DFIP 102: SCIENTIFIC INFLUENCE TO UNDERSTANDING CRIME (SIUC)
Your document should be able to answer or address the following tasks: -
- Develop the ability to use empirical research, forensic analysis, and data-driven
approaches to examine crime causation and criminal behavior.
- Understand the biological, psychological, and sociological factors influencing
crime and apply criminological theories to real-world scenarios.
- Describe the relationship and abrogation between mentally disordered offenders
and a psychopathic offender.
- Understand how psychological theory and research have contributed to our
understanding of offending.
- Explore the role of scientific inquiry in shaping legal policies, ensuring ethical
practices in law enforcement and forensic investigations.
RATIONALE
The scientific study of crime plays a crucial role in criminology and forensic psychology, offering
evidence-based approaches to analyzing criminal behavior. By applying biological, psychological,
and sociological frameworks, researchers can systematically investigate the causes, patterns,
and impact of crime. Scientific methodologies, such as criminal profiling, forensic analysis, and
data-driven crime statistics, enhance the accuracy of crime detection and prevention. The
integration of neuroscience, behavioral studies, and criminological theories allows for a deeper
understanding of offender motivations, recidivism trends, and the societal impact of crime.
Additionally, scientific inquiry helps in the development of ethical and effective legal policies,
ensuring that criminal justice interventions are grounded in empirical research. This approach
fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and interdisciplinary research that equips students and
professionals with the skills necessary to contribute to law enforcement, policymaking, and
forensic investigations. Ultimately, scientific influence enhances crime analysis, improves public
safety strategies, and advances knowledge in criminal justice fields.
Course Content
UNIT I: APPLICATION OF SCIENTIFIC METHODS
Application of Scientific Methods in understanding crime involves using empirical research, data
analysis, and forensic techniques to investigate criminal behavior and crime causation.
Researchers and law enforcement apply quantitative and qualitative methods, including crime
statistics, psychological assessments, and laboratory-based forensic analysis, to examine patterns
of offending behavior. Techniques such as criminal profiling, DNA analysis, and digital
forensics enhance investigative accuracy, enabling professionals to identify suspects and
reconstruct crime scenes. Additionally, controlled experiments and longitudinal studies help
criminologists assess crime trends over time, improving crime prevention strategies. By applying
evidence-based methodologies, experts ensure that criminal investigations, legal decisions, and
public policies are rooted in factual analysis, reducing biases and strengthening the effectiveness
of criminal justice interventions.
UNIT II: INTEGRATION OF INTERDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES
Violence has many forms and varies according to contexts and circumstances. Media reports
often give the impression that there are high levels of violent offending. However, in reality this
is not the case. A range of crimes are included under the label of ‘violence’, including murder,
manslaughter, and robbery. There are a number of theories that attempt to provide explanations
of violence and violent offending. Some form of violence includes Interpersonal Violence,
Cognitive-Behavioral Theory and Violence, Social Factors and Violence, Personality Theories of
Violence, Neuropsychological Factors and Violence, and Domestic Violence.
UNIT III: MENTALLY DISORDERED OFFENDER
The term “mentally disordered offender” is a legal term that is used in the Zambia and other
countries to describe individuals who have a mental disorder and have been convicted of a crime
and have been proven to be mentally ill at the time of the offense. Many of these persons, their
mental disorder will have influenced their offending. This mental disorder includes illness
(depression and schizophrenia), personality disorder, learning disability, and psychopathic
offenders.
UNIT IV: PSYCHOPATHIC AND SOCIOPATHIC OFFENDERS
Psychopath is a serious personality disorder with destructive consequences. They want to do
what they want disregarding other people’s concern. These offenders tend to be totally
indifferent to the feelings or suffering of others, they have minimal concerns or pity or remorse
for the victims. Most of psychopathic offenders grew-up with criminal behaviour, and when they
are young, will be seen killing small animals or birds hardheartedly. Most of sociopathic
offenders are categorized in the group of violent offenders who are able to assault, rape, or
murder victims without concern for legal, moral or social penalties. Psychopaths tend to be
totally indifferent to the emotions or suffering of others.
UNIT V: PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES OF CRIME
Persons that work in the criminal justice system need to understand criminological theories of
crime in order to explain why people commit crime or resolve to go into criminal lifespan. This
helps to reducing rates of crimes and putting the community at a minimal risky of being victims
of offenders. Three major theories that contribute to the understanding of crime include
Psychodynamic theory, Behavioral theory and Cognitive theory. Sigmund Freud a psychologist
in his psychodynamic theory argued that everyone has instinctual drive which he call called “id”
that demand one’s gratification. He also brings in moral and ethical codes known as “superego”
which regulates the human drives, and adults later develop a rational personality known as “ego”.
Psychodynamic theory is based on the idea that an individual’s early childhood experiences can
influence their behavior later in life. It suggests that people who commit crimes may have
unresolved conflicts from their childhood that they are trying to resolve through their criminal
behaviour. Behavioral theory brings in the idea that people develop their behavior based on the
reaction their behavior gets from those around them. This is a form of conditioning, where
behavior is learned and reinforced by rewards or punishment. Cognitive theory focuses on how
people perceive the world and how this perception governs their actions, thoughts and emotions.
