Criminal Behaviour Tendencies: Concepts, Prevalence, Consequences and Compassion-Focused Therapy

Abstract

Criminal behaviour tendencies are global phenomenon that affects individuals, families and societies at large. People are born innocent with a clean mind but as the individual interacts with the environment, they learn different behaviour, both bad and good. Hardly a day passes without hearing disturbing news about criminal activities. Not only do people get involved in criminal behaviour, but their actions also pose risks to their victims as well as the society. A crime-free society promotes incredible growth and development, whereas crime-ridden communities suffer from oppression, poverty and underdevelopment. Factors like dysfunctional families, parenting, peer influence, economic deprivation, and substance misuse exacerbate these tendencies. Sutherland's Differential Association Theory and Routine Activity Theory revealed criminal behaviour's learned nature, influenced by social interactions, motivated offenders, attractive targets, and inadequate guardianship. Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), developed by Gilbert, is a psychological intervention that counteracts negative thought patterns and reduces criminal thinking, promoting rehabilitation among offenders, emphasizing the need for comprehensive strategies. This study therefore reviews the concept, prevalence, consequences of Compassion-Focused Therapy on criminal behaviour tendencies.

Keywords: Criminal Behaviour Tendencies, Differential Association Theory, Routine Activity Theory, Compassion-Focused Therapy