The Criminal Behavior: exploring personal and social determinants: theoretical approach

The Earth we live on has not been free of a crime committed by man against his fellow man. Life on this planet has recorded the first murder in which Abel was killed by his brother Cain. This incident was referred to in the Holy Quran in verse: {And recite to them the news of the two sons of Adam in truth when they offered a sacrifice, and it was accepted from one of them but was not accepted from the other. He said, "I will surely kill you." He said, "Allah only accepts from the righteous."} (Al-Ma'idah: 27) (Holy Quran). This crime remained immortalized in the The Qur'an, until God inherited the Earth and those on it. Events and incidents on Earth have continued from individual murders to mass murders, robberies, extortion, and tax evasion. No society is free of crime, whether ancient or modern, developed and civilized, or backward and poor. Crime and criminals represent elements that threaten individuals and societies. This is done by depriving them of their material and life rights, assaulting individual and collective freedoms, and violating everything that serves life on Earth, from individual instability to spreading terror, panic, and insecurity in society. No psychological, social, or economic well-being can be experienced and sustained in a society where crime prevails and criminals dominate.

Scientists and specialists have been eager to attempt to comprehend and define criminal behavior and its psychological, cognitive, social, economic, political, and security components. They have endeavored to comprehend illicit behavior, including its motivations, causes, and manifestations, to mitigate, regulate, and anticipate it. It is costly and harmful behavior, and we can only corroborate that it is antisocial and dangerous for others.

As a result, criminal laws were implemented to respond to and deter those with a propensity for this behavior. In all its manifestations, crime incurs numerous material losses and consequences for individuals and societies.

The proliferation of this phenomenon has detrimental social effects, as it instills fear within society and undermines mutual trust among individuals. This situation creates an environment discouraging external and internal economic investment, contributing to individual insecurity.

Psychologists have sought to comprehend aberrant conduct in teenagers and criminal behavior in adults. (Merton, 1938), validated the notion linking stress to criminal behavior. He believed that the stress and worry encountered by lower-class people reflect the disparity between their aspirations and the genuine avenues available for attaining them. This indicates that this group, frequently originating from the lower socioeconomic strata, cannot attain material and social success. This results in addressing worry and stress through criminal behavior and inflicting harm on others. They may attempt to attain financial success using illicit means, such as stealing, drug trafficking, and prostitution. To ensure societal security, it is essential to identify the social groups affected by this issue to offer protection, which incurs additional salaries, wages, and expenses that may strain the state budget. Consequently, this necessitates formulating suitable social policies to address and mitigate the problem. (Orozco Calderón et al., 2025)The adverse effects are not confined to the sufferer alone but also permeate the broader societal framework, affecting its social, economic, and political institutions. (Villa, 1994) Consequently, these expenses are significant in any other nation, as they are uniform around the globe. If they signify anything, they signify the exaggerated magnitude of the consequences stemming from the proliferation of crimes in the state, which encumbers its financial purse—the fragmentation of the ties within a singular society.

Governments globally possess a significant stake in effectively diminishing criminal activities. This is significant in this context. Recent advancements in behavioral economics, psychology, and neuroscience are fostering a novel model of human behavior that may yield more precise forecasts of criminal conduct and more efficacious suggestions for criminal policy formulation.

Crime adversely affects the victim and others, including those not directly implicated in the offense. Media coverage of robberies or assaults may incite societal members to adopt expensive preventive measures in expectation of future criminal activity.

Consequently, crime has considerable social ramifications for society's members. The lack of security and mutual trust among members can instigate instability and propagate insecurity within that society.

The crime exerts its severe impact prior to its commission, evident in the perpetrator's conduct, and after its occurrence, manifested in catastrophic consequences for the victim, their family, and the community. Consequently, crime is regarded as an exclusively human behavior directed towards another individual. Consequently, research has examined this behavior from several perspectives, aiming to comprehend, avoid, and regulate it. Consequently, numerous definitions and diverse methodologies regarding criminal behavior and crime have arisen, reflecting the significance of this conduct across various domains of study.

2-The concept of criminal behavior:

Conversely, society contributes to the development of criminal behavior. Criminal activity transpires inside the perpetrator's social circle.

Poverty, inequality, familial dysfunction and disintegration, inadequate socialization, and the availability of criminal opportunities appear to be significant factors contributing to crime. (Villa, 1994)

Villa (1994) established that the notion of crime, as corroborated by extensive research, is intimately associated with youth and the male gender—early engagement in criminal activity forecasts later persistent involvement.

Consequently, we propose that the concept of choice in human conduct indicates that criminal activity merely expresses free, voluntary action. It is perpetrated by an individual with deliberate intent for either overt or covert motives, directed at an individual, individuals, or property, to inflict physical harm, potentially resulting in death, disfigurement, disability, or unlawful appropriation of funds.While (Liu, 2024) seesbelieves that criminal behavior is the offender's behavior that leads to the commission of an illegal act. It usually occurs when the potential criminal has the motive, means, and opportunity to do the act. This means it does not occur purely for material, purely social, or purely legal motives. Instead, it is a human act for which the individual is responsible and bears its consequences if there is will, freedom, and choice. Accordingly, criminal behavior is a personal product that has its causes and circumstances when it occurs. People with low self-control are likelier to engage in absenteeism, skipping classes, or academic cheating during school hours. After reaching adulthood, they become relatively more likely to engage in deviant activities. and between the legal definition that identifies and describes criminal behavior after it occurs in the presence of a victim of this behavior. We find that psychological treatment refers to the internal processes that lead to the emergence of such behavior in some personalities. Which we call "Criminals." Or "outlaws". From the above, it becomes clear that criminal behavior has psychological and personal sources and social factors that cause its emergence.

Crime, in its various types, is widespread in societies of different forms, types, and races. There is hardly a society without one of its manifestations. Accordingly, criminal behavior varies and is classified according to personal tendencies, characteristics, and social-environmental factors.

Consequently, we inquire: - What are the distinct traits of the criminal personality?

And in what manner do personality determinants combine with societal determinants to generate criminal behavior?

• 3- Determinants of criminal personality:

Psychological studies on the stereotypical personality associated with criminal behavior have demonstrated its association with the Big Five personality factors. Low levels of agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism are indicative of low psychological well-being and a predictor of involvement in criminal activities. Hurezan,et al.(2024)

Furthermore, internal stimuli encompass a collection of personal thoughts and views related to environmental changes and individual convictions. The interpretation of environmental occurrences is influenced by a framework of personal perceptions derived from the individual's prior experiences.

Conversely, we identify that age, educational aspirations, academic performance, behavioral conduct, parental impact, community quality of life, educational system quality, and psychological factors such as depression diagnosis and excessive stress—most closely linked to risky behaviors— constitute the primary risk factors during adolescence. As teenagers represent a particularly sensitive demographic for depression, attributable to the myriad physical, psychological, social, cultural, and cognitive transformations they undergo, necessitating the development of coping skills to cultivate a sense of identity, autonomy, and personal and social achievement. (Orozco Calderón et al., 2025) ,Eyzink (1977) asserts that criminal personality comprises existing and potential behavioral patterns. This personality emerges and evolves within four domains, which are Blatier, (2011)

• - Cognitive domain: Intelligence encompasses advanced mental faculties.

• -    Natural domain: It encompasses character and ethics.

The emotional domain encompasses emotional and temperamental traits, including incivility and egocentrism.

• -    Physical domain: It encompasses physical attributes. Moreover, it affirmed that the criminal's physical attributes encompass physical might, muscularity, and behavioral ruggedness. Additionally (Cuadra et al., 2014)

Criminology literature has found particular cognitive patterns as predictors of adult criminal activity, indicating that individuals who commit crimes, particularly significant offenses, demonstrate greater cognitive distortions than those who do not engage in such actions. These misconceptions encompass trivializing the gravity of criminal offenses and attributing blame to others. Moreover, prospective data from male inmates have associated elevated levels of criminal cognition with a higher

frequency of aggressive disciplinary infractions. Proactive aggression is another aspect of criminal behavior characterized by intentional and effective hostile actions (Walterz, 2007, 2008). This behavioral style encompasses appeasement, characterized by justifying actions through external blame and societal factors while downplaying the gravity of unlawful conduct. Individuals who exhibit proactive criminal activity may possess a pronounced feeling of entitlement, perceiving themselves as exceptional or privileged to the extent that societal standards and expectations are deemed inapplicable. They may exhibit a propensity for power, emphasizing a perceived necessity for strength over weakness, alongside an aspiration to acquireauthority and dominion over others.(Syasyila et al., 2024) .Proactive aggressiveness is intentional and efficient, whereas reactive aggression is linked to emotional instability and impulsivity.

Proactive criminal thought processes encompass appeasement, characterized by the justification of criminal behavior through societal or external blame, alongside the denial or minimization of the gravity of criminal actions. Individuals who partake in proactive criminal activities often exhibit extreme optimism, believing they may evade consequences for their illicit actions. Reactive aggressiveness is correlated with a particular array of criminal cognitive tendencies. To engage in antisocial actions, an individual must halt, eradicate, or disrupt experiences of dread, anxiety, or other deterrents to criminal conduct. This dissociation might be attained via the utilization of drugs, alcohol, specific imagery or music, or particular aggressive words or phrases to eradicate deterrents. A tendency for cognitive lethargy is seen in those who engage in reactionary crimes, as they exert minimal effort in problem-solving. (Hurezan et al., 2024)

Notwithstanding these laws, it is evident that the criminal lacks adequate emotional relationships with others. As a result, he lacks regard for others in his life. His attention is on physical matters or pleasures, alongside his sorrow, as he desperately seeks consolation without contemplating the future. (De Wet, 2005)

Consequently, a collection of qualities and characteristics manifests in the criminal's personality. The primary factors are selfishness and self-love, characterized by pursuing one's own goals without considering moral or social implications, moreover, without contemplating the repercussions of unlawful conduct that could result in incarceration.

3-1 The immoral feature of criminal behavior:

The concept of ethics and moral issues is prominently relevant to the criminal. This implies a lack of conviction in these ideals. (Mededović et al., 2016) Established that specific actions are distinct personal characteristics that contribute to delinquent conduct. These habits originate from an internal source, consistently and perpetually. Collectively, they constitute moral conduct and hence signify profound connections to personality. This reveals individual variations in moral conduct. Consequently, criminal activity constitutes immoral conduct that contravenes societal standards and jeopardizes security and safety.

Morality is characterized as a collection of behaviors an individual exhibits in response to the events encountered or the individuals interacted with during life. The majority is obtained from parenting and the surroundings experienced during various life stages. Normatively, it is frequently characterized as the science of ethics. Moral norms consistently influence the individual traits of human personality (Samitharathana, 2021).

Morality that is both commendable and socially acceptable is attained. We identify the antithesis, characterized by detrimental and socially unacceptable morals that contravene the ideals and standards of society.

• •    Immorality resulting from impulsivity.

• •    Immorality resulting from Frustration.

• •    Immortality resulting from brutality.

which is the factor that prevents the criminal from perpetrating the crime. In addition to his noncompliance with moral standards, which indicates that his personality is unstable, he is also susceptible to desires and motives without considering the repercussions of his actions.

In addition to corrupt aspects of behavior, criminal behavior encompasses the criminal's mental, psychological, and behavioral framework.

Consequently, the ability to effectively deter crime necessitates comprehension of how criminals perceive uncertainty and evaluate risks and their subsequent decision to engage in criminal behavior. Consequently, individuals develop a collection of behavioral strategies that are often synergistic and compatible(Samitharathana, 2021) . They exhibit identifiable strategic patterns by distinguishing the general characteristics of the individual in order to acquire symbolic, material, or cognitive resources. Consequently, it is possible to assert that the moral components of the criminal personality are unstable. The majority of criminals' concerns are related to their behavior. The criminal's objective is to maximize the benefits that society provides. The fulfillment of desires is motivated by psychological motives, the majority of which revolve around revenge against the victim or society or whether these benefits are material. Consequently, we may propose the hypothesis that psychological issues or pathological characteristics influence criminal behavior.

Thus, we find in Islamic societies a profound compatibility between moral principles and religious teachings. Islamic legislation ( Sharia ) emphasizes the preservation of fundamental rights, societal stability, and ethical boundaries. Within this framework, punishments are prescribed for specific offenses, categorized as either discretionary punishments ( ta'zir ) determined by judicial

authorities or fixed punishments ( hudud ) derived from explicit Quranic injunctions or authenticated prophetic traditions ( Sunnah )

• 3 -2 The psychological and pathological characteristics of criminal behavior:

Criminal behavior has been linked to mental and neurological illnesses in several ways. Some consider it an indicator of behavioral disorder. Others consider it an indicator of psychological disorders and personality disorders.

Therefore, most explanations focus either on internal conflicts or on the influence of external factors. Other explanations assume that once the behavior is classified, it should be linked to psychological characteristics. However, behavior cannot exist without the interaction and influence of internal and external factors (De Wet, 2005).

Self-belief's effectiveness in determining the quality of analytical thinking, directing it, and controlling personal objectives is correlated with personal cognitive characteristics (Mezghiche et al., 2024). However, these beliefs are frequently counterproductive and detrimental to society and others. Criminal behavior is characterized by the perpetrator's decision to implement actions based on intellectual conclusions that he deems a solution to the circumstances that encircle him. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed regarding the possibility that criminal behavior is the consequence of a mental disorder or merely a psychological disorder.

• •    The first factor pertains to the psychological personality traits, which include manipulation, a lack of remorse, a grandiose self-image, and shallow emotions.

• •    The second comprises indicators of the psychological behavioral pattern and is referred to as antisocial. This includes impulsivity, promiscuity, antisocial behavior, and criminal tendencies. Several studies have demonstrated that psychopathy measures are of significant importance in predicting criminal behavior and recidivism. Mededović et al.(2012)

Conversely, we have discovered that three distinct personality disorders are linked to illicit behavior, as confirmed by (Douglas et al, 2009)

• 1.    Traits associated with psychosis, schizophrenia, emotional instability, and hysteria. This behavior is linked to the aggression and violence that are characteristic of long-term perpetrators.

• 2.    The absence of schizophrenic personality traits alongside the presence of the disorder. Recidivism is a characteristic of this category.

• 3.    It is also associated with recidivism and contains a significant negative burden for personality disorders, including aggression, revenge, and anxiety. (Huang & Chen, 2023)

Therefore, the internal factors of the criminal individual are represented by the personal characteristics and determinants of criminal behavior, regardless of whether they are structural determinants of personality or psychological pathological determinants. It is impossible to comprehend illicit behavior without considering the context in which it occurs. Which exemplifies the social environment that fosters criminal behavior and the criminal individual?

4-Social determinants of criminal behavior:

A criminal act is considered voluntary if factors that do not justify criminal responsibility are present. He explains that social disintegration creates the conditions and circumstances for the transmission of specific criminal behavior patterns from criminals to non-criminals.

He elucidates that social disorganization establishes the conditions and circumstances for transmitting specific criminal behavioral patterns from criminals to non-criminals. He believes that a particular set of attitudes or trends regarding crime or unlawful acts that encompass all forms of crime, including murder, may be the basis for the organization of individuals and groups. If the individual is a member of the group to which he or she belongs, then the individual possesses all of the attitudes or tendencies of the group. The individual may develop a repulsion or contempt for the law due to his or her membership in a particular group. This, in turn, motivates the individual to engage in unlawful activity whenever the opportunity presents itself.(Ullah et al., 2021) ,(Orozco Calderón et al., 2025)

The fundamental premise is that criminal behavior is a non-inherited, acquired behavior acquired through the individual's interaction with others. This interaction occurs through social interaction or communication between individuals belonging to the same group or society. This social communication takes place through verbal communication or the use of sign language.(2022, Shaukat & Basharat) Believes that communication between individuals does not occur randomly; instead, it occurs between individuals with a strong personal connection or a distinct degree of friendship or fellowship. This implies that there is a direct primary relationship between individuals. Social issues are also significant factors in the commission of crimes, and they are the consequence of the value system's imbalance and the power of its standards. This results in the social structure's incapacity to fulfill its fundamental and primary responsibilities. The emergence of crime is a consequence of the imbalance in the normative and value structures, characterized by the loss of societal integration, represented by the strength of standards and values.(Orozco Calderón et al., 2025)

(Murray, 2011) demonstrates that criminal behavior is a learned behavior, as the majority of deviants are individuals from fractured families in which either one parent is absent, or the other is deviant.

Consequently, criminal theory is primarily and promptly developed from a social perspective. However, it consistently involves presumptions regarding human desires, developmental sensitivities, and social inferences. In simpler terms, social and psychological theories and concepts are predicated on human models through social psychology. Consequently, illicit behavior within the social institution is the consequence of the family environment that has resulted in the development of a deviant individual. The role of economic and political factors that may contribute to the emergence of such behaviors in any society should not be disregarded.

-Discussion

We have examined the personal and social determinants of illicit behavior. We have discovered through the literature of psychology, criminology, and sociology that criminal behavior is an antisocial behavior that inflicts anxiety and panic on the society in which it is observed, as well as violating personal freedoms. This has an impact on both the economy and politics. In the same society, it also impacts the social lives of individuals.

Based on the criminal's inadequate evaluation of the dangers he or she faces before committing the crime and the low level of moral factors. We have discovered that these two factors precipitate illicit behavior. No issues arise for the criminal personality due to moral factors. This is achieved by engaging in illicit activity that is both antisocial and violates social and moral standards. Additionally, we observe that psychological pathological factors precipitate illicit behavior. It has been demonstrated that certain psychological and mental disorders, such as psychoses and the hallucinations they induce, can lead to antisocial behavior. It is important to acknowledge that the illicit behavior in this instance is temporary and circumstantial due to pathological factors in the personality. At the same time, illicit behavior is produced by an environment that causes its formation and reinforcement throughout the life cycle. It will continue to be an indelible aspect of the individual. Numerous studies corroborate the return to illicit behavior. This contradicts the circumstantial characteristic of illicit behavior or crime. The individual exhibits the same antisocial behavior as soon as the circumstances necessitating the crime are present. This is evident in the accompanying figure1:

Conclusions:

Crime, or criminal behavior, is inconsistent with social, religious, and moral norms. An individual or group from a particular society controls the rest of the population in a manner that infringes upon their freedoms, beliefs, and social and economic lives.

Crime is a fixed pattern that accompanies the personality, and it may be circumstantial to social and environmental conditions. It may also be one of the outcomes of a pathological personality. Therefore, criminal behavior ranges between continuity, repetition, and complexity (criminal behavior is a composite of several criminal behaviors) and incidental behavior that falls under the influence of environmental conditions.

The overall structure of society continues to be jeopardized by criminal behavior. Additionally, it poses a threat to economic and security factors. It is a behavior that poses a threat to both the individual and the group. Regardless of the factors and regulations that discourage such hazardous

Issue 3, Vol. 8, 2025, IMCRA conduct in society. However, we have observed that they are consistently and unceasingly increasing as a result of the rapid transformations that are currently occurring throughout the entire globe.

A return to examining these changes, which have affected both the individual and society, is necessary to achieve the desired security and stability.

To shed more light on these maladaptive behaviors that threaten the social and cultural environment of individuals, we direct researchers to address multiple topics of this phenomenon. Which can be limited to the following

• -    The impact of the family environment and personality patterns on serial crime

• -    Analysis of situational and temporal factors and their impact on crime decision-making

• -   The impact of psychological and personal characteristics on the type of crime

• -   The role of cultural factors in shaping the ethical and social values that determine criminal

behavior

• -    Strengthening ethical concepts to confront criminal behavior