Crime in Japan: A Psychological Perspective (Palgrave Advances in Criminology and Criminal Justice in Asia)

This book reviews research on psychology and crime in Japan, and compares the findings with similar research conducted in Western industrialised countries. It examines explanations for crime and antisocial behaviour in Japan using research and theories from a psychological perspective. Topics covered include cultural explanations, developmental and life-course criminology, family violence and family risk factors, youth crime and early prevention, school factors and bullying, mental disorders, biosocial factors, psychopathy and sexual offending. In some parts, it challenges and refines the prevailing belief that Japan is a society characterised by low crime and little antisocial behaviour. This original project is the most up-to-date work on crime in Japan, and advances the important field of psychological criminology. Preface 6 Contents 12 1 Introduction 16 Influence of Japan on Criminology 17 Low Crime and Orientalism: A Brief History 18 Does Japan Have Low Crime? 22 Crime and Deviance in Modern Japan 24 Western Influence on Japanese Criminology 25 Psychological and Sociological Understandings of Crime 27 Psychological Criminology 28 Conclusion 30 References 31 2 Culture 38 The Problem with Cultural Explanations 39 Comparing Cultures 42 What Is Meant by Culture? 44 Individualism–Collectivism 46 Tightness–Looseness 47 What Kind of Culture Is Japan? 48 Can Culture Explain Crime in Japan? 51 Cultural Theories on Crime in Japan: From Sociological to Psychological 53 Conclusion 60 References 60 3 Life Course 65 Recidivism 68 Risk and Protective Factors 70 Causes 71 Criminal Careers 73 The Age-Crime Curve 74 Elderly Crime 76 Desistance 77 Conclusion 79 References 80 4 Family 84 Family Violence 87 Filial Violence 87 Child Maltreatment 88 Filicide 90 Intimate Partner Violence 91 Elder Abuse 92 The Family as an Explanation for Crime 94 Child-Rearing Methods 94 Large Family Size 98 Child Maltreatment 99 Disrupted Families and Parental Conflict 102 Disrupted Families 102 Parental Conflict 104 Criminal and Antisocial Parents 105 Other Parental Factors 106 Family Violence Prevention 106 Integrating Sociological and Psychological Perspectives on Family Violence 107 Identification of Risk Factors and Development of Preventative Measures 108 Conclusion 110 References 111 5 Youth 119 Youth Crimes 121 Trends and Prevalence 121 Why Is Youth Crime an Issue? 124 Understanding Serious Youth Violence: Typologies 127 Explanations 130 Crime Prevention and Crime Control 132 Effectiveness of Interventions 133 Strengthening Social Relationships 136 Conclusion 138 References 139 6 School 145 The Relationship Between School Factors and Offending 146 Conformity 148 Education and Self-Control 150 Self-Control as Personality 151 Bullying 156 Reasons for Bullying 157 Impact of Bullying: Psychological Consequences 159 School Refusal 161 Conclusion 164 References 165 7 Mental Disorders 170 Findings from Japan 173 Prevalence of Mental Disorders 173 The Medical Treatment and Supervision Act 174 Relationship to Reoffending 175 Developmental Disorders and Comorbidity 176 Schizophrenia 177 Gender Differences 179 Culturally Specific Mental Health Issues 180 Suicide 180 Hikikomori 184 Challenges to Addressing Mental Disorder and Reoffending 188 Reoffending 188 Stigma 189 Conclusion 191 References 191 8 Biosocial Interactions 198 Neuropsychological/Cognitive Deficits 201 Sexual Offending 203 Psychopathy 206 Risks in Nutrients and Childbirth 210 Omega-3 211 Obstetric Influences 213 Biological Prevention 216 Conclusion 218 References 219 9 Conclusions 226 Developing an Inclusive Criminology 231 References 233 References 235 Index 276 This book examines different aspects of crime and deviance in Japan using research and theories from psychological criminology. Dominant research literature often stereotypically claims that Japan has low crime compared to Western industrialised countries because its citizens are group-oriented, its social institutions benevolent and organised, and its public spaces are spotless and efficient. Bui and Farrington however found that there is a higher level of violence among young Japanese males compared to that among young American males. The authors use psychological criminology to investigate this claim and present what is known about crime and antisocial behaviour in Japan from a psychological perspective (e.g. mental disorders, brain dysfunction, and family criminality) and explain how this fits into the broader understanding of crime at the individual level. This original project is the most up-to-date work on crime in Japan and progresses the important, and underdeveloped, field of criminal psychology. -- Provided by publisher Front Matter ....Pages i-xiv Introduction (Laura Bui, David P. Farrington)....Pages 1-22 Culture (Laura Bui, David P. Farrington)....Pages 23-49 Life Course (Laura Bui, David P. Farrington)....Pages 51-69 Family (Laura Bui, David P. Farrington)....Pages 71-105 Youth (Laura Bui, David P. Farrington)....Pages 107-132 School (Laura Bui, David P. Farrington)....Pages 133-157 Mental Disorders (Laura Bui, David P. Farrington)....Pages 159-186 Biosocial Interactions (Laura Bui, David P. Farrington)....Pages 187-214 Conclusions (Laura Bui, David P. Farrington)....Pages 215-223 Back Matter ....Pages 225-232