Encyclopedia of Opinion
Question
What are theories of deviance and crime?
Position‹2 of 2

Crime is caused by the individual

This position holds that crime is caused chiefly by the individual rather than society. While allowing that social conditions play a part, it locates the true cause in a person's own experiences and biology — drawing on psychodynamic, behavioural and biological theories of crime.

Supporting arguments · 3

  1. The Psychodynamic Theory of crime
    The Psychodynamic Theory of crime describes Sigmund Freud's approach to psychology and puts this approach in the perspective of crime. This theory utilizes Freud's Id, ego, and superego and states that crime must be related to an imbalance in one or more of these.
  2. The Behavioral theory of crime
    The Behavioral Theory of crime describes how an individuals direct environment can effect whether or not they commit a crime. This theory is also related to differential association.
  3. The biological theory of crime
    The Biological Theory of crime indicates that criminals were simply born criminals, and that physical biological factors defined whether a person would be a criminal or not.