Moral theories of crime examine how people think about right and wrong. The focus is not only on what a person does, but also on how that person reasons in a situation and which rules are perceived as important.

Kohlberg's theory of moral development

Psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg developed a theory of how moral reasoning develops over time. The theory describes three levels and six stages.

The preconventional level

  • Obedience and punishment: rules are followed to avoid punishment.
  • Self-interest: actions are judged according to personal benefit.

The conventional level

  • Good relationships: people want to be liked and approved of by others.
  • Law and order: laws and rules are followed because society needs them to function.

The postconventional level

  • Social contract: laws are important but may also need to change.
  • Universal ethical principles: decisions are grounded in justice, human dignity, and human rights.

Several studies have shown that juvenile offenders, on average, reason at lower levels of the moral ladder than youths who do not commit crime. At the same time, researchers stress that moral development is only one part of the explanation. Environment, upbringing, and social situation also matter greatly.

Situational Action Theory

Situational Action Theory, often shortened to SAT, sees crime as moral action arising in specific situations. According to the theory, people weigh different courses of action against their moral views of what is right and wrong.

If a person commits a crime, it is often because the act is perceived in that situation as a possible or acceptable option. That may involve temptation, provocation, peer pressure, or weak self-control.

This does not mean that people who commit crime lack morality. Everyone has moral views, but they may differ in which rules they consider important and how they justify certain actions.

Criminal behavior is often less about a lack of morality and more about how a situation is interpreted.

When law and morality do not coincide

In some cases, people break laws because they do not agree with them. An act may then be illegal while still being perceived as morally right by the person who performs it. That shows why law-abiding behavior and morality are not always exactly the same thing.

Sources: Howitt, D. (2002). Forensic & Criminal Psychology. Pearson Education. The source material also refers to the text When crime becomes an acceptable course of action.