Criminal By Choice ? Free Will in Criminality - By Gail Debono

Criminal by Choice? - Free Will in Criminality   

Durkheim’s much reiterated theory of crime posits that crime is a social action that can therefore be explained solely using social theory. This idea was widely purported by scholars for many years. Nowadays, social factors that may result in criminogenic activity are still considered pivotal in the understanding of crime, but are taking into context biological and psychological factors, all of which may exert influence on one another to result in criminogenic activity. So is crime a consequence of one’s biopsychosocial characteristics, or is it a result of choice? And how much of that choice is determined by one’s experience ? Is there in fact such a thing as a completely free will in criminality? This will be discussed from perspective of a forensic psychologist.

The Speaker:

Gail Debono is a Forensic Psychologist in corrections and private practice; she is also a Humanist Celebrant under the auspices of the Malta Humanist Association. She is President of the Malta Chamber of Psychologists and sits on the committees of the boards of the EMDR Association of Malta and Malta Humanist Association. Her research interests lie in the understanding of the onset of crime as a means to foster criminal rehabilitation and reintegration.