Prostitution - Analysis of Positivism and Classicism within Assignment

Prostitution - Analysis of Positivism and Classicism within Criminology via the Lens of Article - Assignment Example A discussion and analysis of the principle tenets of both positivism and classicism with regards to criminology will be engaged with.   Although it is not the purpose of this analysis to state that one approach is better than the other, the underlying goal is merely to state which one is the most effective in helping the reader to come to an appreciation of the causal and motivating factors that might have driven the individual to commit crime the first place. As a means of briefly describing the article to the reader prior seeking to define in terms of either positivism or classicism, the following serve as something of a brief summary. The article details the results of the plea bargain that was entered into by Ms Alexis Wright. Rather than facing a jury trial with over the charges, Ms Wright instead opted for a plea bargain that would see her serve 10 months in jail and pay a fine of just less than $60,000. Investigators case, the article reveals, had been gathering information upon Miss Wright as well as others involved, including client, for the space of nearly 2  ½ years. As with most high profile prostitution stings, Ms Wright’s enterprise made headline news in one of the nation’s most prominent newspapers due to two main factors (Seelye 1). The first of these is with regards to the high profile nature of her client list; referenced in the article is merely mayors, ministers, and high school coaches. The second deter minant that makes this high profile news is the fact that the actual place of prostitution served as both a Zumba studio and was located a mere stone’s throw from the vacation home of former Pres. George Bush. One of the hallmarks of the positivist’s school of thought with relation to criminology is the underlying belief that the individual/criminal is not always spurred on crime based solely upon free will. Rather, precipitating factors such as economic hardship, developmental impairment, or an otherwise incomplete worldview and/or understanding can just as easily lead an individual to commit a crime as can free will.