The Lifestyle/exposure theory is a model of victimology that posits that the likelihood
an individual will suffer a personal victimization depends heavily upon the concept of life
style. Most victims are victimized at night. The lifestyle theory is constructed upon
several premises.
“Lifestyle suggests that victims put themselves in danger by engaging in high risk
activities” victimization risk is increased when people have a high risk lifestyle. Placing
oneself at risk by going out to dangerous places results in increased victimization.
3. Deviant Place theory
In order to lower the chance and vulnerability that one will become the victim of a crime,
the individual should avoid the “bad” areas of town or cities where crime rates are high.
The deviant place theory discusses the fact that crime flourishes in certain places and the
odds of victimization increase when people live in the high- crime areas and that this theory
states that “ crime is not a random occurrence but a rather a function of the victim’s
lifestyle”.
The view that victimization is primarily a function of where people live, poor areas,
densely populated and highly transient.
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Example:
a. The MNLF & MILF in Mindanao area in the Philippines where ASG, ISIS proliferate
all year round.
b. Slum areas in highly urbanized cities.
4. Routine Activity Theory
The theory stipulates three necessary conditions for most crime; a likely offenser, a
suitable target, and the absence of a capable guardian, coming together in time and space. The
lack of any of the three elements is sufficient to prevent a crime which requires offender-victim
contract.
It clearly states that in order for a crime to be committed, three specific criteria must be
involved
a. There must be a motivated offender
b. A suitable target
c. The absence of a capable guardian

Activity theory is mainly a macro theory of crime and victimization. It requires motivated
offenders, but does not explain how such offenders become motivated.
Motivated offenders are individuals who are not only capable of committing criminal
activity, but are willing to do so. Suitable targets can be a person or object that are seen by
offenders as vulnerable or particularly attractive. Guardianship can be a person or an object that
is effective in deterring offense to occur and sometimes crime is stopped by simple presence of
guardianship in space and time. The factors that render a particular target attractive are
situational and crime specific.
The analytic focus of routine activity theory takes a macro-level view and emphasizes
broad-scale shift in the patterns of victim and offender behavior. It focuses on specific crime
events and offender behavior/ decisions. Routine activity theory is based on the assumption that
crime can be committed by anyone who has the opportunity.
It is suggested that if one simply reduces the three factors, they will be able to reduce
crime. An increase in guardianship as well as time spent at home decreases the ability and
opportunity to commit crime.

VICTIM CATEGORIES
1. Primary Victims-Are person who directly sustained injuries and even the immediate
caused of his/ her death as a result of the violence inflicted against them. Furthermore,
the outcome is the product of direct involvement of the victim towards his opponent.
2. Secondary Victims- refers to a person who suffers panic shock or attack without himself
exposed to the actual danger or encounter in a catastrophe.
O These may occur when the following are observed:
o Eye witness of an outrageous events showing the immediate effect
o There is a sudden assault in the nervous system
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o Nervous breakdown is caused by witnessing an actual death of other

person
Types of Victims:
1. Completely innocent victims
2. Victims with minor guilt
3. Victims as guilty as the offender
4. Victims more guilty than the offenders
5. The most guilty types of victims
6. Simulating (or pretending)victims
In this case, Walter reckless (1961) has talked and further considered two types of
victims:
a. Reporting – is one who is willing to report because he/ she fears reprisals and
punishment or social consequences of doing so.
b. Non-reporting victim- is one who does not bother for the consequences of reporting
his victimization but is rather interested in getting the offender punished or getting
some relief for his suffering.
CRIME CAUSATION
Crime causation is a daunting and complex field. It is a manner of understanding the WHY’s and
the HOWs in all its angles. For centuries, philosophers have pondered the meaning of the
concept of cause as it pertains to human behavior, increasingly, research suggests that
individuals are unaware of the causes of other people’s behavior as well as the causes of much of
their own conduct.
Three theoretical Explanations of crime causation
The theories covered can be categorized into three main approaches:

1. BIOLOGICAL THEORIES
Made the common norms that physical traits can lead an individual to criminal
activities. Generally speaking, it was thought that physical attributes were passed down
from parent to child. it was thought that the risk of committing crimes also passed down
from parents.
The early biological theories of crime were focused mainly on heredity of crime,
that a child inherited his behavior from his parents.

2. SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES
This entry focuses on the three major sociological theories of crime and
delinquency; strain, social learning and control theories. It then briefly describes several
other important theories of crime, most of which represent elaboration of these three
theories.
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All of the theories that are described explain crime in terms of the social
environment, including the family, school employment, group associates, workplace,
community and society.

3. PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES
It is concerned about the deprivation of the psychological needs of man which
constitute the development of deviations of normal behavior resulting to unpleasant
emotions (Freud, Maslow) and find a supporting link between crime and Low IQ

Critical Theories Explanation

Critical theories also try to explain group differences in crime rates in terms of the larger
social environment; some focus on class differences, and some on societal differences in crime.
Several versions of critical theory exist, but all explain crime causation in terms of group
differences in power.

The manner of execution and performance of the offenders differ based on their goals and
reasons in doing and committing an offense.

Manner of execution comes in when:

1. The situation is conducive to crime
2. The situation is conducive to target
3. The instrumentalities are available

The Future Of Crime Theories And Its Explanation

1. Biological Theories
Biological explanations of crime assume that some people are ‘born criminals’, who
are physiologically distinct from non-criminals. The most famous proponent of this
approach is CESARE LOMBROSO.
In the 19th Century, Italian prison psychiatrist Cesare Lombroso drew on the ideas
of Charles Darwin and suggested that criminals were ATAVISTIC: essentially
‘EVOLUTIONARY THROWBACKS’.
He suggested that their brains were mal-developed or not fully developed. In his
review of prisoners, he found that they shared a number of common physical attributes,
such as sloping foreheads and receding chins.
In so doing, Lombroso suggested that involvement in crime was a product of
biology and biological characteristics: criminals were born that way. Lombroso’s theory
is essentially a theory of biological positivism.

Lombroso’s work has long since fallen out of favor. However, biological theories
have continued to develop. Rather than measuring physical features of the body,
contemporary approaches focus on:
 Biochemical conditions (e.g. linked to poor diet or hormone imbalance)
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 Neurophysiological conditions (e.g. learning disabilities caused by brain

damage)
 Genetic inheritance and/or abnormality
 Intelligence
*These attempts, to locate the causes of crime within the individual, suggest that there are
identifiable differences between offenders and non-offenders. In other words, the criminal is
‘other’: in some way different or abnormal to everyone else.

2. SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES
Sociological approaches suggest that crime is shaped by factors external to the
individual: their experiences within the neighborhood, the peer group, and the family.
SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION THEORY
Grew out of research conducted by sociologists at the University of Chicago in
the 1920s and 1930s. It key proponents were CLIFFORD R. SHAW AND HENRY D.
MCKAY (1942), who used spatial mapping to examine the residential locations of
juveniles referred to court.
Shaw and McKay found that patterns of delinquency were higher in areas
characterized by poor housing, poor health, socio-economic disadvantage and transient
populations. This led them to suggest that crime was a function of neighborhood
dynamics and not due to individual actors and their actions.
On the next topics some theories in relative to sociological approach will be talk
over.

3. INTEGRATED THEORIES
Several theories have attempted to combine ceratin of the above theories in an
effort to create integrated theories of crime. The most prominent of these integrations are
those of Terence P. Thornberry and Delbert S. Elliott and associates. Elliotts theory states
that strain and labeling reduce social.

The Logic of Psychological Theories

Two friends were in trouble, A was put behind bars because the latter inflicted
injury to b which resulted to almost demise of B. but because of the established
friendships, B still Visits A in jail but A doesn’t even feel sorry. Its like he cannot
understand that what he did to B is wrong.

Four (4) basic ideas when it comes to Psychological theories of crime. These
general assumptions are that crime is a result of:

1. Failures in Psychological Development

Some people run into trouble because they didn’t develop or grow, the way that
others normally do.
2. Learned behaviors or aggression and violence
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If a person is surrounded by viciousness, violence and aggression, they are more

likely to become violent and aggressive themselves, because they have learned
that those behaviors are okay and accepted.
3. Inherent Personality Traits
It is common that there are some characteristics that criminal tends to share with
each other, and some psychologist believe that there are certain personality traits
that predispose someone towards criminal behavior, and as an outcome, crime is
the output
4. Relation of Criminality to Mental Illness
All year round, some people with psychological disorders and maladies ends up
committing crimes. While this isn’t the case for all people with mental illness,
there are a higher than normal percentage of criminal with mental illness.

ASSIGNMENTS

Assignment 3
Directions: choose your answer by writing the letter which corresponds to each item below in the
space provided for, justify your answer by selecting the item that will qualify by putting a check
mark after every item whether you agree or disagree
1. Refers to the interactions of victims with those who commit crimes against them.
a. Victim precipitation c. victim opportunity
b. Victimization d. Victim participation
( ) Agree:_________________________________________________________
( ) Disagree ______________________________________________________
2. These are persons who directly sustained injuries and even the immediate caused of his/ her
death as a result of the violence inflicted against them.
a. Secondary victims c. Primary victims
b. Intermittent d. Ordinary victim

( ) Agree:_________________________________________________________
( ) Disagree ______________________________________________________
3. Routine activity theory states that in order for a crime to be committed, three specific criteria
must be involved. Which one should not be included?
a. There must a motivated offender
b. A suitable target
c. Opportunity is blocked
d. The absence of capable guardian
( ) Agree:_________________________________________________________
( ) Disagree ______________________________________________________
4. This theory view that victimization is primarily a function of where people live, poor areas,
densely populated and highly transient,
a. Deviant place theory c. Routine Activity theory
b. Victim Theory d. Exposure theory
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( ) Agree:_________________________________________________________
( ) Disagree ______________________________________________________
5. This theory is a model of victimology that posits that the likelihood an individual will suffer
a personal victimization depends heavily upon the concept of life style
a. Deviant place theory c. Routine Activity theory
b. Victim Theory d. Exposure theory
( ) Agree:_________________________________________________________
( ) Disagree ______________________________________________________
6. This theory application is concerned on the situation where a victims’s negligence or
carelessness makes them more susceptible to criminal conduct. This is known as ____
a. Victim facilitation c. victim inducement
b. Victim analization d. victim interpretation
( ) Agree:_________________________________________________________
( ) Disagree ______________________________________________________
7. This refers to a person who suffers panic shock or attack without himself exposed to the
actual danger or encounter in a catastrophe.
a. Secondary victims c. Primary victims
b. Intermittent d. Ordinary victim
( ) Agree:_________________________________________________________
( ) Disagree ______________________________________________________
8. While most theories focus on the acts and intentions of the offender, this theory seek to
understand the interaction between the victim and the offender,
a. Victim precipitation c. victim opportunity
b. Victimization d. Victim participation
( ) Agree:_________________________________________________________
( ) Disagree ______________________________________________________
9. In a homicide case where the victim sustained severe head injury, the latter is considered as
___.

a. Secondary victims c. Primary victims

b. Intermittent d. Ordinary victim
( ) Agree:_________________________________________________________
( ) Disagree ______________________________________________________
10. When the nervous breakdown is caused by witnessing an actual death of other person, the
victim is considered as ____
a. Secondary victims c. Primary victims
b. Intermittent d. Ordinary victim
( ) Agree:_________________________________________________________
( ) Disagree ______________________________________________________

Part II. List and describe the specific type of victimization in your own understanding.

Type Description or Example

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Part III. Identify the causes of victimization and the relationship to the allege perpetrator

Cause/s Perpetrator
(e.g. Drunkenness) (e.g. Brother)

Assignment 4
Directions: Describe the following and identify each item by using the crime causation theories
(Biological, Sociological and Psychological) as your answer,
_____________1, the risk of committing crime was modeled by the parents.
____________2. The low intelligence quotient of a learner leads to the frustration of the parents
as a result of his studies.
_____________3. The very high intelligence quotient of a lawyer is an indications of his
misunderstanding with his clients.
_____________4. The environment has great influence to a person in his environment in the
commission of crime.
_____________5. Family is the basic unit of the society and has an impact in the discipline of
the child. In relation to his dealing with other people
_____________6. The school teaches the basics in education to the learners and at the same
time, a big playground of the latter where observations and experiences can be acquired.
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_____________7. The workplace is where employees learn and acquire some informal education
but it can be the worst environment.
_____________8. The father is a thief and the son and the son is doing the same thing.
_____________9. “Mango tree will always bear mango fruit”.
_____________10 “tell me your friends are and I will tell you who you are”
_____________11. “ Like mother like daughter”
_____________12 moderate intelligence quotient is an indication of vitamin deficiency of the
body.
_____________13. There is poor diet and hormone imbalance
_____________14. The teacher is a role model in school where the students acclimatize the
attitude of the supposed educator
_____________15. “Banana tree bears another fruit”
_____________16. The father killed his child suffering from epilepsy
_____________17. The mentally ill fruit vendor kills his customer without any reason
_____________18. Siblings always argue about their inheritance distribution.
_____________19. Schools do not accept students with physical disability
______________20. Street children are vulnerable to crime and as victim
_____________21. Beggars
_____________22. Family living in slam areas
______________23. Over dosage of illegal drugs
______________24. Black sheep in the family
______________25. Fighting with anybody else in school, office and public places.

Part II. Identify the nature and type of crimes below. Write X if the statement if on the crime
against person and Y if identified as crime against property.
1. Serious physical injury
2. Rape
3. Muder
4. Human Trafficking
5. Carnapping
6. Kidnapping
7. Cattle rustling
8. Illegal detention
9. Homicide
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10. Infanticide
11. Illegal recruitment
12. Drug importation
13. Bullying
14. Organ Trafficking
15. Reckless imprudence resulting to damage to property
16. Arson
17. Child pornography
18. Cyber bullying
19. Pedophile
20. Reckless imprudence resulting to homicide