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Cases and Theories of Criminality Introduction

The purpose of this report is to employ five theories of criminology to a series of seven scenarios involving some type of criminal behavior, identifying which of the theories is either most or least applicable to each scenario. The five theoretical explanations of criminality are: classical or ôchoiceö theory, strain theory, cultural deviance theory, social processing theory, and conflict theory. Each case will be addressed in a separate section, below.

The first scenario involves a case in which a Wall Street broker possessed of an advanced degree from Harvard, who engages in insider trading practices and earns a million dollars over the course of five years. From the perspective of conflict theory, it could be argued that this trader is behaving in a prototypically capitalist manner, with crime as connected to the inequities found in the capitalist system (Siegel, 2000). From the Marxist perspective and that of other conflict theorists as well, capitalism is perceived as rendering both the proletariat and the bourgeoisie crime-prone and upper class or more affluent individuals commit crimes if they sense a good opportunity to make a financial gain. Under this theoretical orientation, the broker may be seen as responding to the drive toward success at any price that is said to push wealthier individuals toward criminality (Siegel, 2000).

From the perspective of cultural deviance theory, which is generally applied to specific social and economic groups, it is argued that clinging to lower class focal concerns promotes illegal or violent behavior (Siegel, 2000). At the same time, implicit within cultural deviance theory is the recognition that individuals tend to embrace the standards, norms, and mores of their own social group. Thus, it might be that the stockbroker, in his drive for success is emulating values that he finds in his milieu.

From the perspective of strain theory, Siegel (2000) suggests that co...

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Cases and Theories of Criminality Introduction. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 15:18, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1700491.html