AC 4.1 Assess The Use of Criminological Theories in Informing Policy Development
Individualistic/
Criminologi
Policy Description Informal/ Formal Biological/ Effective? Ineffective?
cal Theories
Sociological
biochemica
Several biochemical processes and l
Yes to a certain extent
factors have been linked with explanation
because medical
criminality, such as the effects s
professionals can
Biochemical processes of the male
Neurochemicals/ intervene when
sex hormone testosterone, substance Formal Biological
Biochemical necessary and stabilise
abuse and deficiencies in diet. This such as:
the persons
has led to policies, mostly in the form substance
neurochemical
of individualised treatment abuse or
imbalance
programmes for offenders alcohol
abuse.
Eugenics Genetic theories of criminality have Formal Genetic biological No has ethical
argued that the tendency to such as: XYY problems and you
criminality is transmitted by inheriting orTwin can not control
a 'criminal gene'. The idea that we studies someone's genes
can identify such a gene is now and illegal
discredited but in the early 20th
century it was associated with a
movement known as eugenics.
Eugenicists were obsessed with the
fear that the human race was in
danger of 'degenerating' because the
poor were breeding at a faster rate
than the higher classes. As a result,
they were passing on supposedly
Individualistic/
Criminologi
Policy Description Informal/ Formal Biological/ Effective? Ineffective?
cal Theories
Sociological
biochemica
Several biochemical processes and l
Yes to a certain extent
factors have been linked with explanation
because medical
criminality, such as the effects s
professionals can
Biochemical processes of the male
Neurochemicals/ intervene when
sex hormone testosterone, substance Formal Biological
Biochemical necessary and stabilise
abuse and deficiencies in diet. This such as:
the persons
has led to policies, mostly in the form substance
neurochemical
of individualised treatment abuse or
imbalance
programmes for offenders alcohol
abuse.
Eugenics Genetic theories of criminality have Formal Genetic biological No has ethical
argued that the tendency to such as: XYY problems and you
criminality is transmitted by inheriting orTwin can not control
a 'criminal gene'. The idea that we studies someone's genes
can identify such a gene is now and illegal
discredited but in the early 20th
century it was associated with a
movement known as eugenics.
Eugenicists were obsessed with the
fear that the human race was in
danger of 'degenerating' because the
poor were breeding at a faster rate
than the higher classes. As a result,
they were passing on supposedly
