Unit 2 Seminar

April Wesley
CJ-102 E05

What are the elements of theory and how can a systematic set of ideas affect
criminal justice policies and procedures?
Theories are sets of ideas and possible conclusions about many complex
problems. A theory has to be observable and testable, otherwise, no conclusion can
be found. Theories have to provide conclusions by definition. They must help us to
understand the problems at hand. Theories enable us to learn how to fix existing
problems, and keep them from repeating in the future. Theories give us the ideas
and suggestions of how we can make our world better.
Theories play a very important role in criminal justice, helping to determine
what would be more effective in controlling, deterring, and rehabilitating
criminals, as well as better ways to enforce the law. When someone introduces a
new theory it is tested extensively and its results are observed, recorded, and
studied, before even being labeled as “theory.” Once a theory is put to use in our
criminal justice system, it is already proven to work. It’s not just wishful
thinking, or even an educated guess. We use this research to make our system work
better and more efficiently. For example, we have several different theories about
why someone becomes a criminal. Different criminals make the different theories
true, since each criminal is an individual just like the rest of us. Knowing why
these individuals turn to lives of crime is critical to learning how to stop it.
How could we ever hope to stop something when we don’t know where it starts?
Theory shows us where to start with intervention, and how to deal with problems
once they are in motion. If the policy and law makers didn’t have theories to go
on, they’d quite often be guessing what would work. They would have to do all the
testing and observing in real life situations, which could be a great danger to
society. The theories help lawmakers by giving them a map of sorts. This map shows
where crime starts, where it turns violent, where it progresses, and how it can
end.
April Wesley