Classical and neoclassical thoughts on crime Psychology Essay

Classical and Neoclassical Thoughts on Crime
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Classical and Neoclassical Thoughts on Crime
A common example illustrating neoclassical criminology is that of a broke individual. By chance, the individual sees a pedestrian drop a purse. When he collects the purse, there is a large amount of cash inside. The question is what would you do if you were this individual. Would you take the money or hand the purse back to the owner? If you choose to take the money, you will have committed a crime. Some people would argue that taking the money would be a rational choice since you need it. However, neoclassical theorists would tend to differ. According to them, there is more to it than that.
Neoclassical criminology assumes that criminal behavior is determined individually and differs with the situation (Hall & Winlow, 2015). The neoclassical theorists argue that crime can be deterred, reduced, or eliminated by enforcing stricter child-rearing practices, enhancing punishment, and increasing security and surveillance. Neoclassical thoughts on crime can be linked to conservative ideas of crime control. The two are linked in that the neoclassical school of thought advocates for aggressive policing, probation practices, zero-tolerance parole, and lengthy prison sentences (Hall & Winlow, 2015).
Gabriel Tarde introduced the neoclassical criminology theory. In her book, “Penal philosophy,” Tarde criticized positivist and classical criminology theories but at the same time borrowed the best from both theories (Hall & Winlow, 2015). Neoclassical theories, such as the one introduced by Tarde ignore factors such as poverty, historical oppression, and blocked opportunities. Instead, they place the blame for crimes committed on the individuals themselves. According to neoclassical theorists, crime is a calculated choice people make to maximize pleasure while avoiding the pain of punishment. Neoclassical theorists did, however, find that the decision to commit a crime is not everyone’s. Instead, it hinges on some individuals and situational factors (Hall & Winlow, 2015).
The opponents of neoclassical criminology are classical theorists. Classical theorists, led by Cesare Beccaria believed in deterrence. Deterrence gave rise to the idea that “it is better to let a guilty man go free than to punish an innocent man.” (Paternoster & Fisher, 2017). This idea was very contrary to the pre-classical way where the innocent were tortured or even killed in the pursuit of justice. While Beccaria did not detest punishment, he believed that it was vital that laws were designed to ensure public safety instead of avenging the crime. Also, punishments had to be decreed by written codes and the unrestricted pow...