Characteristics of Criminal Behaviour

What is a crime?

• Any act that violates the law and results in punishment from the state.
• Behaviour that has been deemed "wrong" by the law.
• HOWEVER...It is a Social construct dependent upon the laws in each society & the social context in which the behaviour takes place.

Farr & Gibbons 1990 "7 Categories of Criminal Behaviour"

• Unlike other behaviours in psychology, criminal behaviour has NO set characteristics.
• Different types of crime come different types of offenders. So rather than focus on different characteristics of criminals, they may focus on different types of crime:
• Property Predatory Crime: Attempting to or actually taking the personal property of others without permission. I.e: Robbery.
• Property Fraudulent Crime: Being involved in deceit or manipulation w/ purpose of converting property or services of others to their own use. I.e: Bribery, embezzlement.
• Interpersonal Violence General: Persons are involved in actions that threaten or cause actual personal harm. I.e: murder, kidnapping.
• Interpersonal Violence Sexual: Persons are involved in actions that threaten or cause actual personal harm. I.e: Rape or incest.
• Transactional Vice: Being involved in victimless offences where there is a willing exchange of goods or services. I.e: Prostitution, drug sales.
• Order Disruption: No direct victim, but there is a potential victim. I.e: Rioting, resisting arrest.
• Folk/Mundane Crime: Genreally regarded as inconvenience or nuisance rather than a crime. I.e: Fishing without license.

Office of National Statistics (ONS)

• The 'Office of National Statistics currently categorises criminal behaviour into 2 primary offence groups:
• Victim-based crimes: Crimes w/ a specific identifiable victim. I.e: ALL crime covered by 'Crime Survey for England & Wales is victim-based as derived from the survey's of people's experiences of crime as victims.
• Crimes against society: This represent society's prohibition against engaging in certain types of activity; they're typically victimless crime in which property is NOT the object. I.e: gambling, prostitution and drug violations.

Changes throughout history

• Crime is a social construct; it continually changes along w/ society.
• Until 1967, homosexuality was illegal, amendment to the law, it was legal for men to have homosexual relationships as long as they're both aged 21 or over.
• 17th century, if you were to steal a sheep you would be punished through hanging.
• Only in 2001 mass rape Muslim women during Bosnian conflict of 1992-95 deemed criminal act - a crime against humanity. Prior this, wartime rape and 'kidnapping' of 'comfort' women for soldiers regarded as byproduct of war.

Cultural differences

• Society changes as some make progress across the years.
• Different considerations preceded the actions of certain individuals in various countries, two specifically:
• UK - Child considered held responsible and punishable for thei behaviour by age 10. E.g: Jamie Bulger case study; foreseen by kidnap, torture and killed by two 10 year old boys in Liverpool - pleaded "NOT guilty" & sentenced to 8 years in prison, receiving no psychiatric help.
• Norway - Children were NOT considered responsible for their actions until the age of 15 and punishable for a criminal act. E.g: similar committed in Norway of a 5-6 yrs. old - returned school two weeks after crime accompanied by psychiatrist.
• This helps demonstrate the role of the state in determining attitudes towards criminals.
• Psychologists have to remain aware both historical changes & cultural differences in criminal behaviour in order better understand and prevent such behaviour.