Chapter 6: Psychological and Psychiatric
Foundations of Criminal Behavior

Major Principles of Psychological Theories

This brief section serves to summarize the central features of psychological theories of crime causation. Each of these points can be found elsewhere in this chapter, where they are discussed in more detail. This cursory overview, however, is intended to provide more than a summary—it is meant to be a guide to the rest of this chapter.

Most psychological theories of crime causation make certain fundamental assumptions. Among them are

• The individual is the primary unit of analysis.
• Personality is the major motivational element within individuals, because it is the seat of drives and the source of motives.
• Crimes result from abnormal, dysfunctional, or inappropriate mental processes within the personality.
• Criminal behavior, while condemned by the social group, may be purposeful for the individual insofar as it addresses certain felt needs. Behavior can be judged "inappropriate" only when measured against external criteria purporting to establish normality.
• Normality is generally defined by social consensus—that is, what the majority of people in any social group agree is "real," appropriate, or typical.

Defective, or abnormal, mental processes may have a variety of causes, including

• A diseased mind.
• Inappropriate learning or improper conditioning.
• The emulation of inappropriate role models.
• Adjustment to inner conflicts.

Chapter Summary

Psychological and psychiatric theories of criminal behavior emphasize the role of individual propensities and characteristics in the genesis of criminality. Whether the emphasis is on conditioned behavior or on the psychoanalytical foundations of human conduct, such approaches ponder the wellsprings of human motivation, desire, and behavioral choice. Unfortunately, legal strictures have prevented psychology from making the kinds of courtroom contributions of which it appears capable. Even so, some theorists now consider the state of psychological criminology sufficiently advanced to allow for the development of a consistent and dependable social policy in the prediction of dangerousness and the rehabilitation of offenders. Similarly, psychological profiling may soon facilitate informed criminal investigations as well as the prevention of future crime.

Discussion Questions

Note: you may be requested by your instructor to e-mail the answers to these questions to his or her office. If so, be sure to add your name (or other identifying information) to your answers, since your e-mail address may not tell your instructor who you are.

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1. How do psychological theories of criminal behavior differ from the other types of theories presented in this book? How do the various psychological and psychiatric approaches presented in this chapter differ from one another?
2. How would the various perspectives discussed in this chapter suggest offenders might be prevented from committing additional offenses? How might they be rehabilitated?
3. How can crime be a form of adaptation to one's environment? Why would an individual choose such a form of adaptation over others that might be available?
4. What is the difference, if any, between the antisocial personality and the psychopath?
5. Which of the various standards for judging legal insanity discussed in this chapter do you find the most useful? Why?

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