Daryl B.

Molina

BS CRIMINOLOGY-2nd Year

Pre- test Essay

1. In your own idea/opinion, why do people commit crimes?

ANSWER:
In my own point of view, people commit crimes for complex reasons. It could be
because of their poverty that they couldn’t afford to buy basic necessities or fulfilled their needs
as an individual so are tempted to do crimes. Or because of peer pressure, influences of drugs
and alcohol, parental neglect and other factors that causes low self esteem to an individual.
Others could also be because of the surroundings they are in that increases the risk of becoming
an offenders or the societal status of a person that forces them to do bad.
2. Before you begin reading, what was your personal theory of crime causation?
ANSWER:
For me, the structure and functions of individuals in a society is mostly the common
reasons of crimes. If we have noticed, mostly of the crimes took place in terms of the social
environment where they are in; the family, how they are treated and how they lived their lives.
Are they living in poverty and hunger or a happy life with great success; peer group, how much
good and bad it influences the individuals. Are they even mistreated or bullied so that they are
forced to commit crimes; workplace, how are they exposed to the kind of place they are
working. Is it even legal or illegal; the community, are they practicing whatever they see in it
either bad or good, and the society how they adjust and adopt with the environment they lived
in.

Post Test

1. Among of the following theory cited above, choose at least three theory that you are most likely
convince as crime causation and why?
ANSWER:
The theories that I am most likely convinced are the following:
 Strain theory- it is true since when a person is strain or in stress, they are more likely to
become upset and sometimes engage in crime as a result. For example, they may steal
to reduce financial problems or may use drugs to make themselves feel better and have
a moment to escape from reality that’s hunting them nor breaking them apart. They
may also need money so badly but cannot easily get it in a proper way so they chooses
to take the shortest route even if it’s illegal or inappropriate. Other might not also
received the proper treatment they aimed to achieve so in result, they will coerce
others into giving them the respect which they believed they deserved. They may also
assault and rob others to establish the reputation that they badly needed.
 Social Learning Theory- Most of human’s learning and ability came from the things that
they usually see and put into practice. So the more an individual is exposed to a
 community with beliefs that are favorable to crime or with criminals and the more they
are associated to them, the more they learn to engage in crime in the same way they
engage in their conforming behavior. People may commit crime by reinforcements and
punishments of others and by imitating inappropriate things that they usually see within
the environment they belong.
 Labeling theory- Individuals who are arrested, prosecuted and punished are labeled as
criminals. Labeled individuals are then treated differently and having trouble associating
with conventional people, so they associate with other criminals in result. The neglect
they felt could affect their self esteem and could also produce stress to them thus
leading to view themselves as criminals and act in accord with this self- concept.
Labeling isn’t right all the time, so an informal labeling could also affect the perceptions
of the person being labeled. If they believe that others also view them as trouble makers
then they would surely act in accord to it.