Reference no: EM132653001
Assignment: This week you will be evaluating theories of crime. How do you explain the stalker's behavior in the introduction? How do you explain criminal behavior in your neighborhood? What causes crime? What influences criminal activity? We use theories to explain behavior. Sometimes more than one theory is useful in explaining specific criminal behavior. You will need to consider the differences between "good" and "bad" theory. What is the utility of a theory? A good theory is logically consistent, uses parsimony, and is heuristic. A "bad" theory, like Freudian theory, is nonfalsifiable. You cannot test it, but that does not mean the theory lacks in utility.
You must carefully evaluate each of these theories in a framework that explains crime, criminals, and victims in your neighborhood, state, or country. Once you have evaluated the theories using the library and media resources, you will choose a theory for which you will develop a risk assessment.
For this Assignment, you will apply theories to explain the risks of becoming an offender.
1. Identify an article about a crime that you find of interest.
2. Select three theories from the following list:
• Labeling Theory;
• Social Structure Theory;
• Strain Theory;
• Neutralization Theory;
• Social Control Theory.
3. Review the theories presented in the video Forensic Insights: Theories of Criminal Behavior in your Learning Resources.
4. Review the Learning Resources related to theories
5. Use the Application of Theory template in the Learning Resources to apply each theory you selected to the case you selected.