There are various theories of criminal behavior and research says that it’s difficult to separate them since they are all related and play a role in expressing behavior. Amongst the main theories of criminal behavior, psychological science cuts across all the other theories and it can be applied in all the other theories. To begin off, the first theory is the psychological criminal theory with various ranges from the early Freudian notions to the later cognitive and finally the social psychological theory (Seiken, 2016) . The psychological theory works on different principles as follows; it states that the individual is the main unit used in the psychological analysis. It also states that an individual’s personality is the main motivating element in driving their behavior. From these principles, a conclusion is made that criminal behavior from a dysfunctional, an abnormal, or mental processes that are not appropriate within an individual’s personality ( Seiken, 2016).
Another type of criminal behavior theory is the sociological theory which is technically intertwined with the psychological theories (Seiken, 2016) . This theory works on the principles that it tries to connect the criminality of a person with the social structures as well as society cultural value. The contradiction of these groups is what is used to determine how they contribute to criminal behavior. Under this theory, criminal behavior is believed to be intertwined with the social construction surrounding criminality as well as its social causes. Various factors linked to the social theory are social factors, economic and developmental factors (Hagan, 2011). For instance, poverty as a socioeconomic factor is linked to criminal behavior. Under this theory, criminal acts are also associated with violence. For example, research shows that growing up in a violent household can l3ad to children responding violently to personal issues.
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The third type of criminal behavior theory is the biological theory which is linked to both psychological and social factors. Research shows that this theory is influenced by nutrition in this way; glucose in our bodies is converted into energy that is essential for the functioning of the brain. Deficiency in these nutrients lowers the functioning of the mind such that one cannot respond well to emotional impulses, think clearly or even organize their behavior ( Criminal Justice Research, 2018) . This inhibits a person’s behavior and they cannot control their emotions. Another issue that is said to cause violent behavior is substance abuse and police reports indicate that people who have been involved in substance abuse exhibit high levels of violent behavior.
Lastly, is the psychodynamic theory, which linked to a person’s childhood life that can trigger violence. Research shows that a person’s personality is highly controlled by their mental process especially one linked to their childhood (Criminal Justice Research.2018) .In this case, these people are normally said to be from families that lack love, there is unhappiness or miserable childhood with less nurturing. This lowers their self-esteem and they feel that they are not important in society hence the only thing they can do is to engage in criminality. A person’s ego is believed to develop in their childhood and if the conditions surrounding their growing environment are not conducive then they end up having low self-esteem later on after becoming adults (Criminal Justice Research, 2018) . These people grow up to become dependent on others, lack social etiquette and are said to be immature. So as to build their self-esteem in most cases these people engage in drug abuse which impairs their judgment thus indulging criminality.
Reference
Hagan, F. E. (2011). Introduction to criminology: Theories, methods, and criminal behavior . Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
Seiken, G. (2016). Three Theories of Criminal Behavior. Retrieved from https://owlcation.com/social-sciences/Three-Theories-of-Criminal-Behavior
Criminal Justice Research. (2018). Criminal Behavior Theories. Retrieved from https://criminal-justice.iresearchnet.com/forensic-psychology/criminal-behavior-theories/
