Psychology’s Contribution to Criminology
Seth Justus
Western Carolina University
Abstract
In my paper I will be describing serval advantages that Psychology has presented to Criminology studies. Psychology is the study of the mind, how individuals perceive the world and how our mind and function affects our outright behavior. Criminology is the study of crime and criminals. I will highlight how Psychological research has been used to study the etiology of serial homicides. I’ll explain how Psychology can help answer why males are more likely to be incarcerated. I will describe the positive correlation between Drug Court Probationers and Psychiatric illness. Lastly, I will expound upon how Psychological evaluations of criminals …show more content…
Why are males more likely to pursue criminal endeavors than women? We can get a better understanding of why this is through Psychology. According to Corrine C. Datchi, more men are imprisoned than women because of Psychological factors, not biological differences between the two sexes. Datchi (2017) believes “that men’s endorsement of masculinity ideologies in the context of parenting affects their level of investment in the fathering role, and that has an indirect impact on their involvement with criminal justice systems through its relation to fatherhood” (p. 45). Social expectations of males lead to Criminal acts. Men are expected to be autonomous, self-reliant, and able to provide for their families. According to a study (Carlson, 2013) Men who couldn’t become men in the traditional sense, legally, saw criminal behavior as a viable way to do it. The study (Carlson, 2013) also found that men would turn to crime to make sure they were able to provide for their family. For men, it’s important to be self-reliant and able to provide for your loved ones, and if men can’t do it through legal means then Crime is a viable way of achieving this. In Corrine C. Datchi’s “Masculinities, Fatherhood, and Desistance From Crime” Datchi describes the ideologies of masculinity as the answer to why more males are incarcerated. The author used Psychological evaluations of the criminal to mind helping us better understand why the …show more content…
Mary Beth Rondeau, Patricia L. Brantingham and Paul J. Brantingham (2005) state in their article “The Value of Environmental Criminology for The Design Professions Of Architecture, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture, And Planning” that “Architects, Landscape Architects, and planners can have a major impact on the quality of life through the creation of environments that either inhibit or facilitate crime and the fear of crime” (p. 294). So, the way that one’s landscape around them is structured can lead either thoughts of opportunity to commit crime or fear that they will be affected by crime. Criminology has shown us that humans are more likely to commit crime when it is the easiest. This basis of knowledge has allowed for city planners to effectively combat crime. In all the knowledge of environmental Psychology has allowed for Criminologist to stop crime before it even
Seth Justus
Western Carolina University
Abstract
In my paper I will be describing serval advantages that Psychology has presented to Criminology studies. Psychology is the study of the mind, how individuals perceive the world and how our mind and function affects our outright behavior. Criminology is the study of crime and criminals. I will highlight how Psychological research has been used to study the etiology of serial homicides. I’ll explain how Psychology can help answer why males are more likely to be incarcerated. I will describe the positive correlation between Drug Court Probationers and Psychiatric illness. Lastly, I will expound upon how Psychological evaluations of criminals …show more content…
Why are males more likely to pursue criminal endeavors than women? We can get a better understanding of why this is through Psychology. According to Corrine C. Datchi, more men are imprisoned than women because of Psychological factors, not biological differences between the two sexes. Datchi (2017) believes “that men’s endorsement of masculinity ideologies in the context of parenting affects their level of investment in the fathering role, and that has an indirect impact on their involvement with criminal justice systems through its relation to fatherhood” (p. 45). Social expectations of males lead to Criminal acts. Men are expected to be autonomous, self-reliant, and able to provide for their families. According to a study (Carlson, 2013) Men who couldn’t become men in the traditional sense, legally, saw criminal behavior as a viable way to do it. The study (Carlson, 2013) also found that men would turn to crime to make sure they were able to provide for their family. For men, it’s important to be self-reliant and able to provide for your loved ones, and if men can’t do it through legal means then Crime is a viable way of achieving this. In Corrine C. Datchi’s “Masculinities, Fatherhood, and Desistance From Crime” Datchi describes the ideologies of masculinity as the answer to why more males are incarcerated. The author used Psychological evaluations of the criminal to mind helping us better understand why the …show more content…
Mary Beth Rondeau, Patricia L. Brantingham and Paul J. Brantingham (2005) state in their article “The Value of Environmental Criminology for The Design Professions Of Architecture, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture, And Planning” that “Architects, Landscape Architects, and planners can have a major impact on the quality of life through the creation of environments that either inhibit or facilitate crime and the fear of crime” (p. 294). So, the way that one’s landscape around them is structured can lead either thoughts of opportunity to commit crime or fear that they will be affected by crime. Criminology has shown us that humans are more likely to commit crime when it is the easiest. This basis of knowledge has allowed for city planners to effectively combat crime. In all the knowledge of environmental Psychology has allowed for Criminologist to stop crime before it even