Criminology Essay Example: Self-Control Theory

Self-control theories best describe crimes as compared to the other theories. These theories suggest that all individuals have a propensity to commit crimes so as to achieve their desires. The only ingredient that stops them from committing a criminal act is their ability to control their impulsive tendencies for crimes. This is because self-control theories not only focuses on circumstances that can trigger criminal behavior but also on the individual ability to chose the right action under conflicting circumstances. Circumstances in themselves do not constitute a crime; it only becomes a criminal act when the individual chooses to commit the sanctioned behavior (Frailing & Harper, n.d.). In most cases individuals knows what is right and what is socially considered to be wrong. Their are choice to commit what are considered to be wrong therefore amounts to an act of criminality.Question 2

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

Criminology is mainly concerned with why individuals opt to commit crimes. It attempts to explain whether certain behaviors lead to criminal activities. Anti-social behaviors, for instance, are not criminal on their own, but do have a high propensity for crimes? An understanding of the motives behind individual committing crimes will be helpful in the control of crimes as well as in the reformation of the criminal. The many criminology theories attempt to explain criminal behaviors, some focusing on the individual, whereas others focus on the community. Others propose that individuals possess certain traits that determine how they will react when exposed to certain conditions and circumstances. All these theories point to the need for justice to be safeguarded in a civilized society. The role played by the elite in the society in formulating laws that affect the masses need to be explored. In many cases, those who commit crimes do not agree with what the elite have dictated for the masses. Critical Criminologies perceive crimes as stemming from the oppression of workers and the less privileged groups in the society such as ethnic minorities. By focusing on the laws and regulations that are not in tandem with the aspirations of the masses, incidences of crimes will be highly reduced.

Question 3

White collar crimes do not usually involve incidences of violence. White collar crimes, though not frequent, have a huge impact on the economy. White collar crimes are worse as they can cripple the economy. Such crimes can lead to shut down of companies that support many livelihoods (Frailing & Harper, n.d.). The chain reaction caused by unemployment can lead to sprouting of criminal activities in the community. The unemployed might resort to stealing so as to support their lifestyles now that they do not have employment to sustain themselves.

Question 4

Leverage was a popular television legal drama series whose main theme revolves seeking justice for offended individuals by corporate. The highly skilled cast pulled different sophisticated scams to defraud corporate companies so as to exact some form of compensation for their offended clients. The scams they conduct are clearly criminal activities, but their motivation is to seek some form of recompense for former employees or clients of the companies who were unfairly treated. General strain theory clearly plays out in the television show. The cast is led to commit criminal activities because of injustice committed by a company on its employee or client. Nathan Ford and his skilled cohorts act as the present Robin Hood in the television show.

Reference

Frailing, K. & Harper, D. Fundamentals of criminology.