Criminal Psychology BPS309

Learn about the psychology behind crime. Why do people commit crimes? Develop your understanding of criminal psychology and how psychology is used in law enforcement and crime prevention. "Why do psychopaths exist? Why do people commit crimes? How do we know what crimeù is when it changes over time and from society to society. This course provides a fascinating insight into the mind of the criminal and the work of the criminal psychologist." Tracey Jones, B.Sc. (Hons) (Psychology), M.Soc.Sc (social work), DipSW (social work), PGCE (Education), PGD (Learning Disability Studies), ACS Tutor Who should study this? Legal secrataries, office staff, etc Welfare officers, yourth workers, and any other support service staff who may be working with disfunctional people

Why do people commit crimes?

Develop your understanding of criminal psychology and how psychology is used in law enforcement and crime prevention.

Why do psychopaths exist? Why do people commit crimes? How do we know what crimeù is when it changes over time and from society to society. This course provides a fascinating insight into the mind of the criminal and the work of the criminal psychologist. Tracey Jones, B.Sc. (Hons) (Psychology), M.Soc.Sc (social work), DipSW (social work), PGCE (Education), PGD (Learning Disability Studies), ACS Tutor

Who should study this?

• Legal secrataries, office staff, etc
• Welfare officers, yourth workers, and any other support service staff who may be working with disfunctional people

Course Structure There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction to Criminal Psychology
2. Psychological approaches to understanding crime
3. Psychology and understanding serious crimes
4. Mental disorder and crime 1 - Learning disabilities and crime
5. Mental Disorder and Crime 2 - Psychopathy
6. Gender and Crime
7. Youth and Crime
8. Psychology and the Police
9. Psychology in the Courtroom
10. Psychology and Crime Prevention

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school\'s tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

• Define crime and criminal psychology.
• Discuss psychological theories and approaches to understanding crime.
• Define serious crimes and explain the involvement of psychology.
• Discuss the relationship between a person having a learning disability and committing crime.
• Define psychopathy and discuss psychological theories relating to psychopathy.
• Discuss gender differences associated with crime.
• Discuss the psychological theories relating to youth and crime.
• Discuss how psychology is used by the police.
• Discuss how psychology is used in the court room.
• Discuss the use of psychology in crime prevention.

In psychology, there are three theories that are the most widespread approaches to defining crime. There are other approaches, but as these are the most widely accepted, we will consider those here.

The Consensus View

This view stems from the sociological theories of J Shepherd (1981). This school of thought holds that society functions as an integrated structure, the stability of which is dependent on consensus or agreement by its members, so that the rules, values and norms are respected by all. Therefore, the legal system of the society is a reflection of what is considered tolerable and intolerable behaviour within that particular society i.e. intolerable behaviour is disapproved of by the majority.

Before a crime can be said to have occurred, it has to be committed. So without an action, there can be no crime.

The Conflict View

The Conflict View is the direct opposite of the Consensus View.

The Interactionist View

The Interactionist View falls between the Consensus and Conflict View. It began as a field of thought within sociology called symbolic interactionism.

Learn more about these theories and a lot more through this course!