Theories of Crime
Imagine you are a criminologist. Select one of the following crimes: school violence, robbery, murder, driving under the influence (DUI), or retail theft (shoplifting).
Create a report in a Microsoft Word document that includes the responses to the following:
Using one of the following theories of crime causation; Strain, Rational Choice and Labeling, explain why your selected crime occurs.
Explain why your selected theory explains the criminal activity. Explain why the crime you chose happens using one of the following theories of crime: Strain, Rational Choice, or Labeling.
Explain why your chosen theory makes sense of the crime.
Describe the steps you can take to address the causes behind the criminal activity and reduce its occurrence.
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Theories of Crime
Your city has a large shopping mall with an attached underground parking garage. There has been an increase in the number of automobiles being stolen or broken into. In addition, some of the shoppers have been victims of robberies while at the mall and in the parking garage.
In this context, respond to the following:
Explain how you would apply the crime triangle—comprising of the presence and interaction of motivated offenders, targets, and guardians of the routine activities theory—to help reduce these incidents of crime.
Explain the preventive measures that you would use against the offenders, the targets, and the guardians.
Describe the prevention measures you would impose to address these crimes. Provide the reasons for your approach.
In the above scenario, some of the robbery victims were injured when they did not follow the criminal’s instructions at the time of robberies.
Discuss the use of neutralization theory to explain some of the potential causes of criminal activity. In your answer, explain how they may use the following techniques of neutralization:
Denial of responsibility
Denial of injury
Denial of victim
Condemning the condemners
Appeal to a higher loyalty
Let’s consider another scenario related to convicted Tuscan, Arizona shooter Jared Lee Loughner. He pleaded guilty to nineteen charges and was sentenced to seven consecutive life terms, followed by 140 years in prison.
In this context, respond to the following:
Describe the opportunities for theory integration between traditional criminology and the disciplines of biology and psychology in this case.
Describe any specific biological or psychological insight into Loughner’s personality that might prove useful to the criminological study of this case.
Provide your opinion on whether his mental health situation impacted his actions in this case. Should the judge force Loughner to be medicated to the level where he would be able to Help in his own defense? Do you think Loughner was insane? Was the sentence imposed justified in this case based on the facts? Provide rationale to support your opinion.
