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Unit 27 Criminological Theory relating to Crimes of Violence

Assignment Title - Criminological approaches that relate directly to violence, Profile of a serial killer (what causes people to kill)

Unit Learning Outcomes -

• Understand different criminological approaches that relate directly to violence.
• Understand the major causal factors and theories that relate to serial murder.

Assignment Brief and Guidance -

Scenario - It's evident through tv programs, news, media, that there is a fixation with violent crime. This can be fact or fiction. Some crimes of violence are particularly macabre, and very difficult to comprehend. In this assignment, you will be assessing different theoretical approaches to understanding violent offender behaviour.

Activity - You work for a government organisation tasked with reducing violent crime. You have been asked to draft a report. In this report you will choose 2 serial murderers of your choice and examine the major causal factors and theories that relate to those serial murderers. The report must also reflect the different criminological approaches that relate directly to violence.

• Explain the types of criminal violence and their impact on victims.
• Explain social learning and strain theory in relation to violence.
• Explain control balance and rational choice theory in relation to violence.
• Evaluate theories relating to serial murder.
• Evaluate the impact of causal factors on serial murderers in given case studies.

Learning outcome 1 - Understand different criminological approaches that relate directly to violence General: definition of violence; types of criminal violence and its impact on victims

Social earning model: differential association, e.g. Sutherland; differential reinforcement and imitation, e.g. Akers Strain theory: general strain theory, e.g Agnew; types of negative strain; strain increasing the likelihood of violence; factors affecting the reaction to strain Control balance theory: definition, e.g Hirschi; conformity , submission, deviancy; control ratio; opportunity; constraint; self-control; contingencies; level of empirical support; collective and interpersonal violence Rational-choice theory: definition, e.g Beccaria; incentives for violence, e.g. getting one's way, getting justice, displaying power and thrill seeking; level of empirical support; violence against women

Learning outcome 5 - Understand the major causal factors and theories that relate to serial murder General: definition of serial murder; social construction, e.g Jenkins Typology: visionary; mission orientated; hedonistic; power control, e.g. Holmes and DeBerger; organised vs disorganised; Canter Causal factors: power; control; family; media; sexuality; education; trauma control model e.g. Hickey; Motivational Model, e.g. Ressler; fantasy; labelling theory; mental health; anger; frustration; self-loathing; attention seeking; religion Serial Murder Case studies: Dennis Rader (BTK - 'Bind, Torture, Kill' Killer); Ted Bundy; Harold Shipman; Fred and Rosemary West; Zodiac Killer; Green River Killer; Brady and Hindley; Jeffrey Dahmer; John Wayne Gacy; Chessboard Killer; Colin Ireland; Aileen Wournos.