Criminal Psychology: Behavior, inheritance and factors
Introduction
Since ancient times the human being has criminal behavior, he is attracted to performing actions that most would call as "bad", despite the fact that the teachings of a good morals guide the realization of good acts and the identification of bad actions. This set of principles has been violated for a long time because of various factors that seek to be understood through criminal psychology, which is dedicated to studying and understanding the causes of crime, the personality of the offender, his motivations, in addition to dealing withof preventing it and rehabilitating the subject. To explain the reason for criminal behavior, different areas have contributed different theories, one of them is psychology, responsible for studying mental processes.
Developing
Therefore in this essay I will deal with one of its branches, criminal psychology, through its definition with different authors, the analysis of the theories that try to explain criminal behavior, likewise, observe if genetic heritage influences thehuman behavior (biological factors), as well as the environment in which the subject (environmental factors), and relationships with other people (social factors) develops (social factors). Criminal psychology can be determined through different meanings, since the theoretical orientation with respect to this subject are many, contributed by scientists, psychologists, graduates and third parties. This area of psychology is focused on understanding the offender, the dilemma that he presents and studying the criminal act that occurred.
For these reasons, criminal psychology is defined as the science that deals with studying and explaining the beginning of the crime, character and motivations of the offender and supporting measures for its treatment control, prevention and reintegration, Otín del Castillo. Through this definition we can understand that this specialty includes, in addition to glimpsing the personality of the offender, the study of the factors that occurred in the act and its incentive in order to prevent future victims. The descriptions and definitions of this branch have been expanded and with the contribution of Blackburn, we define criminal psychology as a science that: “Explains the crime and provides measures for its control, since: it attends the offender, studies the criminal act, prevents crime with treatment programs to criminals or measures ".
Therefore, in broader determination it is to serve the offender, study the crime and prevent it. To emphasize and terminate the definition, we accept Marchiori’s contribution that: criminal psychology tries to find out, to know what induces the subject to commit crimes, what meaning does that behavior have for him, because the idea of punishment does not frighten himand makes him give up his criminal behaviors;Criminal psychology tries to find out its meaning in a historical-genetic way. All these contributions make this area be exceeded in observations to the criminal subject and the study of responsible psychological causes, which relies on biology, victimology, criminalistics, etc. Making this an applied social science that is based on methods to explain the nature of the entity.
As Freud says: "inexpressed emotions never die, they are buried alive and later leave the worst forms". In my opinion, it refers to many of the criminals who are considered antisocial when they are unable to express their emotions at the right time and peacefully, only manifesting it through inexplicable works for many, but of great meaning for the incur. In the year of 1991, the case of Jeffrey Dahmer, a 22 -year -old man known as "Milwaukee’s butcher" who murdered 17 men was known, which murdered 17 men. Practiced cannibalism and necrophilia. While defending himself before the judge, he said he was very regretful of his actions, that it was a nightmare to be facing that situation for what was committed in the past.
I begged not to take away the work which was very important for him and have a second chance to show that he cannot be involved in another similar case. However, after his freedom, at 10 months he had already returned on the same path and in his last judgment he commented: "It is difficult for me that a human being can understand what I did, but I know what I did" Dahmer. This case is an example of how complex it is to understand the thought of a criminal. Which had its personal reasons that involved doing it, but that is the objective of this branch of psychology, to study the psychological determinants of criminal behavior. It is important to know the past to be able to differentiate it from the present and the changes that occurred along the way, thus establishing the importance that it currently has.
Throughout history there have. As is known, what has evolved is the method used to identify the transgressor. Of what is understood as an antisocial or criminal behavior. For example, in an ancient tribe in Polynesia to identify the culprit of a homicide, a betel nut was placed in the mouth of the deceased, it was in his belief that the body would spit the nut when the murderer was present. This caused the culprit not to attend the wake betraying automatically just because the conviction was very impregnated that this system was effective.
Likewise, when looking at the past, a time stands out in which criminal prejudices were based on the morphology of the skull, on the factions of the face, that is, in its appearance. Being ugly made you suspect. One of the first people who tried to establish a relationship between physical appearance and his personality was the Italian Giambattista della Porta, through his book Physiognomy published in 1586, where the author’s efforts are presented to relate behavior to the physicist,which maintained the supremacy until the arrival of Johann Kaspar Lavater with his work the art of knowing men through physiognomy, referring to the physical characteristics of man of natural evil. While it is true that in the seventeenth century it was very common for the court to base its decisions on beauty.
As San Juan and Vozmediano mention, in reference to the Neapolitan judge Marquez de Moscardi: "It seems, dictated their sentences with the preamble:" Heard the witnesses of charge and discharge, and view your face and your head, I condemn you to … ". Bad times for those who were little physically gradually. But this is a prejudice that was lost in the past? o Does indices of this suspicion still prevail? Although people are not legally accused of their physiognomy, the conventionalism that an individual has "bad face" is still in society. In addition to these theories that try to explain criminal behavior, the factors that influence the offender have been identified.
As for example, if genetic inheritance explains the criminal character. According to Raine’s studies, based on the influence of genetics in antisocial habits, it establishes the following points as results of your investigation: brain physiological processes are influenced by genes that collect enzymes and proteins that could determine criminal behaviors, but notIt is possible that a single gene codifies the behavior, there must be multiple genes. Criminal behavior inheritability is present in 50% in monozigotic twins, the other half corresponds to social influences. We can identify that genes influence most of the twins. As for people who have biological parents who were criminals.
According to the investigation carried out by Mednick in 1984, he concludes that 50% of identical twins become criminals, while subjects who have biologically criminal parents, only 40% become criminals. This is a study in 14.427 adopted children. Although the influence of DNA has been established on criminal behavior I think people make their own decisions and it is themselves who execute their actions. Other factors that influence are social, related to their behavior in society. According to the sociologist Hirschi, he mentions that: "the control necessary for the individual not to act criminally, lies in the links that it establishes with society".
The ties that the stable individual with his environment allows him to self-recognize as an important and necessary part in the different social groups, thus avoiding that the subject breaks the laws, because the break with them would be a great loss for him. On the contrary, if a person does not establish a social relationship, he would be more prone to commit criminal acts since when he did not relate, his ability to empathize is low and would not be affected by what happens to the same. As for environmental factors, which refer to education received, the environment during their childhood and intrapersonal development, Redondo, Sánchez and Garridmarginal extraction subjects.
They present serious educational and cultural lacks of all kinds. In general, they have experienced short, irregular and traumatic schooling processes, which led them to an early abandonment of school. It is interpreted that their habits and criminal values are, in part, for their school failure. In this small appointment it is expressed, although only in terms of education received, that young people are more likely to be aimed at crime because of the academic ruling. The influence of parents is also very important since through their teachings it is how the child will develop, learning to distinguish the good from the bad, I can say that thanks to this branch that analyzes the reason for criminal conduct, it is possible to foreseeThe actions of criminals today.
conclusion
Understanding the different factors that have been impregnated in the individual forming his criminal character throughout his life. Once the actions are understood, it is about reinserting the offender so that he does not commit the previous acts again. It is of great importance since various studies are conducted in determining why the criminal continues to commit such acts. If this branch did not exist, we would continue in an era like in the 18th century, which were judged by people for their appearance. If the importance of criminal psychology in this current society is not known and supported, we would be affecting the current and future generations that could become victims of any perpetrator.
Leave feedback