“Crime” in general means an act that violates the law, whereas “criminality” describes the very intent and purpose as well as state of mind behind breaking or violating the law. The aim and objective of criminal psychology is particularly to control crime by offering solutions for criminal behavior. Given that crime is both contextual and situation-based, it can be difficult and full of complexities to define it as such.
It is the study of criminal behavior, which includes character, attitude, physiology, development, inspiration, reasoning, and other cognitive aspects that highly influence the commission of the crime or intention to be committed. Comprehending the meaning of criminal psychology in India is highly important as it enables us to describe, clarify, predict, and manage such actions.
what is criminal psychology?
The study of criminals’ perceptions, intentions, and feelings as they appear in their behavior is known as criminal psychology. The study examined the reasons and means by which individuals commit crimes as well as their post-crime reactions. The word “criminal psychology” comes with multiple meanings. It is still irrelevant in the modern world. It can be summed up as the science that uses knowledge of psychology to help research institutes operate more effectively.
The famous criminal psychology in India: Nature and Scope
The nature and scope of criminal psychology is as follows:
Clinical Role
- The description of the role of the nature of criminal psychology states that the specialists carry out this task by evaluating an individual who has been charged with a crime or has been declared an accused by the legal system.
- A person’s competency for testifying in court can be determined using these tests.
Experimental Role
- The psychologist’s role in this scenario is to conduct research and instruct a client. This could entail giving the court more information or doing studies to prove a position.
- Authentic eyewitness experiments, false recollections, and other variables could be at work.
Advisory Role
- In this role, a criminal psychologist offers police advice during a discussion. Additionally, it helps judges understand the felonious gesture.
Actuarial Role
- The role entails providing statistical advice for an event. A counselor might be asked to evaluate the viability of a case, for instance.
- Judges might assess, for instance, whether an offender would commit another crime if a sentence was not imposed.
Criminal Psychology Case Studies
The criminal psychology case studies are as follows:
- In the case of the Stoneman killer, nine persons were brutally murdered by having the tops of their heads smashed with a huge blunt instrument in one of the most horrific unsolved crimes in Indian history. The unnamed killer was given the nickname “The Stoneman” by a Calcutta newspaper, but the murder’s motive is still unknown, and the stone man hasn’t been located.
- In the case of Cyanide Mallika, a Bangalore resident Mallika killed six women. She robbed lower-middle-class ladies of their jewelry and possessions and killed them with cyanide after they had endured domestic abuse. She was arrested in 2007 and sentenced to life in jail.
Co-relationship between Crime and Psychology
Psychology and crime are closely related fields. An individual’s mental composition greatly shapes who they become. The following are some instances or characteristics that can help clarify the relationship between psychology and crime:
- Individuals who were abused physically or psychologically as children or who displayed antisocial behavior as adults are more inclined to pass these traits on to their progeny, who will then often continue the cycle. Children who experience abuse or neglect have unique perspectives on the world and are more likely to commit crimes as adults.
- They usually think they are obtaining the same control as their abuser when they conduct a crime against someone else. A person’s decision to engage in a crime is greatly influenced by peer pressure.
- In order to get the courage to commit more serious crimes, young boys and girls who endure bullying or who don’t quite fit the expectations of modern society sometimes turn to drug use, which is illegal in and of itself.
- When someone feels unloved or believes they don’t get taken seriously, they usually turn to crime as their last option to try to win the respect of those around them. The likelihood of committing a crime is clearly influenced by a lack of education, as demonstrated by the graph of the more inclined criminal.
There is a lengthy history of criminal psychology in nations that are developing like India. For thirty years, it has been acknowledged as an area of practical psychology that supports victim rehabilitation, intervention, and crime prevention. Over the span of three decades, technological improvements have altered the mindset of criminals, leading to the creation of sophisticated and innovative crime detection technologies.
These days, investigations examine the biopsychosocial foundations of criminal behavior in accused and suspects, going beyond only searching for lies. A functioning legal system is necessary for society to function. This helps legislators decide which laws are required to make such offenders fearful and depressed.
