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There are several theories that attempt to explain the causes of crime. These theories can be broadly classified into three categories: biological, psychological, and sociological.
Biological theories focus on the characteristics of individual criminals. Cesare Lombroso’s theory of ‘born’ criminal suggests that criminal behavior is determined by the inheritance of ancestors. If one ancestor is a hunter, their posterity is more violent and tends to commit crimes. Yet, if one ancestor is a farmer, their posterity has less chance to commit a crime. The early body type theory divides people’s physique into three types including endomorphs, ectomorphs, and mesomorphs to discern what body type will be more likely to be a criminal. Biological theories suggest that some criminal behavior cannot be restrained by the criminal as their genetics make them born to be a criminal. It introduces a scientific approach that can analyze criminals’ genetics or their characteristics according to biological theories. However, it stereotypes and labels people and ignores the possibility of criminals affected by society.
Psychological theories focus on the characteristics of individual criminals like biological theories but emphasize the importance of unconscious mind, sex, aggression, and childhood experience. Sigmund Freud pointed out that there are three major elements in one’s mind, including the id, superego, and ego. The id is limited by superego and if the three elements cannot balance each other, one may commit crimes due to weak conscience. Many criminal offenders are characterized by no sense of guilt, no subjective conscience, and no sense of right or wrong. The balance of the three major elements depends on one’s childhood. If the child received the “faulty identification” from his or her parents, the child is more likely to commit a crime. Psychological theories explain delinquent and criminal behaviors based on one’s personality. As individual personality would be developed from early childhood, poor parenting styles would negatively affect children and they are more likely to commit a crime.
Sociological theories focus on social factors such as poverty, inequality, education level, family background, and peer pressure that contribute to criminal behavior. Social disorganization theory suggests that crime is caused by social disorganization in neighborhoods where social institutions such as schools and churches have broken down. Strain theory suggests that people who cannot achieve their goals through legitimate means may turn to crime as an alternative way to achieve them. Labeling theory suggests that people who are labeled as criminals may become more likely to commit crimes because they are stigmatized by society. Sociological theories provide a broader perspective on crime causation than biological or psychological theories but do not explain why some individuals in similar circumstances do not become criminals.
Each theory has its own strengths and weaknesses and may only be applicable to certain types of crime. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ theory.
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