The study of crime has been in existence for many centuries but has only gained prominence in recent times. This can mostly be attributed to popularization by the media especially in the West. Psychologists and criminal profilers have been gathering valuable data pertaining to the reasons behind any criminal act and behavior. They have managed to do this by conducting interviews and studying infamous criminals such as Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer among others.

One of the most acceptable conclusions regarding this matter is that criminality is a result of nurturing and personality. To this effect, criminologists such as Edwin Sutherlands and Hans Eysenck have come up with various theories of crime that explore the various characteristics of criminals and the various factors that drive them into criminal activities.

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This discussion shall set out to explore two theories of crime as brought out by these famous theorists. A critical analysis of these theories shall be presented and their understanding regarding the causes of crime exposed. The foundation of these theories shall be used as a basis through which an understanding of robbery can be derived.

Study of crime

A criminal by definition refers to an individual who is driven by evil intentions that lead him/her into committing harmful deeds to others. A “criminal mind” is therefore the characteristics of the thought-processes of such individuals. This implies that criminals have a special and unique thinking mechanism that facilitates their ability to commit and justify criminal acts.

Various opinions are held regarding crime and the topic provokes ardent emotions of admiration and rage from its proponents and opponents respectively. Hough (2003), notes that while some appreciate the paradigm as being a rich form of psychoanalytic art, others condemn it for being socially problematic and for encouraging “heinous acts” among members of society.

Perhaps the common denominator in all forms of crime is the somewhat unnecessary infliction of pain to others. Watt, Howells and Delfabbro (2004), notes that it is the perception of crimes that makes them so appealing to rebels and people who view themselves as social misfits as they show that they can defy the set rules and laws. This to some extent explains why acts such as burglary and excessive violence are prevalent in today’s gang members, incarcerated people and rebellious teenagers.

Fisher (2006), states that crime requires planning and an evaluation of the risks and the benefits. The execution of any criminal act is hinged upon the occurrence of opportunities, the location and the availability of targets. However, the extent of the crime depends on the belief system of the perpetrator. This means that if a criminal believes that committing a crime is justified, then there is no limit to what they can do.

Robbery

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Robbery refers to the criminal act through which the perpetrator takes money or possessions either through the use of force or threatening to use force. Robberies always instill fear in the victims. There are various types of robberies. Among the most common forms of robberies are noted robberies whereby the perpetrators use notes to relay their demands. This is the least violent form of crime because the robber uses intimidation and threats to get the desired results.

The offenders of this type of robbery always work alone. The other common type of robbery is the take-over robbery. This is often executed by one or more armed robbers who are highly aggressive. In addition, it is executed by professional robbers who in most cases might take some hostages to prove their point and level of seriousness. Other forms of robberies include but are not limited to: Morning glory robberies (occur during the morning before business commences) and the closing time robberies.

Robberies are generally crimes of opportunity and are very unpredictable. This is because they are impulsive, disorganized (in most cases) and the rewards are often unknown (depends on luck). However, it has been documented that the more a person executes a form of robbery, the better they become in terms of target selection, intimidation and extortion techniques as well as evading capture. Most robberies are a result of drug abuse, poverty, peer pressure, and in some cases; greed. There are some theories that