1. UNIT 2: Who commits CRIME?

2. Essential Question: Why do people commit crime?
SELF-TEST
Essential Question: Why do people commit crime?
Brainstorm reasons for criminal behavior based on these three categories:
Social
Economic
Biological

3. Nature v. Nurture debate

4. What do people become criminals? NATURE v. NURTURE
NATURE: Criminals are born, not made
Biological Theories – Genetic, Physiological, or Chemical factors lead to criminal behavior.
Personality Theories – certain personality types inclined to crime
NURTURE: Social Learning:
Cultural Transmission Theory: Family shapes your criminal behavior (born into crime)
Opportunity Theory: Social group shapes your criminal behavior (don’t hang with bad kids!)

5. About what makes someone a Criminal
NATURE THEORIES
About what makes someone a Criminal

6. NATURE: Old school theory #1 about criminals:
Cesare Lombroso (1876) criminals are a separate species.
Theory: shape of the head and face determined the "born criminal".

7. CRIMINAL HEADS ACCORDING TO LOMBROSO

8. ACTUAL CRIMINALS SMALLISH HEADS?
Sometimes even poor theories can have some basis in fact.
How might head size connect to criminal behavior?

9. Another Old School NATURE Theory:
William Sheldon Body type shapes criminality.
Endomorphic (fat ) sociable and relaxed.
Ectomorphic (thin) are introverted and restrained. LEAST LIKELY TO BE CRIMINALS
Mesomorphic = CRIMINAL (muscular and aggressive) .
IDENTIFY SOME FLAWS IN THIS THEORY?

10. CRIMINAL BODY TYPE???

11. Some people suggest that if we can identify specific areas of the brain that are
“damaged” or different from the general population will that mean more people will be found not guilty of crimes.
1. What defense would lawyers make in the above scenario?
2. If you were a prosecutor how could you counter that defense?

12. Neuro-physiological causes
NATURE: MODERN THEORIES
Neuro-physiological causes
PET (brain) scans done on impulsive killers showed:
1. Damage in the: pre-frontal cortex, which controls impulsive behavior,
2. An undersized / damaged Amygdala: fear and aggression control (Charles Whitman)
Charles Whitman sniper

13. Nature: Neurochemical
The brain’s chemistry can be influenced by diet, food additives, or pollution.
The TWINKIE DEFENSE: A psychiatrist claimed that a poor diet could intensify mood swings as part of a “diminished mental capacity” defense.

14. Nature: Neurochemical
STEROIDS? Can the abuse of steroids, which increase testosterone levels, can cause people to become extremely violent? ("roid rage").
NO direct link between steroids and violence has been made.

15. Nature: Twin studies- Genetic influence on crime
IDENTICAL TWINS (same genes and gender) that have been separated at birth and brought up separately have been studied
The degree of similarity between two twins is known as the concordance rate.
This rate was compared with FRATERNAL twins who are brought up separately
FRATERNAL twins: 17%
Concordance rate for IDENTICAL twins: 55%
There seems to be some genetic link to criminal behavior

17. Psychopaths and Sociopaths
SIMILARITIES: Both are dangerous, impulsive, and criminally minded
Both have definable mental disorders
PRIMARY DIFFERENCE:
Generally Speaking
PSYCHOPATHS ARE BORN (NATURE)
SOCIOPATHS ARE MADE (NURTURE)

18. Sociopaths (NURTURE):
Are capable of EMPATHY and can form meaningful personal relationships
Common sociological factors such as
Abused as children,
running with the wrong crowd,
Poverty
Parents are criminals / neglectful
Personal Characteristics:
Easy to spot: socially inadequate, agitated, don’t fit in, spontaneous ill-thought-out crimes

19. Psychopaths (NATURE) Extreme Narcissism More organized in crimes
Psychopaths show some of these characteristics:
More organized in crimes
Less easily recognized – appear “normal”
Cunning / ability to deceive / manipulative
Superficially charming
Lack of EMPATHY
Lack of REMORSE / SHAME
Takes pleasure in the suffering of others (including family)
Flat affect (do not display emotion / fake emotion)
Extreme Narcissism

20. From the DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL of MENTAL DISORDERS (DSM)
Mental Disorders related to Psychopathy (and to a lesser degree SOCIOPATHS)
From the DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL of MENTAL DISORDERS (DSM)
1. CONDUCT DISORDER (diagnosed before age 15)
Criteria:
lack of adherence to social norms (bullies, threatens, fights).
Physically cruel to others
Animal Cruelty
Has forced someone into sexual activity
Setting fires to cause harm and damage
Lies, cheats, steals

21. lack of remorse, indifferent to the suffering of others
2. ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER
From the DSM
Diagnosed over age18; frequent diagnosis of serial killers, rapists, thrill killers
CRITERIA:
Violates norms (repeatedly arrested)
Lies, deceives for profit or pleasure
Impulsivity
Irritability and aggressiveness
Reckless disregard for safety of self or others
Irresponsibility (work, repayment of debts)
lack of remorse, indifferent to the suffering of others

22. Serial Killers
Murder three or more victims, but each is killed on separate occasions
Cooling off periods between murders
Two or more murders at one time a “murder spree”
Four or more murders “mass murder”

23. Serial Killers
Many organized serial killers will fall into a pattern: modus operandi (method), location, victim type, motive, etc.
The patterns of activities sometimes help police to apprehend the killer.
FBI do not rely solely on “profiles”

24. Serial Killers Typical serial Killers are:
More common among white males
Have no grudge against their victims
Within their twenties or thirties
Middle class
Kill within their ethnic group

25. Types of serial killers (patterns) Organized
Characteristics:
Socially competent (may lead a “normal” life)
Intelligent (not geniuses)
Planners
Generally targets strangers
Uses restraints
Has sex with their victims
Follows their crimes in the media
Returns to scene
More difficult to catch

26. Types of serial killers (patterns) Disorganized
Characteristics:
Socially immature
May know victims
Kills spontaneously
Often sexually inhibited
Harsh childhood discipline.
Lives alone
Sloppy crime scene / evidence present
Shows little interest in the media
Easier to catch than the organized killer

27. Easier to catch than the organized killer Characteristics:
DISORGANIZED SERIAL KILLER
Characteristics:
-Socially immature
-May know victims
-Kills spontaneously
-Often sexually inhibited
-Harsh childhood discipline.
-Lives alone
-Sloppy crime scene / evidence present
-Shows little interest in the media
Easier to catch than the organized killer
ORGANIZED SERIAL KILLER
Characteristics:
-Socially competent (“normal” life)
-Intelligent (not geniuses)
-Planners
-Generally targets strangers
-Uses restraints
-Has sex with their victims
-Follows their crimes in the media
-Returns to scene
More difficult to catch

28. Women serial killers: RARE Psychopathy: “Anti-Social Personality Disorder” RARE IN WOMEN
1. “Angels of Death” Nurses or health care workers who kill their patients
2. Mothers: Münchausen syndrome by proxy Deliberately cause injury or illness to another person (most often his or her child / 90% WOMEN), to gain attention or some other benefit.
3. BLACK WIDOWS: Husband murderers; favorite method: Poisoning

29. Women who commit Crime
Men commit about 80% of all Crime / 93% of all murders
Why do women commit so few murders?
Theories:
Women’s prefrontal cortex is larger than men’s = more ability to control aggression?
Male Hormone: Testosterone in concert with physical size allows men to be more violent.

30. Who Commits Crime? 1. How are criminals like misbehaving children?
Why don’t we severely punish children for their misbehavior?
What is the difference between punishment and rehabilitation?

31. Freud: Criminals are like Children
Children should progress from:
Pleasure principle (id = need instant gratification)
Reality principle (where the ego / self control is dominant).
. Freud: stable home environment necessary to make the transition.
Research has supported the fact that most criminals come from unstable homes.

32. Child abuse and Crime
Abused or neglected children 59% more likely to be arrested as juveniles
One study showed 76% of the serial rapists were abused when young.
Only about 10% of abused children go on to commit crimes.

33. Juvenile “Delinquency”
Many Juvenile offenders are diagnosed with CONDUCT DISORDER
Causes of juvenile delinquency:
Poor parenting / upbringing
Psychological disorders
Low intelligence
Every state makes their own rules with regard to who is a juvenile

34. Juvenile courts less formal, more private than adult courts
Early “JD’s” (juvenile delinquents) were sent to “REFORM SCHOOL” a type of prison / school for troubled kids
Their goal was to REHABILITATE not just PUNISH
Goal of Juvenile Justice
Diversion: keeping juveniles from becoming adult criminals through:
Counseling
Intensive programs (educational / vocational)
Release to parents
Juvenile Courts

35. Landmark Court Cases regarding Juveniles:
In Re Gault (1967)
15 year old boy (Gault) is arrested for making lewd phone calls
Held by the police, questioned, and sentenced (6 years!) with no trial or input from his parents
Supreme Court: Juveniles have the same rights as adults!
Right to counsel
Right to confront your accusers
Right to remain Silent

36. Roper v. Simmons (2005)
Supreme Court rules: defendants under the age of 18 cannot be executed
Violates the CRUEL AND UNUSUAL punishment prohibition of the 8th Amendment (Mens Rea)
This reminds us of Atkins v. Virginia (2002) which disallowed the execution of mentally retarded persons

37. Identify what is wrong with this driving schools’ curriculum
Week 1: Watch videos of automobile accidents
Week 2: Guest Speaker: Patrol officer speaks about car accidents and violation fines.
Week 3: Memorize the NJ Points system for driving infractions
Week 4: Learn the 5 ways you can lose your NJ driver’s license
Week 5: Identify the public transportation routes you would need to use if you do not get your driver’s license.

38. New Jersey Agency: NJ Juvenile Justice Commission
Emphasizes accountability and offers programs to create independent, productive and law abiding citizens.
DIVERSION: Goal is to avoid incarceration
Top Juvenile crime in NJ: Robbery
Juvenile males: 59% of Arson arrests

39. Bringing down organized Crime
R.I.C.O

40. Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
R.I.C.O
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
1970: RICO created to break up “organized crime” THE MAFIA
MAFIA bosses did not ever directly commit crime. HOW DO YOU PROSECUTE THEM?
RICO: anyone in charge of a criminal organization (gang) is subject to severe punishment
Today RICO is used to prosecute any group / gang that acts illegally.
Types of GANGS: Street, Prison, Motorcycle