MODULE - 02

PSYCHOLOGY AND CRIME

1. Meaning, Purpose and Scope of Criminal Psychology
 Introduction
 Is it possible for the government by just framing new criminal laws or by just punishing
all the criminals with more rigorous punishments? - No
 To get rid of something we must understand every aspect of that particular things - to
prevent crime and criminals from the society, we have to understand the cause of it –
 Why crime happens?
 How does a criminal mind works? and
 What is the cause behind the crime?
 to prevent crime and criminals from the society , one should understand and become a
expertise in criminology and criminal psychology
 Meaning of Psychology
 the scientif ic study of the human mind and its functions, especially those af fecting
behaviour in a given context
 Psychology as Science of Soul
 Psychology as Science of Mind
 Psychology as Science of Consciousness
 Psychology as Science of Behaviour
 Meaning of Criminal Psychology
 study of thoughts, intentions, actions, or reactions, of a criminal to analyze and derive a
pattern that would help police or other related agencies to apprehend criminals or help
a court during proceedings
 Deals with criminal pro ling
 According to psychology criminals are categorised in –
 Psychopaths - born with high criminal tendencies
 Sociopaths - not born with high criminal tendencies but due to external factors like –
emotional imbalance , economic issues , family issues due to they choose a path
which ultimately leads them to the path of crime
 De nition
 G.H. Gudjonsson and L.R.C Haward - U.K. - The branch of applied psychology which is
concerned with the collection, examination and presentation of evidence for judicial
purposes
 Legal Dictionary - Criminal Psychology is considered as the study of will, intention ,
thoughts , feelings and reactions of criminals and those who engage in criminal
behaviour
 History Criminal Psychology
 Traced back to year 19th century – still developing
 we can trace the roots of criminal psychology which were found in America and some
parts from Britain, Europe and Russia.
 James Mc Lean Cattell in 1938 – experiment on eyewitness testimony
 in India, it can be traced back to the year 1916
 1st department was established in Calcutta university
 Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan national institute of criminology and forensic
science came up in Delhi in 1972.
 2001 it achieved a global recognition as a specialized eld by A.P.A
 Veteran Criminal Psychologist
 Hugo Munsterberg - father of forensic psychology – rst book on witness stand
 Alfred Binet – French - performed the series of experiments to understand intelligence
 William Stern – Professor to discover the emotional arousal in the eye witness testimony
 Criminal Psychologist
 deals with the psychological aspects of legal process such as understanding
psychological problem associated with criminal behaviour treatment of criminals
applying theory to criminal investigations.
 Role of Criminal Psychologist
 Research evidence to support practice
 Implementing treatment programs
 Advising parole boards
 Modifying o enders behaviour
 Responding to the changing needs of prisoners and sta .
 Appear in court as an expert witness.
 Mental Health Tribunals.
 Statistical analysis used for prisoner pro ling.
 Scope of Criminal Psychology
 Criminal Role - experts uses assessment of a person who had committed a crime or who
has been declared as an accused by the courts .these assessments can be used to
determine if a person is competent to stand in a trial.
 Assess Individual - assess the cognitive state of not only a victim but an accused also -
involves gauging the strength, aptitude, intelligence level, personality – whether they
are mentally un t as claim to be or they don’t know they are mentally un t
 Actuarial Role - required to prepare statistics related to any crime, criminals or victim
about their nature, growth, development, place or time in a community, religion or
country
 Correctional System - should be a separate correctional system based on types of crimes
and criminals such as child, woman, man and degree of a crime - required for a victim,
witness, and especially for the personnel working in the law enforcement agencies to
enhance their e ciency
 Experimental - Research is required to be conducted on specif ic cases to get the insight
of the perspective of a victim, a criminal or an eyewitness
 Advisory Role - advices police in regards to an investigation - helps the judges to
understand the criminal behaviour or psychology of the accused and helps them in
establishing accurate justice
 Private Practitioner - is of great help to solve domestic issues or divorce-related issues
and save them from going to court
2. Psychological v. Psycho – analytical approach to crime
 Related terms – distinct meaning
Psycho Psychological
is a colloquial term that is often used to refer is a scientif ic f ield of study that is concerned
to someone who is mentally unstable or with the workings of the human mind and
behaves in an unpredictable or erratic human behaviour
manner
often used in a derogatory or pejorative seeks to understand why people think, feel,
sense, and it can carry a negative and act the way they do, and it uses
connotation systematic methods and empirical evidence
to g en era te kn ow led g e a n d m a ke
predictions about human behaviour
often used to describe an individual who has f ield of study that seeks to understand the
behavioural or mental health issues causes of these issues and develop evidence
-based interventions to help individuals
overcome them
  Di erence between clinical, forensic and criminal psychology
Clinical Forensic Criminal
focuses on diagnosing and treating uses psychological principles in the s tudies c riminals ’ tho ught
mental disorders legal f ie ld, like assessing a processes and behaviours
defendant’s mental state
Clinical psychologists usually work forensic psychologists often do not partner with law enforcement
directly with clients to provide work with clients and instead of fer agencies to help prof ile criminals.
guidance and feedbac k for their expertise to attorneys, courts, This may involve reviewing case
changing their behaviour law enforcement, and other entities f il es and researching other
in the criminal justice realm information relevant to a criminal
case
o f ten u s ed to d es c r i b e a n f ie ld of study that seeks to Criminal psychologists might be
individual who has behavioural or understand the causes of these called on to give court testimony as
mental health issues issues and develop evidence-based experts since these professionals
interventions to help individuals have a unique understanding of
overcome them the criminal mind. Criminal
psychologists can provide therapy
to individuals who have committed
crimes. They may also teach at the
college level or in law enforcement
settings
Psychological Theories of Crime
 Those who enter the criminal justice f ield quickly learn that understanding criminology
theories for why people turn to crime is key to reducing crime rates and making society
safer
 Clinical Psychology- diagnosing and treating mental, emotional and behavioural disorders
(such as learning disabilities, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, eating disorder etc.)
 integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for understanding, preventing and
relieving psychological assessment and to promote subjective wellbeing
 History – Sigmund Freud was rst developing his “talking cure” in Vienna (19th Century) –
rst scienti c application of clinical psychology
 Early clinical psychology – Lightner Witmer (1867- 1956) – head of psychology
department in University of Pennsylvania successfully treated young boy troubling with
spellings
 Witmer opened f irst psychological clinic at Penn (1896) – children with learning
disabilities – 10 years later he def ined clinical psychology in his journal as – the study
of individuals by observation or experimentation with the intention of promoting
change.
 World war I – Army Alpha and Army Beta (verbal and nonverbal skills)
  APA was established by G Stanley Hall in 1892 – Division 12 – similar divisions were
developed in Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
 World War II – shell shock – post traumatic stress disorder – WWII helped bring changes
in clinical psychology
 Assessment
 Intelligence & Achievement tests – general knowledge, verbal skills, memory, attention
span, logical reasoning
 Personality tests – pattern of behaviour, thoughts and feelings
 Neuropsychological tests – used to assess impairment after an injury or illness
 Clinical observations –
 Clinical psychologists are experts in providing psychotherapy and train within the
following theoretical orientations
3. Behaviourist approach to crime (Behavioural and Cognitive
Behavioural)
 Behavioural Theory / Approach
 Albert Bandura (1978) - Human behaviour is developed through gaining and learning
experiences while growing up – children learn violence from others – movies inf luence -
start abusing themselves physically, mentally, emotionally – youth is more keen towards
drug , smoke , alcohol
  Aggressive act, ego problem, revenge thinking, indulging themselves in drugs and
alcohol modelled from-
 Movies
 Family interaction or problems
 Teenage relationships
 Environmental experiences
 Bad surrounding
 Cognitive Theory / Approach
 Associated with crime and violence - mainly focuses on how a person solve the problem
and perceive social environment especially the of fe nder how he perceive the
environment - A person who is indulge in violence is less in moral standard.
 Male + female equally responsible for crimes – kidnapping, f il ing fake FIR, harassment
etc.
 Over a period of time crime ratio is increasing day by day because the people are losing
humanity, no moral values - aggression, ego, self ishness, revenge, power of money,
hatred
 Pre-conventional level - This involves children and how they learn the external
consequences of their actions
 Conventional level - This involves teens and young adults, who begin to base behaviour
on society’s views and expectations
  Post-conventional level - In those over the age of 20, the focus is more on judging the
moral worth of societal values and rules and how they relate to values of liberty, human
welfare and human rights
4. Def inition of Criminal Behaviour – Psychodynamics of Criminal
Behaviour
 De nition of Criminal Behaviour
 Criminal behaviour refers to the conduct of an of fender that leads to the commission of
an unlawful act. An unlawful act occurs when there is a motive, a mean and an
opportunity.
 Several factors related to increasing risk and criminality related to individuals exhibiting
criminogenic traits
 The beginning to criminal behaviour starts with biology and genetics
 Traits that lead to Criminal Behaviour
 Anti-social values - includes criminal rationalization or the belief that their criminal
behaviour was justif ied - Individuals possessing this trait often blame others for their
negative behaviour, and show a lack of remorse
 Criminal peers -often have peers that are associated with criminal activities – mostly
involved with substance abuse (drugs and alcohol) – also present with a lack of pro-
social community involvement
  Anti-social personality - include atypical behaviour conducted prior to the age of
f ifteen and can include, running away, skipping school, f ighting, possessing weapons,
lying, stealing and damage to either animals or property
 Dysfunctional Family - lack of family support, both emotionally and otherwise - An
individual’s family lacks the ability to problem solve and often is unable to
communicate ef fectively - Family members often don’t possess the ability to express
emotions in an appropriate manner - More often than not, they are also involved with
criminal activity
 Low self control - one’s ability to control temperament and impulsivity - People that
carry this trait often do things that they didn’t plan, and will fail to think before acting
- The mindset is of the here and now, and not on the consequences of the behaviour
 Substance abuse - The use of drugs or alcohol that signif icantly af fect one’s ability to
engage in a successful and productive lifestyle. There is often an increased tolerance
to substances, in addition to an inability to stop use
 Psychodynamics of Criminal Behaviour
 This theory was originated by Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), the founder of
psychoanalysis - Proponents of psychodynamic theory suggest that an individual’s
personality is controlled by unconscious mental processes that are grounded in early
childhood
 Something happened in childhood is constantly drawn in person’s mind, frustration,
anger , depression , anxiety of childhood shows up in future.
 An individual’s behaviour re ects his maturity level, what is his thinking about crime
 Sigmund Freud argued that everyone has three elements or structures that make up the
human personality
 instinctual drives (called the “id”) that demand gratif ic ation – represents the
unconscious biological drives for food, sex and other necessities over the life span – id
is concerned with instant pleasure or gratif ication while disregarding concern for
others – knows as pleasure principle
 adults later develop a rational personality (called the “ego”) that mediates between
the id and superego - the ego compensates for the demands of the id by guiding an
individual’s actions or behaviours to keep him or her within the boundaries of society.
The ego is guided by the reality principle
 Moral and ethical codes (called the “superego”) regulate these drives, - develops as a
person incorporates the moral standards and values of the community; parents; and
signif icant others, such as friends and clergy members. The focus of the superego is
morality. The superego serves to pass judgment on the behaviour and actions of
individuals
 the ego mediates between the id’s desire for instant gratif ic ation and the strict
morality of the superego. One can assume that young adults as well as adults
understand right from wrong.
  However, when a crime is committed, advocates of psychodynamic theory would
suggest that an individual committed a crime because he or she has an
underdeveloped superego.
5. Mental Illness and Crime
 De nition
 Disorder of mind that interferes substantially with a persons liability to cope with life on
daily basis – deprives the person freedom of choice with varying degree
 Children
 Conduct Disorder (Boccaccini) - aggressive behaviours toward others, bullying;
intimidation; fear; initiating f ights; and using a weapon, unwanted sex, stealing, killing,
breaking into house and cars
 Oppositional def iant disorder (Siegal) - def iance; uncooperativeness; irritability; a very
negative attitude; a tendency to lose one’s temper; and exhibiting deliberately
annoying behaviours toward peers, parents, teachers, and other authority f igures, such
as police o cers
 Disorders most relevant to crime
 Schizophrenia (psychotic disorders)
 Delusional Disorders
 Major Depressive Disorder
  Antisocial Personality Disorder
 Other mental illness
 Post Traumatic mental disorder
 Amnesia
 Competency and Criminal Responsibility
 Insanity
 Criminal Liability
 Sec. 84 – IPC, 1860 - “Nothing is an o ence, which is done by a person who, at the time of
doing it, by reason of unsoundness of mind, is incapable of knowing the nature of the
act, or that he is doing what is either wrong or contrary to law.” – (McNaghten Rule)
 According to SC - the law presumes every person of age of discretion to be sane and
defense on ground of insanity needs to be proved. If defense is established on ground of
insanity, such persons are committed to the Psychiatric Hospitals as per sec 471 (i) of the
Cr.P.C., 1973
 Mental Illness (Psychiatry) and Law
 British innovation - 19th century served as the background of lunacy legislations
 The Lunacy (Supreme Courts) Act, 1858
 The Lunacy (District Courts) Act, 1858
  The Indian Lunatic Asylum Act, 1858 (with amendments passed in 1886 and 1889)
 The Military Lunatic Acts, 1877.
 The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017
6. Human Aggression and Violence to Crime
 Aggression and Violence are often used interchangeably but are not same
Aggression Violence
angry or violent feelings or behaviour the use of physical force with the intent to
injure another person or destroy property
a person with an aggressive nature will not person who commits an act of violence may
necessarily engage in violent acts be acting with aggression
aggression can result in a physical or verbal Often considered a physical expression of
attack, sometimes the attack may be defensive aggression, violence may be predatory,
or impulsive and lack harmful intent impulsive, reactive, or defensive in nature
Aggression problems typically develop in the Violence can develop from situational or
context of interactions between biological and environmental factors and may result from a
social risk factors, learning history, and parent mental condition or from personal or cultural
behaviours. Major developments in cognitive beliefs
and social-emotional domains occur during
early childhood.
 Acts of violence may target a specif ic person or group of people, be sexual in nature, or
occur following the use of alcohol or drug use.
 dif fic ult to identify all of the factors that may lead to the development of aggressive
tendencies or violent behaviour
 social status / institutional forces / Family inf luence / Childhood experience / Substance
abuse / Tv, media / Academic inf lu ence / personal issues / mood disturbance /
Psychological problems or issues (mental illness) / Physical & sexual abuse
 Perpetrators of violence might repeatedly lose jobs, relationships, and family members
 Issues with aggression and violence or their ef fects can be addressed in therapy with the
help of a mental health professional.
 redirection, conf li ct mediation, and the establishing of boundaries and appropriate peer
relationships
 Types of Aggression
 Accidental - not intentional and may be the result of carelessness
 Expressive - intentional but not meant to cause harm
 Hostile - meant to cause physical or psychological pain
 Instrumental - an result from con ict over objects or what are assumed to be one's rights
 Mental Health & Violent or Aggressive Behaviour
 Posttraumatic Stress or Bipolar can also lead to violent expression or aggressive
thoughts
 Brain injuries
 Children who grew up in traumatic or neglectful environments
 life circumstance that causes stress, such as poverty, relationship problems, or abuse