Crime and Its Impact on Youth
Crime impacts children differently than it does adults. This paper examines the differences and the reasons children are affected uniquely by crime. It looks in particularly at the multiple theories that can be used to explain these impacts, such as Strain Theory and Social Control Theory. It also identifies the unique challenges that children and adults face as they struggle to cope both with the environments in which they live and the criminal justice systems that confront them. The paper concludes that children are uniquely impacted by crime because they are still in their developmental stage, wherein their psychology and physicality are still highly susceptible to external influences.
Introduction
Children suffer from the effects of crime in different ways from adults. This is primarily due to the fact that children are still developing, both cognitively and physically, whereas adults are already developed. Crime thus impacts the development of the child/youth, altering the likely outcome of that child's adolescence and setting the stage for a troubled adulthood if no intervention is adequately employed to re-route the course set by crime's effect. This paper will discuss the impact of crime on youth and show how theories and concepts of juvenile delinquency can be used to address the issue more fully.
Social Theories
There are several theories that can be used to explain the behaviors of developing youth. Strain Theory, Social Control Theory and Social Learning Theory all point to how issues outside the individual impact the developmental course of the psyche. When combined with the physical changes and needs that a growing person needs, according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory, the impact of crime on youth can be analyzed in a way that produces positive results. As Werner and Silbereisen (2003) note, the cause of most delinquency in youths stems from problems that arise in the youth's home life -- it can be the result of a broken home, divorce, abuse, or other types of negative surroundings that push the child into seeking relief, identity, kinship or retaliation via delinquent behavior. In their study on how "harmonious" families are more likely to produce positive outcomes in terms of child development, Werner and Silbereisen (2003) show that there is a correlation between trust, autonomy, prosocial experiences, and family cohesion, while a lack of these elements is consistent with juvenile delinquents and the homes from which they come. In other words, stable homes tend to produce stable youths who develop into stable adults. Unstable homes tend to be impacted by criminal activity (substance abuse,
Crime ControlThe Anomie/Strain theories have been discussed by four sociologist who sought to explain why deviant behaviors occur. The most common Anomie theories are stated by Robert Merton and Emile Durkheim. Many individuals in society are affected by societal control that makes their lives miserable. For example, an individual could be well-learned, have a legitimate means of income and live a good life in comparison to others. However, some of
Strain Theory There are many theories that seek to explain what causes crime to occur and what motivates individuals to engage in criminal or deviant behavior. One such theory is strain theory, which contends, "crime and criminal behavior is…essentially social phenomenon" (Arrigo, 2006, p. 57). As such, strain theory must look at society as a whole in order to determine what causes deviant behavior; however, just as strain theory seeks to
Consumer FraudIntroductionThe crime problem selected for this essay is consumer fraud, a form of deceit perpetrated against consumers involving deceptive business practices. Consumer fraud can include various scams, false advertising, identity theft, and other illicit activities intending to deceive consumers out of their money. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that in the United States alone, millions of people fall victim to consumer fraud each year, leading to billions of
Strain Theory The subject of strain theory is a very hot topic in the public, psychology and otherwise scholarly spheres. Indeed, academic search engines are teeming with reports, studies and summaries of strain theory in all of its forms, functions and offshoots. This report shall cover five scholarly-reviewed works pertaining to strain theory and/or its variants, in its entirety or in part. The true genesis of what leads some people to
Strain theory states that certain societies may pressure individuals to commit a crime. Strain may be either structural, namely where the individual feels that his or her needs are not met and turns to crime, therefore, as way of meeting these needs. In this case, processes at the societal level filter adown and effect the individual's perception regarding how he or she perceives her need. For instance, the particular society
Crime Theories and Sociology Crime theories and sociological perspective Crime is an overt omission or action through which a person breaks the law, hence the action is punishable and the person may be convicted in the court of law for the said action. It is the subject of great debate in sociology and criminology that what constitutes crime. Since deviation from law has to be considered as crime, the nature and context
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