CJG-611: Understanding Human Behavior and Crime

This course tries to find an answer to why people commit crimes by considering personality factors of the offender in response to situational variables. The focus will be on theories of crime, biological and psychological models of criminal behavior, crime and mental disorders, human aggression and violent crime, delinquent behavior from criminal behavior, how to profile an offender based on their actions, risk factors in human development and policies of crime prevention. The psychological implications of criminal behavior, criminal justice decision-making, jury selection, witness recall, sentencing, prisonization, and correctional treatment. Considering physiological, psychological and pharmacological factors, we explore the influence of family, peers and the effects of alcohol and drugs on the incidence of criminal behavior. And we examine how the urban and social environment encourages (or inhibits) opportunities to commit crime. Recent research finding will be incorporated in the readings.