Compare and Contrast Classical Theory and Positivist Theory
Criminology borrows heavily from the two schools of thought; Classical and Positivists approaches. The difference between the two theories comes in the way crime should be treated. The classical theory argues that crime is caused by external factors with the offenders seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. The positivist theory, on the other hand, argues that both internal and external factors influence crime. If the classical approach is taken, punishment for crime is expected to fit the crime and should be lenient (White, Haines & Asquith, 2017). The Positivist theory, on the other hand, advocates for punishment that fits the criminal. Scientific intervention is proposed as a solution to determining whether or not an individual is a criminal. The application of the classical theory is mostly in criminal enterprises that take vengeance as a way of improving crime control. On the other hand, the positivist theory treats crime from the perspective of the criminal. When science is used, the criminal’s biological composition is argued to have an impact on their participation in a crime. Generally, leniency is the main difference between the two theories. However, the theories are not entirely different as they still hold some similar arguments. Both theories support the claim that crime is affected by external human factors.
- Classical Theory and Rational Choice Theory
The classical theory and the rational choice theory appear to hold several similarities in their interpretation of crime. Classical theorists believe that people engage in crime as they seek pleasure and avoiding pain. Rational choice theorists believe that crime is a choice that an individual makes and is generally impacted by external factors (Paternoster, Jaynes & Wilson, 2017). Therefore, the argument in the rational choice theory is supported by classical theorists who argue that human beings are rational and have the free will to make choices. The free-will also determines whether or not an individual will choose crime because an individual decides whether or not to embrace fear. Fearless people will not leave crime because of the punishment associated with it. The recommendations of the classical theory tend to support the arguments put across in the rational choice approach. For example, the classical theory advocates for lenient punishments that fit a crime. The rational choice builds on the advocacy for lenient measures to argue that people may engage in crime if the reward is higher than the punishment faced thereafter. The punishment recommendations for both theories are that punishment should be fit for the crime and not the criminal, and thus punishment is uniform.
- Key Thoughts of Trait Theory
The trait theory treats crime from two perspectives; abnormal biological traits and psychological traits. The biological perspective argues that human behavior can be affected by abnormalities held by an individual. For example, an individual could have abnormalities based on four main perspectives; biochemical, neurological, genetic and evolutionary. The psychological perspective bases its argument on three reasons for behavior change; psychodynamic, social learning and cognitive theory. The behavior of an individual can e affected by the chemical composition of their food intake as they can easily lead to hormonal imbalances. Also, an individual can inherit poor behavior from their bloodline, which might determine their likelihood of engaging in crime. Also, psychological development, especially at young ages, could determine their perspectives on crime. Bitterness from an early age could change a person and make them vengeful. Therefore, the trait theory aims at defining the different possibilities of behavior changes that could affect an individual’s perception of crime.