Criminal behavior is associated with a complex interplay between psychological and sociological factors. To understand the relationship between these factors, you will discuss the impact mental illness, substance abuse, and personality have on criminal behavior. This is the second part of the two-part assignment from Unit 3. In this week’s assignment, you will evaluate the relationship between criminal behavior, personality, mental illness, and substance abuse.
Describe Criminal Behavioral Factors
Describe the relationship between criminal behavior and mental illness.
How does mental illness influence criminal behavior?
What impact does mental illness have on criminal behavior?
Describe the relationship between criminal behavior and substance abuse.
How does substance use and abuse influence criminal behavior?
What impact does substance use and abuse have on criminal behavior?
Describe the relationship between criminal behavior and personality.
How does personality influence criminal behavior?
What impact does personality have on criminal behavior?
Analyze Charles Manson’s Criminal Behavior
Charles Manson is an example of the complex nature of criminal behavior and the multitude of factors that can influence criminal offending and victimization. Using Charles Manson as a case example, you will examine the relationship between mental illness, substance abuse, and psychological factors on behavior by responding to the following:
Examine the impact mental illness had on Charles Manson’s criminal behavior.
Evaluate the impact substance abuse had on Charles Manson’s criminal behavior.
Evaluate the impact psychological factors had on Charles Manson’s criminal behavior.
Present Recommendations on Understanding Criminal Behavior
Review your course readings and external research discussing current practice and theory related to criminal behavior and the influence of mental illness, substance abuse, cognition, biological, psychological, and sociological factors on offending. You should address the following:
What does the current research say about factors influencing criminal behavior?
What theories support the examination of complex analysis of criminal behavior?
Why is it important to develop a broad understanding of all factors that influence criminal behavior?
Your paper should be between 3–5 pages in length (not including the title page, abstract, or references section). You should apply APA Style formatting throughout your paper. Include a title page, section headings, in-text citations, and a references page. You should also include an introductory paragraph, thesis sentence, and summary paragraph. Keep direct quotes to a minimum.
You should cite relevant empirical research and scholarly articles within the field of study and related areas. You should cite a minimum of three peer-reviewed journal articles that were published within the last five years. You should carefully select sources after reviewing the literature and evaluating the credibility, relevance, quality, and research merit of each source.
Learn the material and then write in your own words as to your understanding. Make sure you cite any sources that you use to gather the information that you shared throughout the paper in APA format. Wherever possible, try to use your own words in order to clearly demonstrate your understanding. Note the sources that are deemed as scholarly are peer-reviewed journals, textbooks, or scholarly books.
As for an abstract, this is not required. Abstracts are only used when you are summarizing the results of your own scholarly research. Instead, you want to provide an introductory paragraph, with a clear purpose or argument, and the main points that you want the reader to come away with after reading your paper. Work to include organized and clear paragraphs with scholarly evidence to support your ideas, and a final concluding paragraph to summarize your main ideas or argument once more. Visit the Graduate Resource Center for more tips on these points.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, remember to cite your sources clearly and carefully in-text as well as at the end of your paper. Review the University Plagiarism/Academic Integrity Policy within the course homepage, and follow the golden rule of when in doubt, cite your source.
Submitting your assignment:
Put your assignment in a Word document. Save it in a location that you will remember and with your full name along with the class number. When you are ready to submit it to the unit Dropbox.
Your Assignment should be a 3-5 page essay, not including the Title and Reference pages, and should include the following elements:
Title page: Provide your name, title of Assignment, course and unit number, and date
Body: Answer the questions in complete sentences and paragraphs
The assignment must be written in Standard English and demonstrate superior organization, including a highly developed viewpoint and purpose. The communication of your thoughts must be highly ordered, logical, and unified, displaying exceptional content, organization, style, and mechanics (including the use of correct grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure).
Reference Page: Sources in APA format
Use Arial or Times New Roman 12-point font, double-spaced
Use 7th Edition APA Formatting and Citation style
If you need assistance with APA style, please visit the Academic Center.
Once it is submitted, you may check the Turnitin score.