Causes Of Criminal Behavior

Criminals are those who act in a way that violates public or federal law. This is an agreed upon term, but the question that scientists have been pondering is why criminals behave the way that they do. The debate has been continuous with no avail, it is argued whether it is genetics or the environment that causes criminal behavior. If criminal behavior is looked at too narrowly then there can be similarities but, everyone is different and therefore have different ailments or reasonings for the crimes they commit. This research can be beneficial to the scientists who are in the debate, psychiatrists and psychologists who attempt to rehabilitate criminals, and social workers who attempt to stop criminal behavior in delinquents. Genes and mental …show more content…
With mental illnesses, such as PTSD, they may be acting against their will or not understand what they are doing. These are special circumstances that need to be considered, and cannot be explained just by the environment. The brain is responsible for everything we do, the frontal lobe is responsible for rational thinking and self control. The brain sends out neurotransmitters that affects our mood and the state that we are in. We are all responsible for our own actions, but if something is affecting the brain from doing its job, does that give the criminal an excuse? Caitlin Jones, at the Rochester Institute of Technology, states, “Personality traits and disorders have recently become essential in the diagnosis of individuals with antisocial or criminal behavior. These traits and disorders do not first become evident when an individual is an adult, rather these can be seen in children” (Jones, 2005). Mental illnesses such as PTSD, schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disease all affect how we behave, and many show up in childhood, so it would be beneficial to look at these mental illnesses immediately. These children should receive the proper care and love to help them through their illness, so they do not portray criminal behavior as an adult. If a soldier with PTSD, a mental illness that occurs in adulthood, harmed someone because he or she believed they were in the warzone and they needed to …show more content…
It is true that crime management is vital, but the job would be easier if criminal behavior was properly researched and understood. This does not mean that there are more people on research than management, they are separate groups with separate skills. There is always debate, instead it should be realized that both parties can get their own way. It is not just simply nature versus nurture, it is nature and nurture. It is not just crime management versus criminal behavior, it is crime management and criminal behavior. Crime cannot and will not simply disappear, however, there can be less crime if there are proper precautions and rehabilitation. It starts in the home, parents need to be responsible for their children. If someone feels that they are mentally unhealthy, they should have a safe place where they can turn to for help. Furthermore, Lindsay Beller at The Chicago School, states in the psychology magazine Insight, “...cognitive behavioral therapy emerged as the treatment with the greatest impact in reducing the recurrence of criminal behavior in juveniles and adults, and in decreasing the incidence of depression and substance abuse” (Beller 2011). Cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective type of psychotherapy that changes people’s thinking, behavior, and/or feelings. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one example of a treatment of criminal behavior, and through