I.What Is A Theory. 1.Criminology Is The Scientific Study

I. What is a theory? 1. Criminology is the scientific study of crime and the causes of criminal behavior. a. Correlation and Cause: Correlation is the relationship between two variables that tend to move in the same direction. Causation is the relationship in which a change in one variable creates a recognizable change in another variable. For example, many criminals are drug abusers but drug abuse does not cause crime because not everyone who abuses drugs is a criminal. b. The Role of Theory: Criminologists have uncovered information concerning a different and more applicable inquiry. II. The Scientific Method 1. Theory is an explanation of a happening or circumstance that is based on observation, experimentation, and reasoning. 2. A†¦show more content†¦2. Research shows that even moderate use of alcohol or drugs increases the chances that a schizophrenic will behave violently. IX. Psychology and Crime 1. Social psychology is the study of how individual behavior is influenced by the behavior of groups in social situations. b. Bad Neighborhoods and Other Economic Disadvantages: Sociology is the study of the development and functioning of groups of people who live together within a society. X. Social Disorganization Theory 1. High levels of high school dropouts. 2. Chronic unemployment. 3. Deteriorating buildings and other infrastructures. 4. Concentrations of single-parent families. XI. Strain Theory 1. Strain theory is the assumption that crime is the result of frustration felt by individuals who cannot reach their financial and personal goals through legitimate means. 2. An anomie is a condition in which the individual feels a disconnect from society due to the breakdown or absence of social norms. XII. Social conflict theories 1. Social conflict theories are theories that views criminal behavior as the result of class conflict. c. Life lessons and Criminal Behavior: Surveys that ask people about their criminal behavior have shown that the criminal instinct is pervasive in middle and upper class communities, even if it is expressed differently. XIII. The abandoned car experiment 1. Social process theories are theories that considers criminal behavior to be the predictable result of a person’s