UPDATE: All my courses now come with custom Certificate of Completion!
UPDATE: All lectures and quizzes updated in November, 2024
Crime has been part of society ever since humanity started the whole concept of “society,” and we seem to be no closer to solving the problem of crime than we were thousands of years ago. Crime rates in every country seem to go up and down with little correlation to new laws, law enforcement policies, and punishments for crime.
Sociologists, Criminal Justice researchers, and others have been trying to scientifically determine why some people commit crime and others don’t, and why some criminals commit a little crime and some criminals commit a LOT of crime. There are many theories that attempt to explain how and why people become criminals, and each one has a different set of assumptions, claims, and policy implications. This course will be an overview of the most popular scientific theories about crime causation, and will prepare the student to discuss, propose, and implement behavior and policies that may reduce criminal offending.
Lectures:
Theory
Thinking about Crime
Deterrence Theory
Testing Deterrence Theory
Early Biological Theories
Modern Biosocial Theories
Psychological Theories
Psychological Treatments
Strain Theories
General Strain Theory and Institutional Anomie Theory
Social Disorganization
Learning Theories
Control Theories
Labeling and Conflict Theories
Reintegrative Shaming
Life Course Theories
Integrated Theories
