The criminal psychology Is dedicated to studying behavior, thinking and the belief system of criminals, as well as investigating why crimes are committed.
In recent years there has been a growth of popular interest that has emerged from the success of series such as Criminal Minds or CSI.
This phenomenon has a name within the scientific community: the CSI effect, whereby people tend to bias their conceptions about criminal psychology, in particular, and forensic work, in general, based on television series of this type.
In Spain, however, the work of a criminal psychologist is far from the work of the same professional in America, where it has more prominence in, for example, the courts of justice or in advisory tasks to the Judge. In Spain a criminal psychologist frequently corresponds to the figure of the forensic psychologist, although with differences.
Despite having similar roles, a forensic psychologist can deal with issues that flow through the civilian pathway (for example, endowing a person who has suffered an accident), while a criminal psychologist will work only with criminal cases In which at least one offense has taken place.
Criminal behavior
We have just explained what the work of the criminal psychologist is, as well as the differences between a criminal psychology professional and another of forensic psychology. However, one must now ask how a criminal's behavior is and analyze what makes him different from a person who meets the criteria of normality.
A delinquent should not be an individual with a disorder, whether personality or not, but if we look from the cognitive-behavioral point of view there may be antecedent stimuli (behaviors and cognitions) that lead to commit a criminal act or crime.
Let us take the example of a person without a history of mental disorders, with normal IQ and with A personality Not pathological who is fired from work and evicted from her home. It does not mean that it is justified to steal in these circumstances, but this case is the exemplification of a person psychologically normal and without resources who is"forced"to survive by committing criminal acts.
However, there are real cases of felonies committing felonies (murders, homicides, sexual assaults) that are out of all criteria of normality and which will be discussed in the following paragraphs.
Factors that influence criminal behavior
First of all, it should be clarified that no factor or set of them inexorably leads to a person delinquent. However, and as is logical to think, a group of risk factors increase the likelihood (or predispose more) that someone has a tendency to crime.
Traditionally, and especially in Social Sciences, two types of variables are taken into account when explaining behavior: on the one hand, genetics or biology; On the other hand, environmental factors.
In addition to genetic baggage (temperamental traits, predisposition to certain diseases, etc.) and environmental (early stimulation, nurturing, education and development, etc.), social behavior or interactions are taken into account as an isolated variable social.
This social factor becomes even more relevant when it comes to modern explanations of criminal behavior. For example, the theory of E. Sutherland promulgates that the offender acts as such because he chooses to surround himself with a group of equals that encourages criminal or violent acts.
Let us now enumerate what questions, both genetic and environmental / social, favor the predisposition to the criminal act:
Genetic Variables
- Aggressive temperament
- History of mental illness in the family, such as schizophrenia . However, caution should be exercised in this regard because studies show conflicting results as to the percentage of heritability of psychotic disorders, for example. However, it is known that the genetic component is present, to a greater or lesser extent, in the presence of mental illness.
Environmental and social factors
- Low socioeconomic status.
- Financial problems, such as debt.
- Lack of support from the Institutions or Social Services.
- Have grown up in a family whose parents or siblings have a criminal record.
- Befriend groups that promote aggressive or criminal behavior and use violence to achieve ends.
- Non-existent or reduced labor opportunities.
- Absence of emotional restraint.
- Family hierarchies predominantly patriarchal.
As we have already seen, there is no predictor of criminal behavior, although what we have just listed make up precursors or"triggers"that can trigger criminal acts.
Today, both psychologists and criminologists agree that the mechanism that leads a person to commit crime is too complex to be predicted and controlled with 100% reliability, although of course we can take measures to evaluate it and, And then prevent it.
Explanations of criminal behavior
Next we will review the currents of thought and the different points of view that throughout history have had something to say about the genesis of criminality. How do we combine all the factors we have cited for someone to commit a crime?
To control and prevent crime, to examine and explore why people commit such actions is very relevant, and it is precisely from the most influential theories in Criminal Psychology that we are going to speak now.
The theory of César Lombroso
This Italian doctor César Lombroso , Father of Criminology, was the precursor of systematization and scientific Positivism of Criminal Psychology, making a whole classification of types of delinquents and reaching its peak with his work"L'uomo delinquente"(1896).
This theory came to say that a delinquent is not made, is born. Lombroso ended up admitting that social factors have their weight in the crime equation, but originally to him the most important thing was the genetic and biological load, even saying that physiognomy and anatomy were directly related to the tendency to commit a crime person.
The physical features that most"predispose"someone to the criminal act were, for Lombroso, a prominent front, a very marked chin and a stooped back.
Although in the current scientific panorama the biological explanations that take genetics in isolation to explain the behavior are practically obsolete, there are still theories that take as a flag the factors of hereditary type. An example of this is the Sociobiology of the North American criminologist Jeffery.
The psychoanalytic thesis
Criminality can also be analyzed from the perspective of Psychoanalysis . According to him, human behavior was related to the process of personality formation through interaction and development from childhood, a period during which personal conflicts are more boiling than ever, according to Freud and his teacher Charcot.
As we see, unlike Lombroso, psychoanalytic authors emphasize the problems that can occur in childhood to explain the criminal psyche because it is in that period where the personality is configured and, of course, the"delinquent"personality is not No exception.
In this way, criminal behavior is understood as originating from unresolved psychic conflicts. Some of the unresolved psychic conflicts are feelings of guilt , The failure to identify with reference figures or the predominance of instincts over rationality.
As we know, the psychoanalytic terminology is very complex, so we will not stop to delve into it. It is convenient, however, to mention some of the words most sounded when explaining the criminal behavior according to the Psiconálisis.
From the triumph of Ello (where our primary instincts reside), through the absence of the Superego (where social conventions and desirable behavior lodge) to the irresolution of the famous Freudian Oedipus complex.
Theories of poor socialization
For theories of defective or poor socialization, criminal behavior is a behavior learned through the different phases of the socialization process: family, school or companies are factors to take into account when delving into the origin of crime .
Among the most prominent contemporary authors is Sutherland, the precursor of the theory of differential contacts: in society there are groups that behave according to social norms and transgressive groups of the same. The inclination of a person towards one of these two groups will mark the future criminal of the same.
These theories find their application mainly in juvenile gangs and organized crime: a group of people (endogroup) that form a relational network whose objective is criminality and that maintain similar attitudes around the idea of justice and social order, as well as the Promotion of violent acts and crimes.
Theories of poor socialization similar to that of Sutherland are the most accepted and studied today, especially if we explore the ins and outs of crime from the sociological viewpoint.
Psychopathology associated with criminality
Although the fact of being diagnosed with a mental disorder does not mean that a person has all of being a delinquent, it is true that statistically exists a large number of cases in which the crime has been committed by people with a disease or special condition for example, Psychopathy Or antisocial disorder.
Speaking of this arise doubts that often leads the professionals to confusion is it the same a sociopath as a psychopath? What sets them apart? The answer we will see below.
Referring to the great nosologies (ICD-10, World Health Organization, and DSM-V, American Psychiatric Association), these do not contemplate the distinction between sociopaths and psychopaths, but refers to their characteristics as Behavior disorder (formerly dissocial disorder) and antisocial disorder, respectively.
Nevertheless, Robert Hare , An expert in criminal psychopathology, continues to use the term psychopathy when making a diagnosis. Let us see at what points these concepts differ.
Differences between antisocial personality disorder and behavior disorder and disorder (disocial)
As for the Antisocial personality disorder (TAP), we speak of people extraverted and emotionally unstable and characterized by hostility, rebellion and absence of fear of punishment and risky situations, as well as a low tolerance for frustration.
They often have long histories of violating the rights of others, without feeling guilty about it. Lying and deceiving is part of their behavior.
About behavioral disorder, formerly referred to in DSM-IV-TR Dissociative disorder , Is usually diagnosed in childhood or adolescence and children with this condition usually join youth gangs.
These people have a limitation in prosocial activity (of altruism, for example), lack of remorse or guilt, insensitivity, lack of empathy Or superficial affections. It is also very common, animal abuse at early ages.
There are also characteristics that indicate a high probability that a child develops severe antisocial behaviors in his adult stage. This is reflected in the so-called homicidal triad of R. Ressler, who devoted much of his life to outlining the criminal psyche.
According to Ressler, if a child repeatedly mistreated animals, he Nocturnal enuresis Late (lack of sphincter control of urine in bed in late childhood), and pyromania , It is probable that this person delinates in the future and that TAP present.
Indeed, not all people diagnosed with TAP or all children or adolescents with behavioral disorder are delinquent. Some show risky behaviors, frustration or, being normally very intelligent people, may present ease to the business and other intellectual abilities.
conclusion
By way of conclusion, we will say that there is no universal predictor to predict an antisocial behavior, crime or criminal trajectory of a person, whether in the infancy, adolescent or adult stage.
As psychologists, we can make an estimate or an approximation to behavioral traits that can somehow enhance the development of these unwanted behaviors and pay special attention to those we consider more dangerous.
In summary, a risk factor in isolation does not mean the beginning of a criminal career, although for each risk factor that we identify the probability of these behaviors will increase.
It is for them that professionals dedicated to this field have to buffer with protection factors, to sensitize, educate and reinforce prosocial and productive behaviors for the people who have the most potential to present a TAP in the future, for example.