Evaluating Theories of Crime - Criminological Theory - Lecture Slides, Slides of Criminology

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Evaluating Theories of Crime

What is a “Theory?”

• A statement of set of statements about the relationships between 2 or more events - In criminology?
• A theory predicts what will happen, not how the world should be

Logical Consistency

• Clearly Defined Concepts
  • Concept = symbol/label that we apply to an abstract image
  • Examples?
• Concepts must fit in a logical manner
  • BAD LOGIC: All crime is caused by imprisonment

SCOPE (not the mouthwash)

• DEPENDENT variable
• How “general” is your explanation?
  • Specific forms of crime/deviance?
  • All crime?
  • All crime, deviance, sin, and recklessness?
• All else being equal, “Wider is Better”

Testability

• A valid theory can be falsified
• Non-falsifiable theories?
  • Tautological arguments (crime causes crime)
  • Vague and open-ended statements (Freud)
  • Must be observe/measure concepts (little green men)

Is the theory correct?

• Survive empirical scrutiny
• Few theories are entirely correct or false
  • To what degree is the theory supported?
  • Preponderance of evidence support?
• Incorrect theories must be modified or discarded

Flow Chart for Evaluation

Falsifiable? Logical?

NO = Useless, stop here

YES (^) Evidence?Empirical

NO: Modify/Discard

Yes

Evaluate the Following:

• Scope
• Parsimony
• Policy Implications