AC4.1 Assess the use of criminological theories in
informing policy development
What is psychoanalysis and treatment for criminal behaviour - linking to psychodynamic theories of criminality?
(Individualistic theories)
Where the patient verbalises their thoughts.
Assumptions are that any psychological problems, caused during development or repressed trauma, are embedded in the unconscious mind.
Aims to access unconscious or repressed thoughts.
Believed to have led to the criminal activity.
What are neurochemicals (Biological theories)
Does psychoanalysis and treatment for criminal behaviour work?
It is unlikely to provide quick answers.
Criticism comes from Blackburn (1993) who points out hat there are very few positive evaluations of classic psychoanalysis.
The nature of psychoanalysis creates a power imbalance between therapist and client that could raise ethical issues.
A patient could discover painful memories that were repressed on purpose.
What is behaviour modification - linking to learning theories of criminality? (Individualistic theories)
Behaviour modification focuses on techniques to extinguish undesirable behaviours and promote desirable ones.
The principle is that behaviours that are reinforced are strengthened, whereas the behaviours that are punished are weakened.
Does behaviour modification work?
Fo and O'Donnell (1975) devised a 'buddy system' in which adult volunteers were assigned to a young offender to provide consistent reinforcement.
This appears to have improved the behaviour of serious offenders, its impact on those who had committed less serious offences was mixed.
Virkkunen et al (1987) found that violent offenders had a lower than average turnover. This can be treated by diet changes, with food that contains serotonin such as salmon and fresh tuna.
In 2012 a pilot scheme provided chemical castration for sex offenders in Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Whatton, England. Volunteers were given a pill to reduce their sex drive. Such treatment was positively received by the prisoners who were volunteers.
What are Eugenics? (Biological theories)
Inheritance of genes could explain simple and complex human behaviour and characteristics.
It reinforces the ideas of biological determination and claims that biology had contributed towards many of the social problems throughout the late 19th century.
Such policy has varied over time, for example, the Nazi sterilisation program. In essence it advocates higher rates of sexual reproduction for people with desirable traits and higher rate of sterilisation of people with less desirable traits.
What is the death penalty? (Biological theories)
According to Amnestry International (2017) 1,032 people were executed in 2016 (excluding China). In the UK there was a temporary abolition of the death penalty in 1965. It was shown that the murder rate did not soar as a result of the abolition so a permanent abolition took place in 1969.
Does the death penalty work as a crime control method?
Statistics from the USA show that the murder rate is lower in states that do not have the death penalty than those who do. In 2015 the murder rate was 25% higher in death penalty states than non-death penalty states.