Introduction to Paper – In a clear thesis statement identify one theory covered in class that you believe is the most valid explanation for criminal behavior.
What are the main theoretical assumptions of the theory?
Discuss the history of the development of the theory.
Has the theory been empirically supported? Cite three to five empirical peer-reviewed journal articles that have tested the theory, and be sure to report the findings of these studies.
What policies could be implemented if the theory were to be adopted by the criminal justice system?
Explain in detail why you think this theory does the best job of explaining criminal behavior. Be sure to support your argument with the theoretical assumptions, historical development, empirical support, and policy implications of the theory.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Title: The Social Learning Theory as the Most Valid Explanation for Criminal Behavior
Thesis Statement:
The Social Learning Theory is the most valid explanation for criminal behavior, as it emphasizes how individuals learn and adopt criminal behaviors through observation, imitation, and reinforcement.
Main Theoretical Assumptions:
– Individuals learn behaviors, including criminal acts, through social interaction and observation of others.
– Behavior is influenced by reinforcement or punishment received for certain actions.
– Criminal behavior can be learned and reinforced through social environments, such as family, peers, and media exposure.
History of Development:
– Developed by Albert Bandura in 1977, the Social Learning Theory expanded on traditional learning theories by incorporating cognitive and social elements into the process of behavior acquisition.
– Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment demonstrated how children imitated aggressive behaviors they witnessed, highlighting the role of observation and reinforcement in learning.
Empirical Support:
1. Bandura, Ross, & Ross (1961) – Found that children exposed to aggressive adult models were more likely to exhibit aggressive behaviors themselves.
2. Akers & Burgess (1966) – Showed that criminal behavior was positively correlated with exposure to delinquent peers.
3. Bandura (1977) – Conducted a study on modeling aggression that supported the theory’s premise of observational learning.
Policy Implications:
– Interventions focusing on positive role models and reducing exposure to criminal behaviors could be implemented.
– Programs promoting pro-social behaviors and providing alternatives to criminal activities may help prevent the learning of criminal behaviors.
Explanation of Theory’s Strength:
The Social Learning Theory excels at explaining criminal behavior by emphasizing the importance of social influences in shaping individuals’ actions. By considering how observations, reinforcements, and social contexts contribute to behavior acquisition, this theory offers a comprehensive framework for understanding why individuals engage in criminal activities. The empirical support from various studies further solidifies the theory’s validity, highlighting its practical implications for designing effective interventions within the criminal justice system.
