Violent crime is one of the challenges that the US grapples with today. In such neighborhoods as Washington Heights, the rates of crime have reached alarming levels (Fullilove et al., 1998). The threat that violent crime poses to the wellbeing of communities underscores the need to establish the forces that push individuals into crime. The academic and scholarly communities have strived to examine how individuals are drawn to crime. Biological and psychological forces have been identified as some of the key factors that determine one’s risk of being drawn into crime.
The biological perspective attempts to explain crime. This perspective identifies various biological conditions that expose individuals to the threat of becoming criminals (. It has been pointed out that genetic makeup plays a role in determining whether one will become involved in criminal activities. A number of scholars have built on this perspective through an examination of how the health of the human mind affects criminality. Grisso Thomas examined the impact of childhood mental disorders on adult criminal behavior. He points out that most criminals have a history of mental illness (Grisso, 2007). He adds that children with mental illnesses face an elevated risk of criminal lifestyles. Thomas provides the examples of juvenile facilities which house young adults with some form of mental illness (Grisso, 2007). The biological perspective also examines the role of the environment in shaping criminal behavior. This perspective appears to hold that nature is a greater force in shaping criminality compared to nurture. Through twin studies, it has been established that despite being raised in different environments, twins share certain traits that can be used to determine their criminal profile (Schram & Tibbetts, 2017). Therefore, the biological perspective offers a compelling explanation for criminal behavior.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The psychological perspective also sheds light on criminal behavior. Essentially, this perspective explores such issues as personality and the human mind as it attempts to explain human behavior. A number of theories which examine the role of psychological forces have been advanced. For example, Sigmund Freud presented the model psyche to explain criminality (Schram & Tibbetts, 2017). He held that the id, ego and superego were involved in shaping criminal behavior. Hans Eysenck also added his voice to the discussion on psychology and crime. He established that there is a link between personality and criminal behavior (Schram & Tibbetts, 2017). That the psychological perspectives are grounded in sound theory is not in question. However, the biological perspective is more convincing. This is because while the psychological perspective relies heavily on theoretical arguments and hypothetical situations, the biological perspective is founded on experiments that are combined with valid theories.
The psychological and the biological perspectives are not the only explanations for crime. Other theories which seek to explain how criminal behavior develops have also been advanced. Differential association is one of these theories. This theory links criminal behavior to social structures (Matsuera, 2006). The theory essentially holds that criminal behavior is learned. When one spends much of their time with criminal elements, they are likely to acquire criminal tendencies. This theory basically identifies the social environment as the most influential determinant of criminal behavior. I fully agree with this theory. My agreement is based on personal observation. I can confirm that criminal behavior rubs off on an individual when they are in close and prolonged contact with criminals.
In conclusion, the key to combating crime lies in establishing how criminal behavior develops. The psychological and the biological perspectives shed light on what draws individuals into crime. While both perspectives are valid and compelling, the biological standpoint offers a better explanation for criminal behavior. The differential association theory also broadens the understanding on how criminal behavior develops. Since there are numerous conflicting explanations for criminal behavior, greater efforts should be dedicated to developing a unified perspective that offers an uncontestable explanation for crime.
References
Fullilove, M. T., Veronique, H., Jimenez, W., Parsons, C., Green, L. L. & Fullilove, R. E. (1998). Injury and Anomie: Effects of Violence on Inner-City Community. American Journal of Public Health, 88 (6), 924-927.
Grisso, T. (2007). Do Childhood Mental Disorders Cause Adult Crime? The American Journal of Psychiatry, 164 (11), 1625-1626.
Matsuera, R. L. (2006). Differential Social Organization, Collective Action, and Crime. Crime, Law and Social Change, 46, 3-33. DOI: 10.1007/s10611-006-9045-1
Schram, P. J. & Tibbetts, S. G. (2017). Introduction to Criminology: Why do they do it? 2 nd Edition. SAGE Publications.
