Criminal Psychology part 2.
Raine( 1997) –Brain Dysfunction &
Criminality.
• Normal
Murderer
• ACTIVITY DEFICIT Raine's PET
scans show greater activity
(red regions) in the prefrontal
cortex of a normal brain than
in a murderer's brain.
•
• Used PET scans to illustrate
murderers showed reduced
glucose metabolism in the
prefrontal cortex, superior
parietal gyrus & corpus
Callosum.
• Along with asymmetrical
activity in the two
hemispheres.
• This supported a link between
brain dysfunction and a
predisposition to violent acts.
Daly & Wilson (1988)
• Fitness variance between
males and females.
• Basically: Women are fairly
successful with breeding and
men not so much, therefore
there is higher rate of
competition- this may lead to
increased aggression and this
increase could possibly
account for the number of
murders being committed by
men than by women.
• Men do not back down due to
‘male pride’ & the desire to
impress a potential mate.
Social learning theory.
• Bandura – Behaviour is
learned through
observation. The said
behaviour is then
imitated by the
child/other and taken
on as a normal
behaviour.
• http://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=vdh7Mngnt
nI
• COULD THIS BE THE
ANSWER TO
CRIMINALITY?
Hold a minute...what role do family
play?
• Farrington et al suggested
disrupted home life could be the
key.
• 411 Ps (8&9 years old working
class area of inner city London.
• Using questionnaires, interviews
(of both parent and child!)
• Findings: 41% criminally
convicted between 10 & 50 years
old.
• Early offence= more offence.
• Risk factors= family criminality
low school attainment poverty
and poor parenting.
• Conclusion: Aspects of
upbringing contribute to
delinquent behaviour in later life.
Further research!!!
• Sutherland
• The belief that deviant
behaviour is learned from
peers.
• Not just techniques and
methods are learned...but
motives and attitudes too.
• This was called the
differential association
hypothesis
• Loeber
• Delinquency appears to
develop in young males.
• That socio-economic
factors e.g. Poverty and
personal attributes such
as IQ put young boys at
risk of delinquency.
• His research Pittsburgh
Youth study (2002)
supported this
hypothesis.
What is your view?
• http://www.telegraph.c
o.uk/news/uknews/cri
me/7432303/JamieBulgers-killers-weretoo-young-to-be-triedfor-their-crimes-saysChildrensCommissioner.html
• http://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=MpdPGhL8
haA&feature=youtu.be
&a
Q: Who are the victims - Jamie, Jon, Robert, or all of them?
What is the answer to ensure criminals
do not re-offend?
• Firstly Recidivism (fancy word for repeating
antisocial behaviour after you have been
punished..in essence re-offending) is based
upon a number of factors:
• In pairs can you note down some of the
factors you believe to be influential....
Factors unveiled......
•
•
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•
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Length of time spent in prison
Supervision after release
Disciplinary reports
Education level
Seriousness of crime
Prisoner ethnicity
Individual experiences in prison.
Furthermore
• There has also been research to support the theory
that employment can have an influencing effect on
reoffending.
• Gillis et al (2001) offenders who found employment
within 6 mths of release had fewer convictions than
offenders who did not find employment.
• (Cautionary note: must keep in mind cause & effect)
Rehabilitation for offenders.
•
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Prison
Probation
Restorative justice
Death penalty
Token economy
Anger management
Cognitive skills programming
Acupuncture
Prison
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Dooley (1990)
METHOD:
Case notes from 295/300 suicides within prison 1972-1987.
RESULTS:
Prisoners serving life or convicted of violent/sexual offences
most at risk.
• Association between suicide and guilt
• History of psychiatric problems in 1/3 of cases and self
harm...very common.
• CONCLUSIONS:
• Depressive illness likely to contribute to suicides in prison.
• Better communication between guards and prisoners
would reduce suicide risk.
Prison cont... Zimbardo prison study:
guards
emotional distress
sadistic
situational vs. Dispositional
Prisoner
How did the study inform prison
reform?
•
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Rehabilitation is not a major consideration
People being imprisoned for longer periods
Less access to training, education & counselling for prisoners.
In short they did not inform policy , Zimbardo et al suggested
1.
2.
3.
4.
Prisons are potentially damaging (Psychologically)
People can be transformed, play to their roles, therefore they are likely to be
effected by a change in situation after they ae released.
Programmes are needed to prepare prisoners for their new situation and roles
outside of prison.
This will lead to lower rates of recidivism than harsher conditions and longer
sentences.
• What do you think????
Can probation be the key??
Probation is usually used as an alternative
to prison or after release. It can include:
• Abiding to curfews
• Living in agreed
accommodation
• Wearing a tag
• Supervision by a probation
officer.
• Drug rehabilitation.
Is this effective?
• The aim is to punish by
making the individual pay
for their crimes by limiting
their ability to commit
further crimes..
• Each offender is dealt with
individually and a
comprehensive treatment
plan is put into place to help
the offender get over their
problems and not reoffend.
Prison reform trust 2003
Offenders should only face prison
for serious crime that could not be
dealt with in community.
Findings of Trust!!
1.
UK prison population is growing
because courts are tending to
impose more longer prison
sentences rather than using
community penalties.
1.
Not due to lack of community
options-most happy with options
available through probation
service..but it is underfunded.
1.
Prison should be last option.
Better information should be
available about community
options.
How about restorative justice.
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE??
1. The victim must volunteer
to use approach-the
offender must have
admitted to offence.
2. Face-face meeting or by
letter.
3. Can involve undoing
damage: remove graffiti.
ADVANTAGES
1. It can reduce PTSD, less
likely to seek violent
justice.
2. Criminal and victim more
satisfied with outcome vs
traditional justice
solutions.
3. Decrease costs'
Death Penalty?
SUPPORTERS
1. Acts as a deterrent
2. Punishment matches the
crime
3. Families of murder victims
deserve to see murderer
suffer.
CHALLENGERS
1. DNA- Some has proven
people innocent of crime.
2. More expensive to execute
than keep alive
3. Not applied fairly &
discriminates against
minorities and poor.
Is token economy the key?????
Rewards for reaching goals:
Conditions that are established:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Clearly defined behaviour.
Reasons for tokens....clear!
Currency of token...clear!
Rate of earning clear!
Can this
really work?
Based upon the behavioural
principle of operant conditioning:
No..anger management will do it!
Therapeutic programme.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The assumption is violent
behaviour is caused by
anger/frustration
Control of this will reduce these
violent behaviour patterns.
Using CBT & specific programmes
for use in penal system.
The aim is to improve awareness
and control..it is hoped it will
make a difference after prison.
2-hour sessions over eight weeks.
Q: Can this have the long-term
positive effects?
A: According to Ireland (2000)..yes!
A range of rehabilitation treatments have been used with these
individuals/victims.
Let us review!!
Police had voiced concerns that he would re-offend but lack of
resources meant he could not be placed under 24-hour
Born evil?
Not given appropriate assistance
He is alleged to have attacked a woman in her 70s in a central
London street earlier this month, attempting to rape her and
stabbing her in the hands and face
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/haveyoursay/2010/03/how_can_we_reduce_reoffe
nding.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-562120/Serial-rapist-attackspensioner-months-deported-Britain-Australian-jail.html#ixzz0iABcKTZU