Criminology is the scientific study of the causes and prevention of crimes. Criminology also uses a large amount of theories to explain people's actions, their mental states, and their motivation to commit crimes. Some crimes involve monetary benefits, while other crimes are committed out of revenge or in spite of another, what we would call crimes of passion. Because it can sometimes be difficult to understand why certain crimes are committed, the only thing we can do is use theories to better decipher the thoughts, morals, and reasons behind the commission of crimes. Everyone is unique in their own way. Therefore, to ask the question “why did someone commit this crime?” » is a difficult question to answer. Biological, genetic, and learned behaviors are all factors that contribute to a person's state of mind. So what could cause a former police officer, a US Navy veteran and a college graduate to become so mentally distraught that he would commit mass murder against his former colleagues and their families? When you first heard about Christopher Dorner, you almost began to feel empathy for his actions. Dorner said in his manifesto that he was unfairly fired, which sparked his anger at the LAPD. Dorner's killings resulted in the deaths of three incitement victims. Due to Dorner's past as a law-abiding citizen, it can be assumed that the reasons for this outrage were based on a psychological issue. As stress and anger began to build up, Dorner led to poor choices. One theory to explain Dorner's decisions is the generic strain theory (Agnew, 1994). The general stress theory states that when certain goals are blocked, we begin to feel stressed, which leads to crime. Therefore, while Dorner's goals in his career were repeatedly blocked, Dorner...... middle of paper......violently. Although we will never know the real reasons behind Christopher Dorner's plot and plans, we can use different theories to better understand why he committed such a terrible crime. Maybe the LAPD is a corrupt agency and maybe before the murders Dorner was innocent. Honestly, we will never know the truth, but one thing we do know is that Christopher Dorner was a stressed individual who blocked goals. Due to the attributes that Dorner possessed, he was more dangerous and sharper than the average person. Christopher Dorner was also an individual who possessed very low self-control. During stressful situations, most individuals can manage their stress in civil ways, such as crying, mild irritation, or depression. Dorner, on the contrary, could not control himself in a civil manner and, because of this, he went from being a law-abiding police officer to being a killer..