Sociology & Criminology for a Changing World
Theories in this category—often referred to as developmental theories—share the assumption that crime is best understood as a processual phenomenon, not as isolated acts. They introduce the variable of time as a crucial dimension for understanding why people become involved in crime, why they persist, and why they desist. Developmental perspectives emphasize that criminal behavior
Turning Point Theory, also known as the Age-Graded Life-Course Theory of Crime, was developed by Robert J. Sampson and John H. Laub. This influential approach in developmental criminology argues that criminal behaviour is not static over the life course. Instead, it can change in response to key life events or turning points that strengthen or
Moffitt’s Two-Path Theory explains criminal behavior by distinguishing between two developmental trajectories: adolescence-limited offending and life-course persistent offending. The theory is based on longitudinal research, particularly the Dunedin Study, which tracked individuals over time to identify patterns of offending across the life course. Key Points Two-Path Theory Main Proponent: Terrie E. Moffitt First Formulation: Early
What is the Multiple Factor Approach? The Multiple Factor Approach explains crime as the result of the combined influence of multiple social, psychological, and biological risk factors. Rather than attributing delinquency to a single cause, it emphasizes cumulative and probabilistic causation. This perspective rejects one-sided explanations such as biological determinism or purely social causation. Instead,
Robert Agnew’s General Strain Theory (GST) explains crime as a response to strainful experiences that generate negative emotions such as anger and frustration. It extends classical anomie and strain theories by broadening the range of sources of strain and by offering a more nuanced, psychologically informed explanation of how strain leads to crime. While Merton’s
Biological theories of crime explain criminal behavior by reference to genetic, neurological, and physiological factors. These approaches focus on individual predispositions and biological processes that may increase the likelihood of offending. In contrast to sociological theories that emphasize social structures and cultural norms, biological approaches highlight internal characteristics of the individual. Modern perspectives increasingly adopt