The central issue revolves around whether criminality is a product of abnormal biological or psychological traits. After viewing the video case scenario on mass shootings and mental health laws and reviewing some of the profiles provided in your text such as Chris Harper Mercer- Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, Ebony Wilkerson, the ‘Ice Man- Richard Kuklinski or others profiled or using the twin study, discuss:

– How does the understanding of trait theories help us to have a better understanding of psychopathics/ antisocial personalities and to be able examine and explain criminal susceptibility.
– Please describe the link between genetics and crime according to trait theory.
– How does this apply to real case scenarios, correlating behavior theory with criminal activities.
– Are there links? Pick one of these profiles and analyze and discuss the controversy surrounding the link between intelligence and criminality and mental disorders and crime.
– Do you believe that there are certain personality characteristics that we are born with that predispose a person toward certain criminal behavior? Do you think there is a profile of a “born killer”? If so, provide an example.
– Do you feel that criminal behavior is best explained through nature (biological-genetics-physical attributions) or nurture (our environment- society- socially learned behavior)? Or is it a combination of both? Explain your thoughts and provide examples through the profiles provided.

Social Structure Theory

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Social Structure Theory

Durkheim argues that societies are susceptible to crime and societal problems due to the lack of sufficient social control that he calls anomie. Anomie, as studied, involves a feeling of detachment from society, isolation or rejection that may be sourced from hopelessness and helplessness in an individual (DiCristina, 2015). In criminology, anomie among individual produces an aspect of strain in them. The isolation and helplessness are likely to develop strains in an individual, which makes them more susceptible to develop criminal behaviors due to anger and feelings of inequality. Moreover, anomie creates high levels of stress in an individual that may result in a possible break down, making them susceptible to breaking regulatory structures, deviant, and developing criminal behavior. Social structure theories provide for a comprehensive explanation of criminal behavior, which captures an all-round possibility of developing criminal behavior (Siegel, 2018). These aspects identify the theories’ strengths, making them one of the most important in criminal profiling and understanding the development of criminal behavior.

When profiling criminals such as Manson and the Iceman we can conclude that social disorganization, cultural deviance, and strain theories accompanied by the effects of anomie played an essential role in their development of criminal behavior. Imagine a situation whereby a young boy grows up in areas such as slums and downtown streets characterized by poverty, the presence of organized crimes, and a family culture of substance and drug abuse. In that family, the father is an alcoholic and abusive, who does not provide for basic needs (social disorganization) (Siegel, 2016). In such an instance, the young boy is likely to develop anomie traits, which will make him realize the strains and inequalities he and the family are facing, and decide to engage in criminal activities to feed his needs or help his mother acting as the alternative ‘father’ and provider of the family (anomie and strain). While in the streets, he meets other organized gangs and criminals. He has to remain strong while robbing or killing for food, as the society in the streets and slums necessities him to react aggressively to the isolation and economic deprivation for survival or revenge (cultural deviance). Such scenarios and feelings of anomie can be prevented by encouraging conformity, adaptation, and innovation among people as well as creating a subculture that eliminates economic deprivation and factors that may instigate anomie feelings.

Social disorganization provides for the presence of ‘socially disorganized’ such as slum neighborhoods that have weak social control, hence find it difficult to control behaviors of youths and people in these neighborhoods. The lack of adequate behavioral regulation in these slums provides for the development of a criminal tradition, reduces social capital, and collective efficacy that is succeeded among generations. Addressing this problem requires addressing both street and family processes and developing economic policies that reinstate social capital and collective efficacy  (Anderson, 2015). Policies should address possible sources of inequalities and social oppression to revive productive and effective family, economic, and social processes.

Anomie effects create high-stress levels and strains among individuals, which can result in the development of deviant behavior. Individuals in these slums and poor neighborhoods strain and feel isolated from the rest of society due to deprivation of opportunities. Hence, criminal subcultures such as criminal, re-treatist, and conflict subcultures are formed (Austin, 2017). These three subcultures result in building a deviant culture in society with a criminal tradition put in place.

Changing a deviant subculture requires changing and reforming all social organizations from the smallest unit of a family to institutional processes through effective policy development and implementation that promote equality and legitimate access to opportunities (economic) to every individual. Programs and policies that focus on the all-round growth of an individual are necessary. For instance, community development projects among the youths and people can be established, providing education programs and training for self-reliance and empowerment, providing rehabilitation and focused groups arenas for youths and parents suffering from substance abuse and psychological traumas, and other related problems. Moreover, police training programs on better strategies of preventing and reducing criminal susceptibility in society are essential as they play a crucial role in the development and prevention of deviant criminal behavior in socially disorganized areas. These programs and training are all-round as they capture all spheres in society.

References

Anderson, J. F. (2015). Criminological Theories: Understanding Crime in America. Burlington: Jones & Bartle Learning LLC.

Austin, R. (2017). Chapter 4: Anomie/Strain Theory. In Sociology (pp. 132-186). SAGE Publications, Inc.

DiCristina, B. (2015). Durkheim’s theory of anomie and crime: A clarification and elaboration. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology.

Siegel, L. J. (2016). Criminology: Theories, Patterns and Typologies. Lowell: Cengage Learning.

Siegel, L. J. (2018). Criminology: The Core. New York: Cengage.