Criminology Essay

There are many unanswered debating questions in criminology. One of them is how stable criminal behavior tends to be over time? We can follow a common fact that criminal offender’s risk of committing more new crimes can be easily predicted: childhood misbehavior obligatory leads to juvenile delinquency, and juvenile delinquency obligatory results in adult crime. But this is the wrong point of view. Modern studies prove that there are a lot of factors influencing criminal behavior over the life course and it can not be always predicted. Most popular are two next theories related to risk level stability. The first theory suggests that the risk level is stable over the life time but it can be declining due to the effects of age. It was offered in 1990 by two criminologists Michael R. Gottfredson and Travis Hirschi, authors of the “self-control theory of crime” that explains criminal behavior mainly by lack of individual self-control. Gottfredson and Hirschi theorize that levels of low self-control become apparent around age 8 and then become a stable personality characteristic (Wright, J. P., Tibbetts, S. G., & Daigle, L. E., 2008). The second theory suggests that risk levels are more dynamic and can increase or decrease depending on the right or wrong local life circumstances that criminal offender encounter over the life time. It was offered in 1993 by Robert J. Sampson and John H. Laub, authors of the “age-graded theory of crime” that states positive social bonds and family can change some criminal offenders while others will continue criminal behavior. As Sampson and Laub tells us, some negative consequences knife off future opportunities for personal growth and social advancement (Wright, J. P., Tibbetts, S. G., & Daigle, L. E., 2008). The problem of stability of criminal behavior is extremely interesting not only for short-term and long-term theory building in criminology, US correction practice and risk prediction researches. But also this problem is very important for US society building. A lot of individual and group researches, government and non-government organizations monitor this problem in order to prevent criminal behavior in future and don’t let it affect US society.
Criminal behavior is announced to be the result of interaction of social and biological factors. But there is another significant issue that influence criminal propensity – genetics. With the development of knowledge about genetic factors criminology, the scientific study about crime, received a brand new data affecting criminal behavior. According to the studies, genes, code for the amino acid sequences of proteins that form cell structures, constitute hormones and neurotransmitters, and regulate certain cell activities (Wright, J. P., Tibbetts, S. G., & Daigle, L. E., 2008). It is a world-known fact that proteins don’t cause behavior. But, however, they affect the way in which a person responds to his or her environment (Wright, J. P., Tibbetts, S. G., & Daigle, L. E., 2008). Countless studies regarding this topic had been made. For example, it had been found that child’s temperament, including, in particular, impulsiveness, risky behavior and lack of concentrations, leads to violence and violent crimes in late childhood and adult age.
Criminology is a part of our every day life. Exploring it proper way we have a chance to prevent criminal behavior in future.