Core elements, crime prevention policies and limitations of Agnew’s general theory of crime and delinquency

Authors

  • Ahmet Eker Turkish National Police

Keywords:

Strain, Delinquency, Life Domain, İnteraction, Protective Factors, Rehabilitation, Family, School, Delinquent Peers, Work, Social Control, Self-Control, Social Learning, Social Support, Gerilim, Suç, Çocuk Suçluluğu, Yaşam Alanı, Etkileşim, Suçtan Koruyuc

Abstract

Agnew has integrated and re-organized several leading criminological theories and results of empirical researches arguing that this new general theory has the capability of explaining all crime types. Effects of five life domains (self, family, peer, school and work) on individuals’ behaviors and decision making process have been explained in this theory. These five life domains encompass and affect whole lifespan of a person starting from the early childhood. These life domains not only affect individuals but also have mutual effect on each other. In addition, several external factors have effects on individuals, and in order to commit crimes, these external factors should interact with other variables (biological factors, family, school, etc.). If these life domains and other external factors have negative effects on individuals, the probability of offending will increase. On the other hand, if they provide positive support, their effects will protect individuals from engaging in crime. Additionally, this theory tries to explain the reasons why some individuals engage in criminal behaviors while others do not even though they share the same environments. Prior crime has been found one of the strongest factors that cause subsequent crimes. The core elements, variables that cause crime, crime prevention policies, and limitations of this theory are analyzed in this paper.    

 

Özet

Agnew birçok önemli teoriyi ve bilimsel çalışmaların sonuçlarını birleştirerek ve yeniden organize ederek tüm suçları açıkladığını iddia ettiği kapsamlı bir genel suç teorisi yazmıştır. Bu teoride suça doğruca etki eden beş farklı yaşam alanının (bireyin kendisi, aile, arkadaş, okul ve iş) bireyin karar verme sürecine ve davranışlarına olan etkileri anlatılmıştır. Bu beş yaşam alanı bireylerin çocukluk yıllarından başlayarak tüm yaşantısını kaplamakta ve etkilemektedir. Yaşam alanları sadece bireyi etkilememekte aynı zamanda birbirlerini de etkilemektedirler. Bunlara ilaveten, diğer harici birçok faktörün bireyler üzerinde etkili olduğunu ve suçun oluşabilmesi için bu faktörlerin diğer faktörler ile (biyolojik faktörler, aile, okul, vb.) beraber mevcut olması ve etkileşime geçmesi gerektiği iddia edilmiştir.  Bu yaşam alanları ve diğer faktörler bireye negatif etki yaptıklarında suç işleme ihtimalinin artacağı, öte yandan pozitif destek sağlıyorlarsa suçtan koruyucu etki yapacakları belirtilmiştir. Ayrıca, aynı koşullarda yaşayan bireylerin suç işleme veya işlememe konusunda sergiledikleri farklı davranışların sebepleri anlatılmıştır. Önceki suçların daha sonra suç işlemeye çok büyük etkisinin olduğu bulunmuştur.  Bu makalede bu teorinin temel argümanları, suça neden olan faktörler, suç önleme önerileri ve bu teoriye getirilen eleştiriler incelenmiştir.

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Author Biography

Ahmet Eker, Turkish National Police

Dr., 3. Sınıf Emniyet Müdürü, Araklı İlçe Emniyet Müdürü, Trabzon

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Published

2016-04-08

How to Cite

Eker, A. (2016). Core elements, crime prevention policies and limitations of Agnew’s general theory of crime and delinquency. Journal of Human Sciences, 13(1), 1945–1968. Retrieved from https://j-humansciences.com/ojs/index.php/IJHS/article/view/3735

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Section

Criminology