5: Criminological Theory 
Learning Objectives 
This section introduces the importance of theory and theory creation. It also briefly describes some of the major 
paradigms of criminal explanations. After reading this section, students will be able to: 
• 
Distinguish between classical, biological, psychological, and sociological explanations of criminal 
behavior. 
• 
Understand the links between crime control policy and theories of criminal behavior. 
• 
Demonstrate effective application of criminological theories to behavior. 
Critical Thinking Questions 
1. 
How do we know what theories explain crime better than other theories? 
2. 
How did the classical theory of crime influence the American criminal justice system? 
3. 
Why is it difficult to study biological theories of crime without thinking about the social 
environment? 
4. 
Which theory do you think explains criminal behavior the best? Why? 
5. 
Why do you think there have been so many different explanations to describe the origins of criminal 
behavior? 
 
157