The unified crime theory and the social correlates of crime and violence: problems and solutions
| Date | 05 November 2018 |
| Pages | 287-301 |
| Published date | 05 November 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JCP-06-2018-0028 |
| Author | Nicholas Kavish,Brian Boutwell |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Criminal psychology,Sociology,Sociology of crime & law,Deviant behaviour,Public policy & environmental management,Policing,Criminal justice |
The unified crime theory and the social
correlates of crime and violence:
problems and solutions
Nicholas Kavish and Brian Boutwell
Abstract
Purpose –Criminology has produced more than a century of informative research on the social correlates of
criminal behavior. Recently, a growing body of theoretical and empirical work has begun to apply evolutionary
principles, particularly from life history theory (LHT), to the study of crime. As this body of research continues
to grow, it is important that work in this area synthesizes evolutionary principles with the decades of
sociological research on the correlates of crime. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach –The current paper reviews the brief history of research applying life
history concepts to criminology, providing an overview of the underlying framework, exploring examples of
empirically testable and tested hypotheses that have been derived from the theory, discussing cautions
and criticisms of life history research, and discussing how this area of research can be further integrated with
existing theory.
Findings –A growing body of research has, with relative consistency, associated indicators of a faster life
history strategy with aggression and violence in humans and across the animal kingdom. Research into these
associations is still vulnerable to genetic confounding and more research with genetically sensitive designs is
needed. The use of hypotheses informed by evolutionary insight and tested with genetically sensitive designs
provides the best option for understanding how environmental factors can have an impact on violent and
criminal behavior.
Originality/value –The current paper provides an updated review of the growing application of LHT to the
study of human behavior and acknowledges criticisms and areas of concern that need to be considered
when forming hypotheses for research.
Keywords Criminology, Evolutionary taxonomy, Genetic confounding, Life history theory, Pace of life,
Social correlates of crime
Paper type General review
A hallmark of the criminological theories that emerged early in the previous century was a strong
focus on social causes of crime (e.g. Horowitz et al., 2016; Kavish et al., 2017; Merton, 1938;
Park et al., 1925). These theoretical enterprises, and their attendant empirical evidence, paid
dividends by providing insight about the structural and cultural factors that covary with crime.
With the passage of time, and accompanying the encroachment of other scientific insights,
criminologists began recognizing the importance of key individual level constructs–such as such as
personality styles, cognitive traits, and emotional/temperamental factors–in their theories, ranging
from personality traits, as well as learning and cognition, and emotional factors. Thus emerged
developmental theories (Moffitt, 1993), low self-control theory (and control theory; Gottfredson and
Hirschi, 1990), strain theory (Agnew, 1992) and learning theory (Burgess and Akers, 1966). Several of
which continue represent the dominant theoretical paradigms in the field today (see especially
self-control theory and developmental theory).
Though each attempt at theory building was somewhat unique, all shared the goal of knitting
together knowledge about crime in a coherent fashion. In other words, the purpose was to
reconcileeverything that we know aboutcriminal, antisocial and “analogous”behavior(Gottfredson
and Hirschi, 1990). Theory building is a foundational concept across science, moreover.
Received 15 June 2018
Revised 5 October 2018
Accepted 12 October 2018
Nicholas Kavish is based at the
Department of Psychology and
Philosophy, Sam Houston
State University, Huntsville,
Texas, USA.
Brian Boutwell is based at the
College for Public Health and
Social Justice, Saint Louis
University, St Louis,
Missouri, USA.
DOI 10.1108/JCP-06-2018-0028 VOL. 8 NO. 4 2018, pp. 287-301, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2009-3829
j
JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY
j
PAG E 28 7
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