FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY

LECTURE 2
Psychology of Criminal Behaviour

Forensic Psychology

Recommended Reading

Howitt, Dennis. (2009), Introduction to Forensic and Criminal

Psychology: 3rd Edition. London: Pearson Prentice Hall Chapter 5.

Hollin, C.R. (1989), Psychology and Crime: An Introduction to

Criminological Psychology. London: Falmer Press.

Hollin, C.R. (1992), Criminal Behaviour: A Psychological

Approach to Explanation and Prevention. London: Falmer Press.

Millon, Theodore; Simonsen, Erik; Birket-Smith, Morten; and Davis,

Roger D. (1998), Psychopathy: Antisocial, Criminal and Violent
Behaviour. New York: Guilford Chapter 3, Chapter 8.

Forensic Psychology

Aims of Lecture
Examine the root causes of crime.
Describe the biological perspectives on criminal behaviour.
Describe the sociological theories on criminal behaviour.
Evaluate psychological perspectives on crime.

Forensic Psychology

Theories of Crime
Societal or macro-level theories (teori kemasyarakatan) study crime at a broad
level of analysis and suggest that crime is purely as a result of social structure.

Community or locality theories (teori kommuniti/tempatan) study crime form a

geographical perspective. Suggests that crime or criminality is not randomly
distributed geographical profiling.

Group and Socialization Influence Theories (teori kumpulan) focus on criminal

behaviour and concentrate on the influence of the group (family, sociological
perspective of group thinking.

Individual approaches (teori individu) study crime at an individual level. Individual

characteristics are linked to biological and social influences.

Forensic Psychology

Psychoanlytic Theory ( Teori Psikoanalitik/Naluri )

Instinctual theories hold with the idea that aggression is an innate,
instinctual behaviour, (Lord of the Flies).
(Teori naluri melibatkan perlakuan agresif , hasil daripada
perasaan semulajadi - ia adalah penting bagi individu untuk
menyalurkan/meluahkan perlakuan secara luaran)
Freuds psychoanalytic approach (1930s) suggests that aggression is
an underlying urge that must be expressed. He sees aggression as
innate and inevitable, even to the point of the tendency towards death
or the death instinct (Thanatos). Freud argues that it is important for
the individual to direct this energy outwardly. Both Freudian and
ethological viewpoints emphasize the importance of catharsis, where
the aggressive drive must find an outlet in actual aggressive behaviour
or in some symbolic substitute.
Bowlby: (1944-1980) Emotional bond between child and mother
44 juvenile thieves study 14 of the 44 affectionless characters
Forensic Psychology

Explaining Crime - Biological Theories

(teori-teori biologi)
Biological Theories explain criminal behaviour in terms of genetic forces
rather than free will proposal that behaviour is determined by genes.
(Perlakuan adalah ditentukan oleh gen/ baka).
Historical explanation proposed by Lombroso 19th century Italian
physician Lombroso discussed criminal types identified by
physical characteristics such as excessive hair, long ear lobes, large jaw
and slanting forehead throwbacks to an earlier more primitive form of
man later incorporated psychological and environmental variables in his
research. Modern theory moves away from the criminal gene.
( Hujah Lombroso: berbagai jenayah yang dikenal pasti oleh ciri-ciri fizikal
seperti rambut yang berlebihan, cuping telinga panjang, rahang yang
besar dan senget dahi)
FAMILY STUDIES
Twin Studies
Adoption Studies

Forensic Psychology

Sheldons Constitutional Theory

Sheldons Constitutional Theory (teori kandungan) (1942)
body build and personality 3 different body types (somatypes)
(3 jenis badan yang berbeza)

Mesomorphs, (muscular) (berotot) adventurous, aggressive

mainly the criminals.
Ectomorph (thin and bony) (nipis dan bertulang) restrained,
introverted.
Endomorph (large and heavy sociable and outgoing) (besar
dan berat)

(Biology and Psychology)

Forensic Psychology

Twin Studies (Kajian mengenai Kembar)

TWIN STUDIES
Monozygotic (MZ) (Satu Sel) identical same genetic constitution
Dizygotic (DZ) (Dua Sel berasingan) share about 50 % of genetic
constitution.
If twins are in same environment assumed differences must be due to
genetic variation. Concordance the degree to which related pairs of subjects
within a study population display the same behaviour.

Number of Studies have shown higher concordance in MZ twins (See

Table overleaf)
The study of criminal behaviour in twins reared apart is limited.
Twins may be treated differently.

Forensic Psychology

Twin Studies
Study
Criminal
Behaviour

of

MZ

DZ

(Satu Sel)

(Dua Sel berasingan)

Number of
Pairs

% Concordant
(ciri-ciri sama)

Number of
Pairs

% Concordant
(ciri-ciri sama)

Lange (1929)

13

77

17

12

Rosanoff (1934)

37

68

60

10

Yoshimosu
(1965)

28

50

26

Christianson
(1977)

85

32

147

12

Forensic Psychology

Adoption Studies (Kajian Pengangkatan)

Approach involves tracing children who have been given up for
adoption, and comparing their criminal records with that of the
biological and adoptive parents.
(Rekod jenayah anak-anak angkat)

Mednick, Gabrielli & Hutchings Study (1983- 1984)

4,000 male adoptees enough information on parents to assess potential
contribution of criminality.

Compared the criminal behaviour of the children with that of their biological and
adopted parents. (Perbandingan
kandung dan ibubapa angkat)

perlakuan jenayah di antara

ibubapa

Criminal behaviour of biological parents had stronger influence than that of the
adoptive parents (property offences not violent crime) (Ciri-ciri jenayah
ibubapa kandung lebih berpengaruh dalam hal jenayah).

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Male Adoptees With Criminal Records According to Criminality of Parents

Adoptive
Parents

Biological Parents

Criminal

Non-|Criminal

Criminal

24.5%
(N=143)

14.7%
(N=204)

Non-criminal

20%
(N=1,226)

13.5%
(N=2,492)

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Biology and Crime

Neurological theories ( teori neurologi / sistem saraf) Hillbrand et al
(1998) higher levels of enzyme serem creatine kinase (tahap yang
lebih tinggi serem enzim creatine kinase)

Raine

(1994) Murderers had significant lower glucose

metabolism in both lateral and medial prefrontal cortex areas says
that deficits were localized in the frontal cortex may be related to
violence.

Millar (1999) physiological characteristics may be a s result of

institutionalization rather than cause of criminality

All demonstrate that genetic factors do have a role to play in the

explanation of crime. (Faktor-faktor genetik memang memainkan
peranan dalam penjelasan perlakuan jenayah)

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Explaining Crime Sociological Theories

Mountjoy Prison Study Typical Irish Criminal?
Durkeim suggests that a certain amount of crime and non-conformity
is needed in a society to help reinforce social values a small number
of criminals reinforce others values - if society was all conforming, it
might stagnate. (sejumlah jenayah dan devian (perlakuan tidak
mematuhi-norma-norma) diperlukan dalam masyarakat untuk
membantu mengukuhkan nilai-nilai sosial)

Mertons Strain Theory (1969) suggests working class people

are more prone to commit crimes ultimate goal is to gain material
success and criminals conform to the core values of the culture (or
lower class social groups). The only way they are different is the
methods they use. Why the working class? because they have fewer
chances of achieving material success than those that are better off.
(teori jenayah yang berkaitan dengan kekayaan kebendaan)
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Explaining Crime Sociological Theories

Marxists study crime in relation to the inequality of power the basic idea is
that the law exists to protect the ruling class and keep the working class under
control I.e. the haves and the have nots. (teori kuasa yang tidak seimbang)

Beckers (1963) Labeling Theory deviant behaviour is behaviour that

people so label. The people that hold power label the criminal may become
a self-fulfilling prophesy I.e.mental illness, terrorists.
Stigma/Martyr (teori
pelabelan).

Bowlby - explains deviance in terms of a childs socialisation process

maternal deprivation might result in a criminal or psychopathic nature in later
life. (sisihan/melencong adalah akibat kekurangan penjagaan ibubapa
dalam proses sosialisasi dari kecil)

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Personality and Criminal Behaviour

HANS J. EYSENCK PERSONALITY AND CRIME.
Theory incorporates biological, sociological and psychological factors.
Proposes three personality dimensions of extraversion, neuroticism and
psychoticism.

Eysencks theory of personality and crime examines the causal problem.

Conscience is a conditioned response (Suara hati adalah response yang di
bentukan menerusi prinsip-prinsip Pavlov) acquired through Pavolovian
principles. We are punished or rewarded by our parents, teachers, and peers
for our social behaviour (conditioning experience) in our conscience. we
behave well because our consciences would trouble us if we didnt. (Kelakuan
baik adalah tergantung pada pembentukan tingkah laku dalam suara hati
mengikut prinsip-prinsip Pavlov)

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Personality and Criminal Behaviour

Eysenck & Eysenck (1985) 3 major dimensions of personality - Continuum
(Tiga dimensi mengenai personaliti)
P Psychoticism (berkaitan mental) ( Aggressive, cold, impulsive, etc.)
E Extraversion (terlalu perama) (Sociable, assertive, carefree, etc.)
N Neuroticism (berkaitan neuro/saraf) (Anxious, depressed, irrational)

Different combinations of personality scores are linked to criminal behaviour at

different periods during life, but high psychoticism levels distinguishes
between criminal and non criminals.
(Personaliti berkaitan tahap psikotisma yang tinggi akan menentukan
perlakuan jenayah dalam seseorang individu)

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Eysenck Personality and Crime

CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR IS A RESULT OF
Missing Conditioning Experiences (ketiadaan pengalaman conditioning)
Wrong Experiences are Reinforced (Pengalaman buruk di perkukuhkan)
Poor Conditionability (Suasana pengalaman yang lemah) - Raine (1993)
Anti-social people and criminals show poor conditionability (speed at which they
form Conditioned Responses)
Cortical and Autonomic Nervous System we are born with affects our ability to
learn from or condition to the environment.
Cortical arousal low arousal makes conditioning less likely to occur
P Poor/Low arousal Always involved
E Poor/Low arousal Younger samples seeking stimulation
N Normal arousal Older samples - emotion and anxiety

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Other Factors
Alcohol (alkohol/ minuman arak)
Drugs (dadah)
Anti Social Personality Disorder (Gangguan Personaliti Anti

Sosial )
psychopathy
Cognitive Theories (teori kognitif)
Addiction to Crime (Ketagihan pada jenayah)
Poverty (kemiskinan)
Unemployment (Pengangguran)
Criminal Justice System (Sistem Keadilan Jenayah)
Policing (Kepolisan)
Legislation (Undang-undang)
Societal responses (Respns Masyarakat)
Sentencing Policies (Polisi Hukuman)
Etc..

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