LECTURE NOTES ON THEORIES OF CRIME

One of the most common questions people ask is: "Why do people commit crimes?" The answer is not as simple as many people think. Some people believe criminals are naturally born with violent tendencies. Others argue that criminals become who they are because of poverty, poor parenting, peer influence, unemployment, drug abuse, or broken homes. Some believe criminals simply make bad choices despite knowing the consequences.

Over the years, scholars from different disciplines have attempted to answer this question. Their explanations are known as theories of Crime. A theory is a logical explanation based on observation, research, and evidence. In criminology, theories help us understand the causes of crime and criminal behaviour. No single theory explains every crime. For example, a person who steals because of hunger may have a completely different motivation from someone who commits cyber fraud out of greed or someone who commits murder because of mental illness. Therefore, criminologists combine different theories to obtain a more complete understanding of criminal behaviour.