1. Biological & Psychological Trait Theories & Crime Typologies
118 week 3
Biological & Psychological Trait Theories
& Crime Typologies

2. Early Biological Theories
Recall Positivism
Scientific method etc.
Phrenology
Crainometry
Physiognomy

3. Early Psychological Theories
Psychodynamic/psychoanalytic perspective
Freud – personality has 3 components:
Id – pleasure principle
Ego – reality principle
Superego – ethics principle
Personality and Crime (MMPI etc)
Intelligence and Crime (research?)

4. Rowe
Genetic factors affect individual traits because they impact our central, sympathetic & parasympathetic nervous systems
Focus on neurotransmitters (chemical messengers)
Serotonin and testosterone
When would these lead to crime? Why?

5. Caspi et al Biological factors in combination with the environment
Specific traits linked to crime:
Impulsiveness, thrill-seeking, irritability, low concern for the welfare of others
Three “super traits”
Constraint
Negative Emotionality
Positive Emotionality

6. Caspi et al (cont’d) Constraint: Negative Emotionality:
Traditionalism, Harm Avoidance, Control
Negative Emotionality:
Aggression, Alienation, Stress Reduction
Positive Emotionality:
Achievement, Social Potency, Well-Being, Social Closeness

7. Other Reading… Eysenck – extraverts have chronic cortical underarousal
Buikhuisen – children are especially vulnerable when they have biological AND social deficits
Moffitt – developmental perspective

8. Other Reading … Biological influences do not occur in a vacuum
Impact of environmental factors?
Prevention strategies
Prenatal healthcare, nutritional education, alcohol and drug counseling, home visits
What next? Steps for further research?

9. Crime Typologies
Wouldn’t it be appealing and convenient if crime typologies and offender profiles were error-proof??
They’re not… and there are problems with their application… but here’s the best we’ve got so far…..

10. Types of Violence Instrumental violence Expressive violence
Improve financial or social position (of some benefit to the offender) – sex, money, drugs, other goods (burglary
Expressive violence
Vent anger or frustration, has an emotional component
Which is more common? More likely? Easier to predict?

11. Violent Crime Typologies
Homicide
Multiple murders
Serial murder
Mass murder
What about single murderers? Why no typology for them?

12. Serial Murder 3 typologies for Serial Murder
several victims in three or more separate events over a period of weeks, months or years with periods of inactivity between killings
3 typologies for Serial Murder
Holms & DeBurger:
Visionary; Comfort; Hedonistic; Power-seeker
Fox & Levine:
Thrill-motivated; Mission-oriented; Expedience-directed
Keller & Keller (Female serial killers):
Black widow; Angel of death

13. Mass Murder Fox and Levine’s Typology:
Three or more individuals killed at a single time within minutes of each other and in the same place
Fox and Levine’s Typology:
Revenge; Love; Profit; Terror
School Shootings? What do we know?

14. Types of Rape Stranger rape Gang rape Serial rape Acquaintance rape
Date rape
Marital/spousal rape

15. Rape Typologies: Groth
Anger Rapists
Uses more force than necessary for compliance, engages in sexual acts that are particularly degrading or humiliating
Power Rapists
Seeks to establish power and control over his victim (force depends on the victim’s submission)
Sadistic Rapists
Aggression is eroticized – includes sexual and aggressive components

16. Rape Typologies: Knight
Opportunistic, High social competence
Opportunistic, Low social competence
Pervasively Angry
Vindictive, Low social competence
Vindictive, Moderate social competence
Sexual, Overt Sadistic
Sexual, Muted Sadistic
Sexual, Non-sadistic, high social competence
Sexual, Non-sadistic, low social competence

17. Property Crime Typologies
18th Century Thieves:
Skilled thieves
Smugglers
Poachers
Modern Thieves:
Occasional Criminals
Professional Criminals
Shoplifters
Boosters, Heels, Snitches

18. Property Crime Typologies
Motor Vehicle Theft:
Joyriding
Short-term transportation
Long-term transportation
Profit
Commission of another crime
Carjacking

19. Property Crime Typologies
Burglary:
Young novice
Novice
Journeyman stage
Professional burglars

20. Property Crime Typologies
Arson:
Excitement motivated
Revenge, spite or jealousy
Vandalism or malicious mischief
Crime concealment
Profit, insurance fraud
Intimidation, extortion, terrorism, sabotage
Pyromania (psychological motivation)

21. Terrorism???

22. Next Class Prepare for debate/hypothetical
Exam on February 20th in class