Summarize the explanation of criminal behavior according to psychological theories. At the end of the 1800s, Sigmund Freud introduced his new psychoanalytic theory. Freud based his theory on the...

Summarize the explanation of criminal behavior according to psychological theories.

At the end of the 1800s, Sigmund Freud introduced his new psychoanalytic theory. Freud based his theory on the assumption that behavior is controlled by subconscious desires. Although Freud was not a criminologist, his theory has been applied extensively to the study of criminals. Today, many psychoanalytic theories suggest that murder, mass and serial murder, and sexually motivated murders are rooted in psychological conflicts. Additionally, psychological theories of crime causation, are commonly used in treatment programs with juvenile offenders, drug offenders, and sex offenders, as part of group therapy sessions as a rehabilitation strategy.

1. What were the three components of Freud’s psychoanalytic theory?

2. How are psychological theories used in the insanity defense?

3. How is psychological profiling used to understand a criminal’s actions?