During this unit, you will submit your final research paper. The final research paper will consist of the following components: (1) the overview section submitted in Unit V as part I of the paper, (2) the review of literature submitted in Unit V as part I of the paper, and (3) an evaluation of how the selected theory impacts an individual’s decision to commit crime, which will be added in this unit. Information presented for this unit should be supported with scholarly resources as noted in Unit V.  (UNIT 5 PAPER ATTACHED)

First, you should add a section on your selected theory’s effect on an individual and society. In this section, you should do the following: 

1) Discuss how the selected theory affects an individual’s decision to commit crime. 

2) Give an example of a criminal action and explain how it relates to this theory. Be sure to also discuss how this criminal behavior affects society. 

3) Summarize how this theory is supported by crime data that aims to target solutions intended to eradicate criminal behavior. 

Your paper must be a minimum of five pages, and it should be in APA style as detailed by the guidelines below. You must use a minimum of five peer-review scholarly resources total, and any information from these sources should be cited and referenced in APA style. 

Runninghead: CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES
1

CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES

5

Criminological Theories

MCJ 5135 Theory of Crime and Criminology

The Relevance of Psychological Theories in Criminology

The engagement of an individual in criminal activities is often influenced by various underlying factors. As such various theories have been developed to explain the behavioral patterns of criminals and enable the criminal justice departments to operate effectively. Among the developed theories, the psychological theories are perhaps the most accurate in the field of criminology. Psychological theories are based on an interaction between biological and social-cultural factors that either promote or deter criminal behavior, (Walters, 2016). Classical theories of criminology did not account for the state of mind of criminals. As such, many criminals in the past were convicted of crimes they committed unknowingly. This has changed since the adoption of psychological theories. Both individuals as well as criminal justice officials now understand that psychological factors influence criminal behavior. Appropriate measures have been implemented to ensure that the criminal justice department treats all persons fairly by assessing underlying psychological factors. As such, psychological theories have not only promoted the work of the criminal justice department but also promoted individual awareness about underlying mental conditions that affect an individual’s behavior, (Byrne & Hummer, 2016).

Review of the Literature

1. Byrne, J., & Hummer, D. (2016). An examination of the impact of criminological theory on community corrections practice. Fed. Probation, 80, 15.

According to Byrne & Hummer (2016), psychological theories have the most direct influence on probation and parole compared to other theories of criminology. The authors have comprehensively analyzed the impact of various theories used to evaluate criminal behavior. They suggest that behavior is intertwined with unconscious motives. Therefore, understanding the reasons behind a crime requires a psychological evaluation to understand the interaction of the two factors. This article is suitable for this research because it captures the relevance of psychological theories in criminology.

2. Dippong, J., & Fitch, C. (2017). Emotions in criminological theory: Insights from social psychology. Sociology Compass, 11(4), e12473.

Few formal theories have been developed to capture the role of emotional processes as facilitators or inhibitors of crime, (Dippong & Fitch, 2017). According to the authors, gaps in criminology can be filled by focusing on the underlying psychological factors of the offenders. The article highlights the effect that practices such as interrogation have on the mental state of an individual thus resulting in inaccurate findings during criminal investigations. As such, this article is a reliable source of information about the relevance of applying psychological theories in criminology.

3. Ilan, J. & Walter, D. (2017). Biological theories of crime versus psychological theories of crime — Comparison and evaluation of their contributions to our understanding of crime and/or criminal justice

In this resource, the authors exhaustively compare psychological theories to biological theories of criminology to identify which theory is more reliable. According to Ilan & Walter (2017), biological and psychological theories have had the greatest impact on the criminal justice systems. The authors have offered meaningful insights into the shortcomings of the psychological theories and recommended several improvements. It is important to understand both the advantages and disadvantages of the psychological approach in criminology to ensure that further research can be directed towards the improvement of the theory. Therefore, this literature is a reliable source of information to support the main argument of this research paper.

4. Walters, G. D. (2016). Crime continuity and psychological inertia: Testing the cognitive mediation and additive postulates with male adjudicated delinquents. Journal of quantitative criminology, 32(2), 237-252.

According to Walters (2016), the underlying mental issues of an individual influence their rate of crime continuity. A person is likely to continue engaging in criminal activities as long as the underlying psychological triggers are not addressed. The corrective measures put in place to curb criminal behavior will always be ineffective unless they incorporate the psychological aspect. This article points out the positive impact of incorporating psychological theories into criminology. As such, the study conducted by Walters (2016) serves as a reliable source of information to support the argument made in this paper.

References:

Byrne, J., & Hummer, D. (2016). An examination of the impact of criminological theory on community corrections practice. Fed. Probation, 80, 15. Retrieved from https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/80_3_2_0

Dippong, J., & Fitch, C. (2017). Emotions in criminological theory: Insights from social psychology. Sociology Compass, 11(4), e12473.

https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.12473

Ilan, J. & Walter, D. (2017). Biological theories of crime versus psychological theories of crime — Comparison and evaluation of their contributions to our understanding of crime and/or criminal justice. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.14740.14726

Walters, G. D. (2016). Crime continuity and psychological inertia: Testing the cognitive mediation and additive postulates with male adjudicated delinquents. Journal of quantitative criminology, 32(2), 237-252. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10940-015-9262-9