A Typology of Criminal Personality

Book excerpt: The author's endeavor is to deconstruct important influences the American dream has on individuals' personality. In the American social structure, there exists a conflict between legitimate and illegitimate means of goal achievement. The design of social structure indicates the manner in which institutions within the society exhibit predictable patterns of behavior those individuals depend on in daily social interaction. Secondly, criminal personality emerges from a social structure that exerts pressure on certain individuals to achieve the American dream. Moreover, he examines how individuals shift from one class status to another within the social structure because of the pressure to achieve success. Finally, he displays a comprehensive model of adaptation that illustrates, explains, and classifies where individuals fit in the continuum of adopting cultural values and suggests several strategies societies can use to decrease criminal personality.