5 Jun 2022

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Criminology Theories of Murder

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Sociologic theory 

There are three main sociologic theories which are control theories, strain, and social learning theory. Sociologic theories outline and try to explain the criminal activity in regards to the social environment, such as peer groups, place of work, neighbors, family, and close community members (Deflem, 2006). The theory explains in a different perspective of why the social environment initiates crime. 

Strain theory explains the reasons that a person to commit a specific crime. For example, in the case of murder, strain theory suggests that a person commits murder because they undergo a lot of strain or intense stress, the individual then becomes agitated and that pushes him or her to be involved in a murder in order to minimize or release the stress that he or she is in. in the theory, one engages in murder because of the feeling that he or she is being hindered from reaching the planned personal goals, and also when other people forcefully take away the thing that ere precious to an individual. (Agnew & White, 1992) The theory goes on to explain that, one commits murder because of the failure to achieve three related goals; respect, wealth, and autonomy from adults. 

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There are many factors that one to commit murder under strain theory. A person resolves to murder due to strainful events that internal pressure because of the bad feeling. An individual then becomes angered and frustrated, and this gives the person extra energy that drives him or her to kill in order to revenge (Agnew & White, 1992). Another factor is lack of conventional support when a person is lonely and do not have close associates who can help in giving guidance when having problems, there are high chances of that particular person to engage in murder    . Finally, when there is a low probability of being caught and being held accountable, and there is the high reward of delinquency an individual is likely to commit murder. 

Evolutionary theory 

The theory widely illustrates that certain types of criminal activities such as murder are genetic and go down through the evolutionary process from one generation to another (Ellis & Walsh, 1997). The theory is categorized into two types to help understand how different crimes happen; Rushton’s theory and Cheaters theory. Cheaters' theory of crimes sees criminal activity as an evolutionary of male genes that are reproductive in nature and employed by men and women. 

Cheater’s theory illustrates criminal behaviors like crimes of passion that results in murder. It also explains that if a father is a murderer, there is a greater probability that his offspring will also exhibit that criminal activity. According to the theory, there is a belief that certain subpopulation of male individuals was created with biological genes that they have less offspring care but have a higher sexual reproduction feeling. Therefore, they are mainly engaged in sexual activity with many women in order to produce many children to increase their survival (Ellis & Walsh, 1997). This group of males is regarded and known to be manipulative, liars, and resourceful. They lie to females who have the capacity to take care of their children and they engage in sexual activity to complete their urge. 

Their actions are believed to create a generation of children with low self-esteem, deficient intelligence levels, and aggressive behavior. The children are then believing to engage in criminal activities because of their criminal intent behavior. Male of this type of gene has an inferiority condition because of the failure to provide for their family. As a result of the feeling, they become more physically violent to women and this at times leads to murder 

Neuroscience theory 

Neuroscience creates an understanding that a particular criminal activity is initiated by the human brain. The development of this theory has allowed scientists to explain the event of criminal behavior based on the knowledge obtained from the human brain. The sense created by the onrushing knowledge is largely used in law. Neuroscience helps to inform normative discussions about the pomological goals of criminal justice and how to best realize them, it may give information about whether an individual who committed murder deserves a punishment. 

At some point, it can be identified that an offender had developed a brain tumor which apt to cause problems with behaviors. Sometimes the killing is associated with a longstanding mental illness which can make a person act outside his or her conscious mind (Machalek & Cohen, 1991). The theory outlines that there are genes like variations in the brain which with a person’s behavior. Different neurological variations are said to be the driving factor for strange implications for human behavior. The underlying genetic or neurological abnormalities are major contributing factors to committing murder. 

The Victim Precipitation Theory 

This theory of victimization is a factor in being a murder victim because the victims are the ones who the criminal act that results in death. In passive precipitation, the murderer unknowingly indicates actions or attributes that the attack which can lead to death (Harper, 2014). Importantly, the theory is based on the idea that precipitation to criminal activity is because of the strain that comes about as a result of a power struggle. 

Active precipitation is where victimization happens through blackmail of the killer or when one accidentally kills when defending himself. Because of the different perspective, it is difficult to convict a murderer who did the action under self-defense 

References  

Agnew, R., & White, H. R. (1992). An empirical test of general strain theory . Criminology.30 (4), 475-500 

Deflem, M. (2006). Sociological theory and criminology research: views from Europe and the United States. Emerald Group Publishing

Ellis, L., & Walsh, A, (1997). Gene-based evolutionary theories in criminology . Criminology. 35 (2), 229-276 

Harper, L. (2014). The Four Theories of Victimization Soapboxeses. https://soapboxie.com/government/The-Four-Theories-of-Victimization 

Machalek, R., & Cohen, L. E. (1991). The nature of crime: is cheating necessary for cooperation? Human Nature. 2 (3), 215-233. 

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