Criminal Psychology: Why do people commit crimes?

Welcome! In this section of the Criminal Psychology topic, we are going to look at the "nature" side of the debate. Why do some people seem more prone to criminal behavior than others? Is it something they are born with? We will explore Eysenck’s (1964) theory of personality, look at how we punish criminals, and see how we try to help them change their ways through rehabilitation. Don't worry if some of the long words like "recidivism" or "neuroticism" look scary at first—we will break them down into simple pieces!

1. Eysenck’s Theory of Personality (1964)

Hans Eysenck believed that our personality is biological. This means it is determined by the type of nervous system we inherit from our parents. He identified three main "dimensions" or scales of personality. The Dimensions of Personality:
  • Extraversion vs. Introversion: Extraverts have a nervous system that is "under-aroused," so they seek excitement and stimulation from the outside world. Introverts have an "over-aroused" nervous system, so they prefer quiet environments.
  • Neuroticism: This is about how stable your nervous system is. Neurotics are more likely to be anxious, moody, and prone to "fight or flight" reactions. Stables are much calmer under pressure.
  • Psychoticism: People who score high here are often cold, aggressive, and lack empathy (they don't feel bad for others).
The "Criminal Personality": Eysenck argued that people who score high in Extraversion (E), Neuroticism (N), and Psychoticism (P) are the most likely to become criminals. Why? Because high Extraverts crave the "thrill" of crime, high Neurotics are hard to condition (train) to follow rules, and those high in Psychoticism lack the guilt to stop them from hurting others. Strengths of Eysenck's Theory:
  • It combines biology (the nervous system) and psychology (personality), making it a very holistic approach.
  • There is evidence that people with high "P" scores are more likely to be found in prisons.
Weaknesses of Eysenck's Theory:
  • It can be reductionist because it ignores other factors like poverty or how someone was raised.
  • Personality can change over time; Eysenck suggests it is fixed from birth, which might not be true for everyone.

Quick Review: Eysenck = Biology + Personality. The "Criminal Profile" = High E, High N, and High P.


2. Punishment and Recidivism

When someone commits a crime, society punishes them. But does it work? To measure this, we look at Recidivism. Recidivism simply means "re-offending"—when a person is punished for a crime but then goes out and commits another one. Types of Punishment:
  • Prison: Removing a person from society for a set period.
    Strength: It keeps the public safe and acts as a "deterrent" (a warning to others).
    Weakness: Prisons can be "schools of crime" where inmates teach each other how to be better criminals.
  • Community Sentencing: Doing unpaid work in the local community (like cleaning up graffiti).
    Strength: It avoids the negative influence of prison and allows the offender to give back to the community.
    Weakness: Some people see it as a "soft option" that doesn't really stop them from re-offending.
  • Restorative Justice: The offender meets the victim to see the real-life impact of their crime.
    Strength: It has high "victim satisfaction" and can make the offender feel genuine guilt.
    Weakness: It only works if the offender is willing to be honest and the victim is brave enough to meet them.

Did you know? High recidivism rates suggest that punishment alone often isn't enough to stop crime. This is why we use rehabilitation!


3. Rehabilitation: Changing Behavior

Rehabilitation aims to help offenders "go straight" and increase pro-social behavior (behaving in a way that helps society). A. Token Economy Programmes (TEPs) This is based on Learning Theory (Operant Conditioning). Offenders are given "tokens" for good behavior (like following rules or being polite). These tokens are secondary reinforcers that can be swapped for primary reinforcers (like extra phone credit or TV time).
  • Strength: It is very easy to set up in a prison and encourages immediate good behavior.
  • Weakness: It often stops working once the prisoner leaves and the "tokens" are gone. It doesn't fix the underlying reason for the crime.
B. Anger Management Programmes This is a cognitive treatment. It involves three stages: 1. Cognitive Preparation: Learning what triggers your anger. 2. Skill Acquisition: Learning techniques to stay calm (like counting to \(10\) or breathing). 3. Application Practice: Roleplaying situations to practice the new skills.
  • Strength: It gives the offender long-term skills to handle their emotions, even after they leave prison.
  • Weakness: It only works for crimes caused by anger. It won't stop someone from stealing or committing fraud for money.

Summary Table for Quick Revision

Topic: Eysenck's Theory
Key Idea: Personality (E, N, P) is biological.
Evaluation: Good because it links biology/psychology; bad because it's a bit too simple (reductionist).

Topic: Punishments
Key Idea: Prison, Community Sentencing, and Restorative Justice.
Evaluation: Prison is a deterrent but can lead to more crime; Restorative Justice helps victims but needs a willing offender.

Topic: Rehabilitation
Key Idea: Token Economies (rewards) and Anger Management (skills).
Evaluation: Tokens are easy but don't last; Anger Management is long-term but only for violent/angry crimes.


Note: For more on how people learn to be criminals through their environment, see the "Learning theories of criminality" chapter featuring Skinner and Bandura.