Crimes theories

Guilty or not guilty? What are crimes and why do they happen? Eternal questions to which no one knows the answer.

Surely everyone is familiar with the oldest theory, based on theology and ethics. The theory claims that all criminals are perverse people acting according to devilish laws. It is obvious that modern criminologists

get the shakes at the mere mention of such assumptions. Often such views are characteristic of uninformed people and children from religious families. Where harsh punishment is the norm.

Since the 18th century, crime has been explained by many scientific theories.

One of the first German physician and anatomist Franz Joseph Gall tried to establish a connection between skull structure and criminal proclivities.

Late 19th century. Appearing of biological theory. The author is Italian criminologist Cesare Lombroso. He argued that crimes were committed by people born with certain recognisable hereditary traits. Like Gal's theory, Lombroso's theory was also crushed and abandoned. British criminologist also disproved Lombroso's theory. He conducted a prison experiment in which he determined that there were no so-called types of criminals with an innate tendency to crime.

Another theory by William Sheldon mentioned different factors for committing crimes. For example, low IQ level.

However, some still think that specific disorders of the brain and endocrine system contribute to the commission of crimes.

Another approach was taken by the Frenchman Charles Louis Montesquieu, who attempted to relate criminal behavior to the natural or physical environment. The bottom line was that crimes against persons are relatively more numerous in warmer climates, while crimes against property are more common in colder regions. And the crime rate decreases with atmospheric pressure, increased humidity and temperature.

This theory was replaced by the belief that crimes increases during times of unemployment. Modern criminologists link the state of the environment with poverty. Everyone knows Aristotle’s statement : “Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.” The living conditions of the poor, especially those living in slums, are characterized by overcrowding, lack of recreation and poor sanitation. Such conditions promote crime as a means of escape.

Some theorists associate the crime rate with the general state of culture, especially with the influence of economic crises, wars and revolutions. As society becomes more unstable, crime rates increase. This is supported by juvenile crimes based on the experience of the United States after World War I.

Last but not least are the psychological and psychiatric theories. The main representatives