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Advanced Criminology lecture notes (RGBUSTR011)
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NOTES ADVANCEDCRIMINOLOGY
(RGBUSTR011)
Contents
Notes of all lectures plus screenshots of important slides
Language: English
,Hoorcollege 1: Classical theories
Criminology= the systematic study of the nature, extent, causes and control of law-
breaking and deviant behavior.
17th century
- People were born as ‘social types’ with associated rights and privileges such
as status, wealth and power. Tried to break free from these.
- Absolute monarchies, and ‘justice’ (punishment) was arbitrary, barbaric and
very strict
- Corporal punishment and death penalte widely used
- Torture to force a confession
Important change: utilitarian philosophers recognized the injustices of the legal and
political system and their primary focus was to change the criminal law into a fair,
equal and humanitarian system (the enlightment).
18th century?
First the aristocrats and the poor, now the decent and indecent poor.
Beccaria
- Humans are born as free, equal, and rational individuals with both natural
rights (such as private property) and natural qualities (like freedom of reason).
, - Individual sovereignty. Individual rights take precedence over the state - laws
to protect individuals
- Elected legislators to be represented by the people
- First to mention the social contract. Crime breaks this social contract and
there is a responsibility to protect the innocent and convict the guilty.
- The idea of freedom. Also noted the subsidiarity, legality and proportionality
principle and they weigh costs and benefits.
Bentham
- Humans are rational beings whose laws must prohibit harmful behavior in
order to increase the happiness of the community, but also:
- Founder of utilitarian school: seeking as much happiness as possible and
avoiding bad experiences
- Penalties are higher for repeat offenders. More penalties, prison sentences
than harms and death penalty etc. Beccaria: if you do something 10 times,
you also get 10 times the punishment.
- Since punishment also inflicts damage, this is only fair if it reduces a greater
evil. He rejectred the death penalty, as it would do more harm than good and
therefore violates the principle of utilitarianism.
- Panopticon. Ultimate Disciplinary Prison: inmates cannot see who is in the
central tower and/or they are being watched. Just the idea that they might be
watched already changes their behevior.
Limitations of classical theories
- Are individuals treated equally on the basis of intellectual ability, age, mental
capacity and gender today? Such as do you make the same decisions with a
different age etc?
- Does this fit in a system in which a number of people receive more prosperity
while all persons are formally equal?
- Why do some people commit more crimes than others, when they would all
have the same sense?
Shift to justice theory
Mankind was liberated from the philosophical perspectives of the Enlightment
because of Darwin for example. Violators were diagnosed and deemed to require
treatment based on their diagnosis. Shift from deterrence to rehabilitation.
Rational choice theory
- Explains how some people consciously and rationally choose to commit
crimes
, - Potential offenders, with free will, consider the net benefits of committing
crimes (so cost-benefits)
- Circumstances, situations and possibilities influence decisions, as these
factors are taken into account in the calculation of the cost-benefit analysis of
the risks (deterrence).
Situational and opportunity theories
- Adjusting the environment (situation) to reduce the opportunity for committing
a crime, such as a steering wheel lock.
Routine activities theory
- Golden years of the welfare state: happiness yet rising crime.
- Mobility and daily activity changes and people use these opportunities
- Targets become more accessible
- Society is getting richer
- Crime as inherent in our consumer society
So the basic idea that people think freely and
commit crime based on rational choice. Situations can be influenced to reduce crime
and limitation: doesn’t take into account differences between individuals (like
culture), but also incapacitation (mental capacities etc).
Hoorcollege 2: Biological and psychological
perspectives on crime
Nature-nurture debate.
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