What type of theories attribute criminality to societal conflicts and inequities?

Critical theories attribute criminality to societal conflicts and inequities by examining how power dynamics, class struggles, and social injustices influence crime. These theories emphasize that crime cannot be understood simply as an individual's choice but must be seen in the context of the larger social structures and inequalities that impact behavior.

Critical theories often focus on how laws and societal norms can reflect and reinforce the interests of dominant groups, leading to a criminalization of certain behaviors associated with marginalized communities. Through this lens, crime is viewed as a product of systemic issues such as poverty, discrimination, and unequal access to resources rather than merely individual failings or biological predispositions. This perspective encourages a broader analysis of the social forces at play in the development of criminal behavior, making critical theories a vital framework in understanding crime within society.

The other options, while relevant in various contexts, do not specifically address the societal conflicts and inequities that are central to the understanding of crime from a critical theory perspective. Natural theories often reference innate biological factors, social theories might deal with the broader impacts of social environments without focusing on conflict, and structural theories analyze societal frameworks but may not delve into the power dynamics and conflicts shaping criminality as critically as critical theories do.