When Criminology meets Psychology: Bridging Psychological Perspectives in Criminal Behavior

Session Submission Type: Pre-arranged Panel

Abstract

Criminology and psychology are deeply intertwined in the study of criminal behavior, offering complementary perspectives on offender motivation, risk assessment, and intervention strategies. This interdisciplinary panel brings together four presentations that explore criminological psychology, demonstrating how psychological insights shape our understanding of crime and enhance prevention and response efforts. Each presentation delves into the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral dimensions of offending, addressing both violent and non-violent criminal acts. Together, they offer a holistic approach to analyzing crime from psychological and criminological standpoints.
Together, the 4 Panel presentations underscore criminological psychology’s essential role in understanding, predicting, and addressing criminal behavior. The first two presentations focus on interpersonal violence and emotionally driven offenses. The discussion begins with Interpersonal Violence (IPV), a complex and pervasive form of abuse with implications for public safety, mass violence, and radicalization. The second presentation expands on the psychological triggers of violent outbursts, distinguishing crimes of passion from premeditated violence and exploring the legal and forensic aspects of impulsive criminal acts.
The third and fourth presentations address persistent, manipulative, and cyber-enabled offenses. The discussion transitions to stalking, a crime rooted in obsessive and delusional behaviors, often escalating into violence and severe psychological harm for victims. Cyber-stalking, as cyber-fraud are cyber-enabled crimes. The panel concludes with the 4th presentation which explores criminal psychological aspects of online fraud offenders. The paper applies criminal profiling to examine the psychological traits, deceptive strategies, and manipulation techniques of online fraud offenders.
By examining violent, compulsive, and financially motivated offenses, this panel highlights the interdisciplinary power of criminological psychology. Each presentation complements the others by addressing crime from a psychological, forensic, and legal standpoint, offering valuable insights for academics, law enforcement professionals, and policymakers.

Subtopic

• Topic 1: Perspectives on Crime and Criminal Behavior / Biological, Biosocial and Psychological Perspectives

Chair

• Dimitris Ziouvas, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences

Individual Presentations

• When Love Turns Violent: Interrupting Interpersonal Violence Through Behavioral Threat Assessment - Diana Concannon, Alliant International University (USA)

• Crimes of Passion: A Socio-Psychological Approach - Nestor Courakis, University of Nicosia (CYPRUS)

• Forensic psychological, criminological and legal perspectives of stalking - Marilena Katsogiannou, European University Cyprus (EUC)

• Criminal Profiling of Online Fraud Offenders: Understanding Digital Deception - Dimitris Ziouvas, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences