-
Period: to
Classical Theory
The concept of this theory is the idea of free will. Classists believe that if someone commits a crime then it was their choice and they should be punished for it. The judges were not trained professionally resutling in their desicions being unsatisfactory and torture methods, such as whipping and mutilation, were often used to produce confessions from suspected criminals. The theory predicts that extreme punishments like the death penalty would prevent crime. -
Period: to
Determinism
This theory argues that offenders do not choose to commit a crime, and only do so because of factors beyond their control forcing them to. External factors result in an individual having no ability to makes their own choices and control what happens, and that the human choices are determind by previous happenings. -
Period: to
Changes in Crime Control
Over the years and through the progression of crime control, there have been many changes in the control policies that affected the rate of crime. In the 1700s, due to the classical theory, swifter and harsher punishments were carried out to help with the prevention of crime. Voluntarism, which followed on from the Classists, believed punishments should be made fair and not dependant on class. They used punishments like hanging and gibbiting as a way of deterring the public. -
Period: to
Cesare Beccaria - Classical theory
Beccaria said that punishments should be swift to ensure their effectiveness. He influenced sentencing tariffs that would ensure the treatment of offenders was equal. It was later found that not all offenders are the same meaning judges were allowed to give greater sentences. This gave two levels of punishment: the individual being directly punished for the crime so that they will be less likely to reoffend; the consequences of the crime intimidating the public so they would not offend. -
Period: to
Jeremy Bentham - Classical theory
The effectiveness of a punishment is based off its ablility to please society. Bentham argued that there had been a slow increase in the severity of punishments - particularly the use of the death penalty. He also said that punishment is not a way of revenge so the punishment should not imitate the crime (death penalty for a murderer) because it is morally wrong. Bentham suggested that if a punishment outways the gains of committing the crime, then the criminal will be deterred. -
Period: to
Voluntarism
This theory focuses on free will meaning anyone committing a criminal act chose to do it. From this they said punishment for all people should be fair - not dependent on class or wealth - depending on the type of crime committed.Punishment was used as a way of deterring criminals. Examples of types of punishments that were administered are hanging, beheading, gibbiting (the placement of an individual's body that had been executed in a pulbic place), and stoning. -
Period: to
Positivism
The positivist theory is that criminal behaviour was caused by determinism and it is this that makes someone become a criminal. Positivists believe that it is not the fault of the offender and that they should be punished sympathetically in order to "cure" them. They suggested that criminals should be changed so that they can live with the norms of society. They especially believed that capital punishment is wrong and should not happen like it did with the classists. -
Period: to
Positivism to Realism
The public believed that deterrence would not work because it was not able to remove the original case of criminal behaviour - an individual would have to commit a crime in order to be deterred. This means crime still had to occur so that a criminal can be deterred and won't reoffend. Also, the conservative govronment was brought into power and they believed in realism. -
Period: to
Changes in Crime Control
A new theory was introduced in the late 1800s called Positivism. Positivists suggested ways of "curing" criminals through rehabilitation, and the teaching of social skills. They disagreed with the Classists and thought the death penalty was wrong. In the 1960s, Interactionism came forward and the labelling theory was launched. Individuals would receive a label if they had committed any offences so members of society would see them differently. However, this was not dependent on a person's life. -
Period: to
Positivism (continued)
Examples of punishments postivism brought forward are medial/professional help, teaching of certain skills (job skills/social skills), and rehabilitation programmes, -
Period: to
Cesare Lombroso - Biological theory
Lombroso studied body shapes and sizes of convicted criminals. He dismissed the classical theory and believed that crimilality was inherited, thus developing a theory which stated that a person's body shape indicates whether or not they are born a criminal. There were a number of characteristics that were used to identify whether a person was a "born criminal" such as long arms, large ears, and large lips. -
Period: to
William Sheldon - Biological theory
Sheldon's theory was developed by observing body types of convicted criminals, and he came up with a theory about how body types can help identify if an individual is a criminal. He looked at three body types and matched them up to the three personality types. Then he linked them with the types of crime the observed criminals had committed and produced his theory. -
Period: to
Interactionism
Interactionists believe that most people commit crimes but only some people are caught. They think that criminals aren't different from non-offenders because everyone commits crimes. The labelling theory was brought forward by Howard Becker due to his belief that once an individual had been labelled, others will see them differently. Other aspects of a person's life were not taken into account once a label had been applied. However, not everyone reacted to the labelling making it pointless. -
Period: to
Right Realism
Realsim was created by the conservative goveronment in the 70s. It believes in the same principle of voluntarism which is similar to the classical theory. The punishments, however, weren't as harsh. They believed that crime was a social problem that must have practical solutions in order to be kept under control. They also believe that crime is a growing problem especially in inner city areas by lower class males. -
Period: to
Left Realism
The Laybour party believe in left realism. Followers of left realism reject deterrence and believe crime is down to family values and lack of disciplin. They see longer prison sentences as the main solution for crime and see crimes a very serious problem that must be dealt with. They also argued that crime affected mainly working class people and that the different classes relate to crime in different ways - lower classes resort to theft due to lack of money; higher classes commit fraud crimes. -
Period: to
Changes in Crime Control
In the 1980s, Positivism was replaced by Realism which is split into two sides: Right and Left. Right Realism has similar views to Voluntarism but believed that punishments should not be as harsh.They introduced the Zero Tolerance Policy. Left Realism believed that longer prison sentences would cause crime to reduce. Both sides believe rehabilitation, community sevice, and restorative justice can also help reduce crime.