Abstract for: Connecting the dots: crime edition

Criminology is the scientific field that studies the occurrence and causes of crime. There are many theories and perspectives on what causes people to commit crimes. However, the focus is often on one potential explanation or one aspect rather than on the dynamics, complex relationships, and broader viewpoint. This paper describes six criminological theories and the causal loop diagrams we created for each theory to illustrate their feedback effects. The theories have slightly different perspectives but are complementary and use the same mental model. Therefore, we were able to develop a single causal loop diagram that merged and connected the different theories to create and analyse a more holistic perspective of the occurrence of crime. Criminal behaviour is the central variable in the causal loop diagram, where all the theories connect. There are a couple of variables that appear across the different crime theories: strain, legitimate opportunities and coping mechanisms, poverty, and social control. These variables play an important role in understanding why people commit crimes. We also created two new feedback effects connecting variables and theories. Causal loop diagrams allowed us to use the more abstract and soft variables often described in criminological theories and to showcase the interconnectedness of these theories, as well as broader societal aspects. Society and the environment people live in play a significant part in preventing and reducing crime. The next step is to create a simulation model of the causal loop diagram.