The explanation of causes of criminal behavior has always worried the minds of criminologists. There is a need to differentiate between proximate and distal causes of crime (Weatherburn, 2001). While proximate causes precede a crime, distal causes are more chronologically remote, but not less influential. Distal causes of crime are usually attributed to biological, sociological and psychological factors, or their combination.

The biological theory of crime is rooted in the works of Casare Lombroso on the genetic causation of antisocial behavior (Morley&Hall, 2003). At present, however, the biological theory also encompasses the effect of brain structure and hormones on the formation of deviant behavior. Thus, the antecedent conditions of crime, fostered by biological factors, is the parents’ propensity toward criminal behavior or their psychological disorders. The most important question within this theory is the demonstration of complex interrelation between the inherited features and environmental influence. There is much evidence for the genetic propensity toward engagement in crime, which primarily comes from the studies on twins and non-twin siblings (Weatherburn, 2001). However, there is also persuasive evidence for the contributing influence of environmental factors, particularly in the studies on twins that have been separated (Morley&Hall, 2003).

Psychological theories posit a close relationship between criminal behavior and such factors as personality traits and cognitive development. Particularly, it has been shown in numerous studies that criminals on average have a lower IQ than others (Weatherburn, 2001). Therefore, poor school performance is usually taken as a strong predictor of criminal behavior, since it also entails negative social factors. Moreover, psychological disorders that imply aggressive behavior can be early indicators of crime. Another focus of the psychological theories is the influence of parental behavior, as it is widely recognized that child abuse or neglect often contributes to antisocial behavior in the adult age.

The sociological approach to crime focuses on the influence of social structural factors (such as poverty and unemployment) in different social contexts. The most influential theories within this approach are theories of strain theory, conflict, differential opportunities or developmental life course (Zembrowski, 2011). All of them share the assumption that antecedent causes for criminal behavior lie in the unfavorable position of the individual in the social structure, which can be reinforced by cultural factors such as language and ethnicity. Early indicators of criminal behavior, fostered by social factors, are repetitive conflicts with peers. Though social theories have come to the forefront recently, there is a lack of empirical evidence as it is difficult to prove the causal relationships they postulate.

While there may be different immediate causes that lead people to commit crimes, their propensity for it is deeply rooted in their past experience or in personality traits. Modern theories of crime causation primarily focus on social, psychological and biological factors. There is a lot of evidence, which proves the importance of these factors taken separately, but it is more reasonable to assume that crime is caused by their combination.