Juvenile Justice CJ3650 Professor James Drylie Chapter 4
Theories of Delinquency There are several theories related to the causation of crime and delinquency A theory is a principle or an idea that attempts to define and explain a phenomenon.
Classical & Positivistic Theory Two major schools of criminological thought Classical People choose to commit crime Positive The environment influences behavior
The Classical School Behavior is rational Product of free will Juveniles choose to commit delinquent acts/crime Decisions in this regard are rational Based the pleasure/pain related to the act Strongly influenced early American thought through the 1800s
Cesare Beccaria (1738-1794) 1794) Italian nobleman Believed that people are hedonistic Maximize pleasure Minimize pain Often referred to as the pleasure-pain pain principle Focuses on the offense committed Not the offender Concerned with how punishment is applied Must fit the crime Pain vs. pleasure
Positive School Influenced juvenile justice practices by the late 1800s Grounded in the belief that behavior is beyond individual control Factors other than free will influence behavior Emerging thought The emergence of the scientific method as a means to study phenomenon The classical approach toward punishment was proving ineffective
Early positivist thought Cesare Lombroso Early criminologists looked to biological factors as a cause of crime Over time there was more of an emphasis on isolating psychological and social factors Family School Peer relationships
Choice Theory In the 1970s the classical school of thought reemerged as Rational Choice Choice Theory The renewed interest in the classical school based on Questioning the premise of positivism An increased crime rate Questioning if rehabilitation was working
Routine Activities Based on rational choice Contends that the motivation to commit crime and the number of offenders are constant Some would argue that the change in crime rates are due to fluctuations in the number of available offenders Cohen & Felson believe that there is a steady stream of offenders willing and capable of offending
Additionally, Cohen and Felson posit that crime rates fluctuate due to the following: Motivated offender Suitable target (victim) Absence of capable guardian Parent Neighbors Police Teachers, etc. All three factors must be present for a crime to occur
Deterrence Theory Follows from choice theory Juveniles commit crime because they choose to do so The choice is based in perceived risks and benefits If the risk outweighs the benefit they will most likely not commit the act Two types of deterrence: General Specific
General deterrence Discourages would-be delinquents from committing delinquent acts because the threat of punishment is real The fear of punishment outweighs the benefits of the acts
Specific deterrence Is designed to impose a sanction on an adjudicated delinquent to prevent them from committing additional delinquent acts Imposing stiff sanctions on a juvenile for committing an offense or delinquent act Do six months of community service every weekend and you may think twice before you do something to get in trouble again
The Assumptions of Deterrence Individuals are rational actors Weigh potential risk against benefits Juveniles are aware of sanction/penalty The risks associated with punishment are unpleasant The sanction is swift, certain, and severe
Biological theory The oldest approach in the biological theories of crime are morphological Criminals are viewed as biologically inferior Biological inferiority produces certain physical characteristics that make the appearance of criminals and noncriminals different Two particular theories are: Lombroso s atavism theory Sheldon s somatype theory
Ativism Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909) 1909) considered the father of the positive school He identified several factors that he felt influenced crime Population density Education Unemployment News coverage Contagion The born criminal
Atavistic anomalies Large skulls Large protruding jaws Canine teeth High foreheads Flattened noses Deep, close-set set eyes Especially large or small ears Very long arms or legs
Somatotype Sheldon focused on body type Endomorph Soft, round, and fat body type Seeks comfort and are extroverted Ectomorph Thin, frail Introverted and strong ability for self-control Mesomorph Muscular, firm, and strong Assertive and aggressive Refer to chart on page 101
Genetics Criminal activity tends to run in families Agree or disagree? Twin studies (Denmark) Monzygotic identical If one twin has a conviction, 35% of the cases the other twin also has a conviction Concordance rate is 35% Dizygotic fraternal Concordance rate was 12%
Adoption studies Better than twin studies in that they can isolate biological influences on delinquency because the environmental influence of the biological parent is absent
Chemical & Neurological Biochemical explanations suggest that chemical deficiencies or abnormalities in the body can affect behavior Dietary Sugar, vitamins B/C Fetal alcohol syndrome & prenatal drug use One study of FAS found that 60% of males and 40% of females reported trouble with the law 45% of youth between 12 20 with FAS had committed a violent offense Hormones
Autonomic nervous system Controls involuntary body functions Blood pressure Breathing Heart rate Produces the fight or flight response Adrenal glands Anxiety increases involuntary body functions These experiences are unpleasant and people generally avoid anxiety producing behavior Psychopaths or sociopaths do not develop adequate consciences and may be incapable of feeling fear or anxiety
Learning disabilities School failure has been linked to drop out rates and delinquency LDs are biologically determined factors that impose difficulties to learning Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Symptoms are Inattention Impulsivity Hyperactivity ADHD children are more likely to have contact with the system
Psychological theory Freud believed that personality is formed early in childhood and develops into a three-part personality structure Id Ego Collection of unconscious desires and instincts Sex and aggression The identity and actual behavior Superego Conscience and moral character Freud argued that juveniles have underdeveloped superegos that are unable to regulate the Id
Personality disorders Personality refers to the emotional and behavioral attributes of an individual Delinquents characteristically are Extroverted Impulsive Lack self-control Hostility Resentment Destructiveness Ambivalence toward authority
Antisocial Personality Disorder APD is pervasive pattern of disregard for and the violation of rights of others that begins in childhood or adolescence and continues into adulthood. Diagnosis is for adults, 18yoa. Deceitfulness Impulsivity Lack of remorse Consistent irresponsibility Reckless disregard for safety of self or others
Conduct disorder The juvenile version of APD
Learning theory Some believe that delinquency is learned behavior Learning is both psychological as well as a social process Classical conditioning We learn by connecting a stimulus with a response Pavlov s s dogs Modeling We model or imitate behavior
BF Skinner Operant conditioning is controlled by the consequences of the behavior Consequences that increase the behavior are reinforcers Praise Money Consequences that decrease behavior are punishers Parental or peer disapproval Arrest Punishment