The greatest impact of psychological factors in the field of criminology can be evinced in what has been known as Group-therapy which the modem correctional institutions have adopted for the treatment of criminals. Experience has shown that isolated life of criminals in jails and prisons makes them psychologically more violent, revengeful and indifferent towards society.
The isolated, dull and monotonous institutional life in prison kills the personality of the offender and at the same time it is an unproductive endeavour for the State. Therefore, more recently an attempt has been made to approach the inmates psychologically and this has eventually led to the evolution of the system of Group-therapy in prisons and correctional institutions.
The relatively new technique of group therapy is based on the principle of self-help. It seeks to reform the inmates and prisoners by offering them an opportunity to form themselves into small groups of ten to fifteen in number and discuss their problems mutually. It emphasises on securing adjustment of inmates through the process of normal learning.
Originally, the system was confined only to mentally abnormal inmates who were unsuited for individual treatment, particularly during the World War I. These criminals were formed into clinical groups and thus relieved of the rigours of social isolation. It offered them an opportunity to create a friendly and supportive atmosphere.
Later on, the method of group psycho-therapy was extended to prisoners and inmates in reformatories. The principle underlying this system is that if these inmates get an opportunity to express and discuss their problems freely, they can gain emotional control over themselves and thus avoid tensions and conflicts. It has rightly been commented that guided group interaction through group-therapy gives inmates a meaningful social experience.
Considered from the psychological standpoint, group-therapy enables the inmates to face the realities of life and shed off their frustration and guilt. With an opportunity to discuss their problems mutually in a free atmosphere and analysing the arguments of others, they prepare themselves to accept social norms and conform to social values of life by avoiding delinquent acts. The system of group-psycho-therapy inculcates a sense of loyalty, responsibility and faith among criminals and helps them to return to non-criminal world.
Besides group therapy, the inmates in reformatories, correctional homes and other clinical institutions are treated psychologically for being rehabilitated into normal society.
Psychological studies on crime victims have concluded that emotional distress as a result of crime is a recurring phenomenon for all victims of crime, the most common problems affecting about 80% of victims, were psychological in nature such as fear, anxiety, nervousness, self-blame, anger, shame and sleeplessness.
These problems generally lead to psychological disorder called PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder). The victim begins to lose faith in life and perceive world as unmeaningful and incomprehensible. Group therapy may certainly prove to be a viable treatment method for such victims of crime.
Despite above generalisations regarding the influence of hereditary, anthropological, psychopathic and psychological factors on crime causation, it must be pointed out that these factors have failed to explain certain ‘personality-type’ crimes such as drunkenness, vagrancy, begging, prostitution, violation of drug-laws and many other similar offences. Obviously, these types of crime do not respond favourably to the subjective approach to crime causation for reasons stated below:—
(1) These offenders look to the facts of changing world in the light of the changing views about different type of crimes. The reason for non-seriousness towards these personality type crimes is that though they are regarded as crimes, being against the accepted norms of morality and culture, the moral condemnation for them is receding fast.
We have already seen that the offences of begging, gambling and drinking have now become so common in the Indian society that we have rather begun to forget that they are crimes at all. The tendency on the part of men, women and even children to stake money in ‘satta’ although unlawful, has become common these days.
This indicates that human reaction to such anti-social behaviour is rather unstable and changing. This contention finds support in the disappearance of blasphemy as an offence. The social legislation legalising abortion also supports this view.
(2) These criminals escape realities of life and commit crime as a substitute for their failure and personal incapacity. The cases of homo-sexuality can be cited in support of this contention. Those who resort to liquor and other drug-addictions fall under this category.
In order to reduce crime rate many countries avoid to provide legal definition of personality-type crimes though they do not really mean to encourage such delinquent acts. Thus, they inject indirect influences of custom, convention and standards of good taste in their legislative measures which are based on self-approval. To quote an example, prostitution is not an offence under the penal system of Denmark though it cannot be carried on in public places.
Again, the use of alcohol is free in that country though it is supplied on permits. Of late, many western countries have shown their preparedness to remove homo-sexuality as an offence from their Statute Book for similar reasons, though they insist that it should not be committed in public places.
An analysis of these ‘personality-type’ crimes reveals that certain socio-economic conditions associated with these offences are the real cause of their recurrence. Thus, many persons resort to gambling and begging as they find it a profitable profession which does not involve any labour or work. So also certain women embrace prostitution as an easy means of livelihood.
Another remarkable feature of these personality-type crimes which do not respond favourably to the bio-physiological considerations is that there is always an element of specific cultural behaviour corresponding to a similar criminal activity.
For example, wagering and gambling are not allowed under the law but risk taking in commercial adventures is freely tolerated despite the fact that it is also of a gambling nature. Similarly, begging for personal gains is unlawful although it is permissible when practised for charitable purposes and raising donations etc. Again, sexual indulgences for monetary consideration is a crime prohibited under the law but making profitable marriage is not an offence.
In conclusion, it may be summarised that though biological, anthropological, psychiatric and psychological factors play an important role in crime causation, they are so closely associated with the socio-cultural environment that there is an apparent need for an inter-disciplinary approach to the problem of crime and criminals.
Since human psychology is incapable of clear-cut division it would be prudent to approach the problem of criminality in an objective manner for the sake of comprehensive understanding. Prof. Albert Reiss has tried to identify social relations which are correlative of some of the psychological types.
Hexoett and Jenking also made significant contribution to со-relate “personality-type” delinquents with social relations which has provided adequate basis for prevention of crime and treatment of offenders. Enrico Ferri’s explanation of peculiarities in human behaviour in terms of synthetic product of combination of certain factors provides a useful clue for exploring causation of crime for the purpose of criminological studies.
Social change, which is inevitable in a dynamic society, brings in disharmony, conflict and cultural differentiation. As a result of this, social disorganisation takes place and the traditional patterns of social control mechanisms totally break down.
The impact of this change is clearly discernible in the ‘personality traits’ and psychological variables in criminal behaviour of the offenders. This pragmatic approach to crime causation would certainly provide a sound basis for formulating policies and strategies for effective control of crime and criminals.
It must be stated that under the influence of modern medico-psychological theories of criminology it is being increasingly realised that “crime is itself a form of mental disease, and that its removal as a social evil is a matter more for medicine than for penal law”.
The Danish Professor George Sturup has suggested psychotherapeutical methods for treatment of abnormal offenders which seeks to change the structure of the whole personality of the criminal, wherein lie the main causes of criminality.
However, sounding a note of caution and restraint, the Norwegian Professor Lopez Rey observed that the modern clinical criminologists are making a mistake by characterising crime as a form of mental disease and identifying criminal behaviour as a social justification for the act.
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