Examination of Criminological Theories: Classical vs. Positivist Schools of Thought

Prompt
In Module Two, you learned about concepts from the classical school of thought. In this module, you have learned about biological, psychological, and sociological theories of criminology in the positivist school of thought. This assignment will help you gain a better understanding of the differences between these theories and their impact on the criminal justice system, and will assist you in the completion of Project Two in Module Seven.

 

Use the Module Three Assignment Template to address the following:
• Define the following in 25-50 words each: o Classical theory of criminology o Biological theory of criminology o Psychological theory of criminology o Sociological theory of criminology
• What are some of the major themes or concepts associated with each theory? Create a 3-6 item bulleted list in the template.
• What are some of the criticisms or weaknesses associated with each theory? Create a 2-3 item bulleted list in the template.
• How has each theory impacted the criminal justice system?
In 100-150 words for each theory, address the following: o How have laws and policies been affected? o What was the impact on law enforcement? o What was the impact on courts and sentencing? o What was the impact on corrections?