Edwin M. Lemert distinguishes between primary and secondary deviance. An individual first commits primary deviance. Through a process of labelling the individual is forced to play the role of deviant. As a reaction to this role assignment (“You are criminal!”), the labelled person adapts his behaviour according to the role
aetiological
Two-Path-Theory (Moffitt)
The Two-Path-Theory is based, among other things, on a longitudinal study on the crime prevalence of 1,000 New Zealand youths (“The Thousand Children of Dunedin” or “Dunedin Study”). The first and larger group of adolescents showed the usual degree of behavioural abnormalities in adolescence. The deviant behaviour of the subjects
Multiple factor approach by Sheldon Glueck & Eleanor Turoff Glueck
What is a multiple factor approach? In order to modify the one-sided attempts to explain crime theories and to focus on the aspect of the versatility of criminal actions, so-called multiple factor approaches were developed. These include the explanation that the presence of several factors identified as relevant leads to
Lombroso’s criminal anthropology
Cesare Lombroso’s anthropological theory of crime assumes that crime is genetic in nature. Lombroso in particular assumes that this is an atavistic type of criminal. Main proponent Cesare Lombroso Theory Genetic theories and research projects that deal with crime can be found mainly in Italy in the 19th century, in
Anomie theory (Merton)
The basic idea of Robert K. Merton’s anomie theory is that most people strive to achieve culturally recognized goals. A state of anomie develops when access to these goals is blocked to entire groups of people or individuals. The result is a deviant behaviour characterized by rebellion, retreat, ritualism, innovation,
Social disorganization (Shaw & McKay)
[also known as: Social Ecology, Area Approach, cultural transmission] Theories of social disorganization suggest that crime rates are constant in areas with certain ecological conditions, such as high unemployment, population mobility, or material decay. Such conditions prevent social organization and cohesion in the neighborhood, and thus informal social control of
