Trait Theory of Criminology

Psychological and criminological trait theory are defined. History, research, and current uses in criminology and criminal justice

Criminology

Seth's brother Dave is currently serving time in prison for the crime of robbing a store while also injuring another person. Seth is disappointed to learn this, but he is also intrigued by the reasons Dave would choose a life of crime. Since they are siblings, the question arises as to why Dave would turn out to be a lawbreaker while Seth would continue to lead a law-abiding life.

Criminology is the academic study of criminal behaviour and legal retribution. It seeks to provide explanations for questions such as the one Seth is posing, namely, why certain individuals engage in criminal behaviour while others do not. There is no simple response to that question; however, there are a great deal of different hypotheses concerning the factors that lead to criminal behaviour. Let's take a look at one of these theories, the individual trait theory of criminology, and examine how it affects social policy in the United States.

Trait Theory of Crime

Seth is perplexed as to why his brother Dave would turn out to be a criminal when Seth is a good guy who does not engage in criminal activity. What sets the two of them apart from one another?

According to the individual trait theory of criminology, which is also known as the trait theory of criminology, individuals engage in criminal behaviour as a result of particular characteristics of their personalities. A person's level of extroversion, for example, is a personality trait because it is a consistent aspect of their character.

Seth is aware of the fact that his and Dave's personalities are distinct in some ways, but they are not identical. Seth, on the other hand, is known to be considerably less anxious and tense than Dave. In addition, Dave has a greater propensity than Seth does to seek out risk and excitement; for example, while Dave enjoys activities such as skydiving and surfing, Seth prefers to relax on the couch while reading a book.

In most cases, criminologists will look at a person's personality characteristics, such as psychosis, neuroticism, or risk taking behaviours. However, according to the theory of traits, any characteristic of a person's personality has the potential to be the root of criminal behaviour. The main idea here is that there is a consistent facet of a person's personality that can serve as a predictor of whether or not they will engage in criminal behaviour.

But what causes a person to actually exhibit those characteristics? Both Dave and Seth were raised in the same home, shared the same meals throughout their childhood, and share a significant number of genes. If this is the case, then why are their personalities so dissimilar?

In the field of psychology, personality (along with many other characteristics) is the result of the interaction between a person's genetics and biology (commonly referred to as their "nature") and the environment in which they were raised (often referred to as nurture). For instance, even though Dave and Seth share a lot of the same genetics, they do not share the exact same DNA. Therefore, it is possible that Dave simply inherited a gene that causes him to be more anxious and eager to put himself in harm's way. In addition, despite the fact that they were raised in the same house, their relationships with their parents are somewhat distinct, which may have played a role in the development of Dave's personality. Therefore, Dave's differences from Seth could be the result of a complex interaction between his nature (the genes) and his nurture (the relationship he shares with his parents).

How it Affects Social Policy

Seth is beginning to come to terms with the fact that he and his brother Dave have such distinctive personalities that they may end up leading very different lives. However, he is now wondering whether or not there was anything that could have been done to assist Dave in remaining on the legal side of things.

The individual trait theory has been a factor in the development of the criminal justice system in the United States. In particular, the focus of our social policy is on two different ways of thinking about personality traits in the context of the criminal justice system. They are as follows:

1. Primary prevention, also known as early intervention, is a type of crime prevention that focuses on treating mental health and personality disorders before they lead to criminal behaviour. For instance, if someone had worked with Dave when he was younger, his tendency to be tense and to seek out danger and excitement might have been able to be contained or, at the very least, channelled into more productive activities than robbing a store.

2. Secondary prevention, also known as treatment for offenders with the goal of assisting them in staying away from criminal activity in the future. This is something that is commonly referred to as rehabilitation, and it is a significant component of our legal system. Within the confines of the correctional facility, for instance, Dave is meeting with a therapist who is assisting him in his efforts to modify his behaviours and develop into a more useful member of society.

Conclusion

Criminology is the academic study of criminal behaviour and legal retribution. According to the individual trait theory of criminology, particular characteristics of an individual's personality can make them more likely to engage in criminal behaviour. Both nature, which refers to biological and genetic factors, and nurture, which refers to environmental factors, can have an effect on a person's personality traits. The individual trait theory has had an impact on social policy, particularly with regard to primary prevention, which refers to the treatment of psychological and personality issues before they manifest as criminal behaviour, and secondary prevention, which treats offenders to assist them in avoiding future criminal behaviour and is sometimes referred to as rehabilitation.

Outcomes of Reading

When you've finished with this reading, you should be able to:

  • Explain the concept of individual traits.
  • Gain an understanding of the concept of personality traits, as well as the influence of both nature and nurture.
  • Describe the methods that behaviourists use to either prevent criminal behaviour or rehabilitate those who have committed crimes. 

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