Sociology & Criminology for a Changing World
Control theories focus on explaining why people do not commit crime, in contrast to approaches that seek to explain why people offend. They begin with the assumption that most individuals are naturally motivated to pursue their own interests, which can include deviant or criminal acts, if left unchecked. The central question for control theorists is
Classical & Rational Choice Classical and rational choice theories share a fundamental assumption: crime results from free and rational choices made by autonomous individuals. Unlike etiological theories that emphasize deterministic causes such as biological predispositions or socialization processes, classical and rational theories maintain that all people have the capacity to weigh costs and benefits and
The Broken Windows Theory was developed by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling. According to the authors, even minor signs of neglect, like a broken window, should be repaired quickly to prevent further decay, maintain order, and reduce crime. Destruction in urban areas is therefore inextricably linked to crime and causes it. A seemingly
Classical criminology explains crime as the outcome of rational choices made by free and responsible individuals, emphasizing deterrence, proportionality, and legal equality. Key Points Classical Criminology Main Proponents: Cesare Beccaria, Jeremy Bentham, John Howard, Samuel Romilly, John Anselm von Feuerbach, Sir Robert Peel, Samuel Pufendorf First Published: Mid to late 18th century Country: Italy,
Theory of Differential Opportunities combines insights from learning, subcultural, anomie, and social disorganization theories to explain why not everyone exposed to strain or blocked opportunities turns to crime. It emphasizes that access to illegitimate means varies and shapes the pathways into criminal behavior. Key Points Differential Opportunity Theory Main Proponents: Richard A. Cloward and Lloyd
Edwin H. Sutherland’s theory of differential association argues that criminal behavior is learned through social interaction. A person becomes delinquent when they are exposed to more definitions favorable to breaking the law than to definitions unfavorable to it. This approach moves away from ideas of biological determinism or individual pathology and emphasizes the social context